HBR IdeaCast

We all know that innovative thinking is vital to individual, team, and organizational success. But we still often put creativity in a box, assuming it's only for people in certain roles or best attempted once a year at an off-site brainstorming session. Marketing executives Kathryn Jacob and Sue Unerman argue that we all need to be exercising our creative muscles more regularly, especially in the age of AI, when routine work can be outsourced to algorithms but new thinking still comes from human minds. They offer prompts for spurring more creativity -- by yourself or with a team -- no matter where you work. Jacob and Unerman are the authors of the book A Year of Creativity: 52 Smart Ideas for Boosting, Creativity, Innovation, and Inspiration at Work.

Twenty-five years ago, a Harvard Business School case study featured the exceptional networking practices of Silicon Valley entrepreneur and venture capitalist Heidi Roizen. This was before the rise of online social networks and the ubiquity of social media. But today, Roizen says that those developments have not fundamentally changed how she builds and maintains strong personal and professional relationships. Now a partner at Threshold Ventures and a lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business, she shares the biggest missteps that she sees people take. She also explains the impact of AI and remote work on networking, her most effective strategies for building relationships, and her frank advice for those just starting their careers. Roizen is subject of the HBS case study “Heidi Roizen.”

Palo Alto Networks is the leading global cybersecurity company. Over his six-year tenure there, CEO Nikesh Arora has expanded and reorganized the organization, including safely incorporating generative AI into all of its products. Nikesh explains how he’s managing new opportunities and risks in the age of generative AI – including the single cybersecurity risk that keeps him up at night. He also shares his approach to leading innovation and evolving Palo Alto’s go-to-market strategy when new technologies are developing so rapidly.

This week marks a huge milestone for the HBR IdeaCast: our 1000th episode! Since the podcast launched in 2006, so much has happened. What hasn’t changed is our commitment to sharing in-depth conversations with expert thinkers on key business, management, and leadership issues. To celebrate, hosts Alison Beard and Curt Nickisch have scoured the archive for ten episodes with top-notch insights to give your career a rocket boost. The curated selection features a diverse group of academics—from business strategy icon Michael Porter to burnout researcher Christina Maslach—and practitioners, such as Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Oscar-winning director Ron Howard. Their powerful ideas and timeless advice cover a range of communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills that are essential for success—whether you’re in your first job, managing a team, or leading an organization. Listen to the episodes: #677: Why People — and Companies — Need Purpose (2019) #114: Speaking Well in Tough Moments (2008) #371: Lead Authentically, Without Oversharing (2013) #924: How One F-35 Fighter Pilot Makes Decisions Under Pressure (2023) #949: Making Peace with Your Midlife, Mid-career Self (2024) #889: Ron Howard on Collaborative Leadership and Career Longevity (2022) #596: Microsoft’s CEO on Rediscovering the Company’s Soul (2017) #595: Transcending Either-Or Decision Making (2017) #771: Why Burnout Happens — and How Bosses Can Help (2020) #229: How to Fix Capitalism (2011) The IdeaCast team would like to thank all the guests who've contributed their voices and expertise as well as all the people who've made the show possible behind the scenes.

Baidu launched in 2000 as a search engine platform. Two decades later, it’s become one of the few companies in the world that offers a full AI stack. Its core businesses span mobile, cloud, intelligent driving and other growth initiatives, and its products and services have attracted hundreds of millions of users and hundreds of thousands of enterprise customers. Leading all of that is co-founder, CEO, and chairman Robin Li. He explains how Baidu has built generative AI into its business – including their AI chatbot, ERNIE Bot. Robin also shares the technology trends he’s keeping an eye on – from AI bubbles to robotaxis – and how he anticipates these fast-moving changes will transform our world.