HBR On Leadership

If you’re a leader or aspire to be one, you’ve probably thought about how you project confidence and competence—or, what some call your executive presence. It’s as much a vibe you give off as it is a skill you can develop. And it’s important to exhibit if you want to assure others you’re ready to lead.    Megan Bock, the COO of an insurance technology company, has mastered executive presence. And Laura Sicola is a cognitive linguist who coaches executives. In this episode, Bock and Sciola discuss the key elements of executive presence and offer advice to a listener who's trying to develop it while working remotely.    Key episode topics include: public speaking, leadership qualities, gender, personal growth, remote work, leadership HBR On Leadership curates the best conversations and case studies with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. * Listen to the original Women at Work episode: The Essentials: Executive Presence [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-essentials-executive-presence/id1336174427?i=1000647958959] * Find more episodes of Women at Work [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/women-at-work/id1336174427] * Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org [https://hbr.org/].

In December 2020, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian and his leadership team were deciding whether or not to commit to recruiting, hiring, training, and advancing one million Black Americans into stable, well-paid jobs over the next decade, as part of the OneTen coalition. But if Delta joined, Bastian faced a key challenge: how could he make the airline truly inclusive and create systemically equal access to career opportunities? In this episode from 2023, Harvard Business School professor Linda Hill explains how Bastian shifted Delta’s talent architecture to prioritize skills over four-year degrees and how he created new apprenticeship programs to recruit entry-level employees. Hill studied Bastian’s efforts to transform Delta for a case study. She also explains why Bastian prioritized front-line employees for internal promotions, instead of recruiting new talent externally. Key episode topics include: leadership, hiring and recruitment, diversity and inclusion, corporate social responsibility, airline industry, talent, recruiting, career. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original Cold Call episode: Building a More Equitable Culture at Delta Air Lines (2023) [https://podcasts.apple.com/is/podcast/building-a-more-equitable-culture-at-delta-air-lines/id1156646189?i=1000635552787] · Find more episodes of Cold Call [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cold-call/id1156646189] · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org [https://hbr.org/]

How does critical feedback affect your team’s success? Researchers Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall argue that many managers invest too much energy in correcting weaknesses. Instead, they encourage leaders to focus on developing employees’ strengths. Buckingham and Goodall are the authors of the book, Nine [https://www.amazon.com/Nine-Lies-about-Work-Freethinking/dp/1633696308%22%20/t%20%22_blank] Lies About Work: A Freethinking Leader’s Guide to the Real World [https://www.amazon.com/Nine-Lies-about-Work-Freethinking/dp/1633696308%22%20/t%20%22_blank] and the HBR article “The Feedback Fallacy [https://hbr.org/2019/03/the-feedback-fallacy]” In this episode, they explain how to lead more effective conversations about performance by focusing on what your team members do best. Key episode topics include leadership, giving feedback, managing people, performance indicators. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: What Managers Get Wrong About Feedback [https://hbr.org/podcast/2019/04/what-managers-get-wrong-about-feedback] (2019) · Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hbr-ideacast/id152022135?mt=2]. · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org [https://hbr.org/].

Many people believe that leaders instinctively make the best decisions based on past experience, almost like muscle memory. But Carol Kauffman, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and the founder of the Institute of Coaching, challenges this view. She explains why falling back on automatic behaviors can lead to poor decisions, especially when the stakes are high. In this episode, Kauffman outlines her framework for sound decision-making in high-pressure situations. She also shares real-life stories of leaders she has coached through difficult decisions and offers insights into how to navigate high-stakes challenges effectively. Key episode topics include: leadership, leadership styles, strategy, decision making and problem solving. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: Why Leaders Should Rethink Their Decision-Making Process (2023) [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-leaders-should-rethink-their-decision-making-process/id152022135?i=1000600897715] · Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hbr-ideacast/id152022135?mt=2]. · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org [https://hbr.org/].

When Jason Buechel became CEO of Whole Foods in 2022, he faced the challenge of succeeding cofounder John Mackey, who led the company for over 40 years. This leadership transition was not only a personal challenge for Buechel but also a significant shift for the entire organization. In this episode, Buechel tells Harvard Business Review editor in chief Adi Ignatius how he addressed employees' concerns while preserving Whole Foods’ culture and core values. He also discusses his focus on internal leadership and strategies for supporting the company’s ongoing growth. Key episode topics include: leadership, careers, leadership transitions, succession planning, Whole Foods, authenticity, culture. HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week. · View to the original New World of Work episode: Whole Foods CEO Jason Buechel on the Challenges and Opportunities of Following a Visionary Leader (2023) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD4KUkkPAT4&list=PLzAU8TPKsJuYxnD8wmDWQviS11bmWAstT&index=4] · Find more episodes of the New World of Work [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzAU8TPKsJuYxnD8wmDWQviS11bmWAstT] · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org [https://hbr.org/]