HBR On Leadership

Oprah Winfrey isn’t just a public figure—she’s the wealthiest woman in the entertainment industry and the first African-American woman billionaire. But how did she rise from a daytime talk show host to a media mogul? What leadership skills did she develop along the way? In this episode, Harvard Business School executive fellow Bill George explores the challenges Oprah faced on her path to success and how she overcame them. He explains how she shifted away from people-pleasing, found her unique voice, and embraced vulnerability as a key leadership strength. Key episode topics include: leadership, entrepreneurship, race, media, TV, entertainment. 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: Black Business Leaders Series: Oprah’s Path to Authentic Leadership (2018) [https://podcasts.apple.com/be/podcast/black-business-leaders-series-oprahs-path-to-authentic/id1156646189?i=1000401171069] · 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/]

When you think of "office politics," you might picture someone hoarding information or taking credit for others' work. While negative stereotypes persist, learning to navigate office politics is crucial for leadership — and you can do it without sacrificing your principles or authenticity. In this episode, organizational psychologist Madeleine Wyatt, along with a guest from the management consulting field, discusses how to become more politically savvy at work by mastering four essential skills: apparent sincerity, networking, and interpersonal influence. Key episode topics include: leadership, office politics, power and influence, business services sector. 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 Women at Work episode: The Essentials: Playing Office Politics (2023) [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-essentials-playing-office-politics/id1336174427?i=1000593313863] · Find more episodes of Women at Work [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/women-at-work/id1336174427?mt=2]. · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org [https://hbr.org/].

What makes a leader truly effective? Is it about strategic vision, time management, confidence? Robert Steven Kaplan says the best leaders are exceptionally good at asking tough questions so they can make the right decisions. He is the author of the book What to Ask the Person in the Mirror: Critical Questions for Becoming a More Effective Leader and Reaching Your Potential [https://www.amazon.com/What-Ask-Person-Mirror-Questions/dp/1422170012]. He explains how to frame better questions to get the answers you need to make decisions. He also discusses how to use questions to clarify your key priorities and how to make sure you’re then spending your time in service of them. Key episode topics include: leadership, managing yourself, critical questions, decision-making, tough questions, analysis. 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: Key Questions for Leaders (2011) [https://hbr.org/podcast/2011/08/key-questions-for-leaders] · 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/]

If you had to describe your company’s culture in a single word, what would it be? Are you super flexible and casual? Are you collaborative and inclusive? Software executive Richard Sheridan argues that one key quality is missing from too many workplaces today: joy. As CEO of Menlo Innovations, an enterprise software company based in Michigan, Sheridan deliberately focuses on cultivating joy in his company. His 2018 book, Chief Joy Officer: How Great Leaders Elevate Human Energy and Eliminate Fear, offers guidance for how to create joy at work — and why it’s so important for innovation. He explains the difference between joy and happiness and how to harness joy in service of a larger project. He also discusses how, as a leader, you can model joy for your team and why joy and a culture of fear are incompatible. Key episode topics include: leadership, managing people, emotional intelligence. 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: How One CEO Creates Joy at Work (2018) [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-one-ceo-creates-joy-at-work/id152022135?i=1000426076126] · 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/].

Are you stuck in a negative rut with someone at work? HBR contributing editor and workplace conflict expert Amy Gallo says repairing a broken professional relationship will improve your work life — whether it’s your boss, a coworker, or even your employee. In this episode, she breaks down the different types of relationship conflicts that are common at work and the steps you can take to move forward — starting with more empathy and less ego. Key episode topics include: leadership, careers, managing conflicts, difficult conversations. 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. · Watch the original HBR Guide episode: Fixing a Broken Relationship at Work (2024) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWebxDwyV8Y] · Find more episodes of the HBR Guide series on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzAU8TPKsJuY_9-pLYPmwNRJLMRGp1rTI]. · Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org [https://hbr.org/].