Episodi

  • Why Data Alone Won't Change Your Organization with Sebastian Wernicke
    Oct 13 2026
    In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C Suite strategist, business founder and best selling author, sits down with Sebastian Wernicke, author of “Data Inspired: Building an Organizational Culture of Inquiry for Lasting Transformation” and expert in data science, machine learning and AI. 0:00 Introduction & Welcome 1:08 Sebastian's Journey into Data 2:54 The Frustration That Inspired the Book 5:09 Data: Keeping Organizations the Same? 6:26 The Slow Elevator Story 8:38 Purpose First, Data Second 9:25 Understanding the Real Problem 12:12 Building a Culture of Inquiry 15:33 Data Driven or Data Frustrated 18:23 Data as Compression of Reality 19:54 Three Myths About Data 26:09 Complex Decisions: Bezos on Anecdotes vs. Data 28:41 Three Kinds of Indicators 30:34 Experimentation & Leading Indicators 31:49 Economics Consulting in Practice 37:24 Strategy as Problem-Solving 39:42 AI Strategy & Token Maxing 42:29 Measuring What Can't Be Measured 46:18 The Data Inspired Manifesto 48:54 Book Reception Across Fields 52:27 Bad Metrics & Short-Termism 55:18 Creating Space for Thinking 57:15 Closing Thoughts Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought sparks/id1546758719 https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/ https://x.com/rgmcgrath https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram. https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/ Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/ Learn more about Rita, her books, and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    58 min
  • Speak Memorably: Bill McGowan on the Art of Captivating Any Audience
    Oct 6 2026
    In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C Suite strategist, business founder and best selling author, sits down with Bill McGowan, founder and CEO of Clarity Media Group and a two-time Emmy Award-winning correspondent. Bill’s second book is Speak, Memorably: The Art of Captivating an Audience,written alongside co-author Juliana Silva. 0:00 Cold Open: The Playing Not to Lose Mentality 0:23 Welcome & Introducing Bill McGowan 1:20 From TV News to Communication Coaching 5:32 The Magnificent Seven: Verbal Devices 10:00 Creative Labels: Toothbrush Test, Goldilocks & Pottery Barn 12:14 The Conformity Zone: Why Executives Sound the Same 15:37 Hooking Your Audience & The Cost of Poor Communication 20:34 Coaching Skeptical Executives 24:16 Structuring a Great Speech (No Jokes) 25:27 Lessons from Stand Up Comedians 29:38 Novartis Super Bowl Ad & The Power of Levity 35:55 Making Complex Problems Simple: The Ozone Layer 37:58 Contextualizing Data for Real People 40:38 Leaders, Symbolism & Plain Talk 45:44 Conveying Bad News (BP & Goldman Sachs) 48:32 Knowing Your Audience & Speech Prep Tips 52:26 “Being Authentic” Needs Discernment 54:41 Where to Find Bill & Closing Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought sparks/id1546758719 https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/ https://x.com/rgmcgrath https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram. https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/ Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/ Learn more about Rita, her books, and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    56 min
  • Mastering the Craft of Leadership with Rick Goings
    Sep 29 2026
    In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, sits down with Rick Goings, founder of The Rick Goings Institute for Management and Executive Leadership at Rollins College. Formerly, Rick held several senior executive roles at Avon Products and served as Chairman & CEO of Tupperware Brands. 0:00 Introduction 0:25 Meet Rick Goings 1:21 The Rollins College Institute 2:58 Rick's Journey: Navy to Entrepreneur 6:31 First Company & Fortunate Pet 7:56 Avon and Tupperware 8:30 Women: Hiding in Plain Sight 9:46 Transforming Tupperware 12:29 Empowering Women in Patriarchal Societies 13:56 Warrior Training in Indonesia 17:31 Leadership as a Craft 19:59 The Institute & Rod Adkins 27:34 Google's Project Oxygen 29:33 The Bruce Springsteen Story 34:26 Peer Learning at the Institute 35:40 Three Focus Areas: Foresight, Vitality, Civic Leadership 37:41 Shareholder vs Stakeholder Value 41:59 The Vatican & Stakeholder Value 43:37 The Great Transition in Capitalism 45:27 "Add Value" – A Daily Mindset 50:35 The Future of Business Schools 52:45 The Halo Effect & AI Simulations 58:10 Forging Leaders 1:02:10 Conclusion Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719 https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/ https://x.com/rgmcgrath https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram. https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/ Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/ Learn more about Rita, her books, and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 3 min
  • Plastic, Pollution & Power: Beth Gardiner on Who's Really to Blame
    Sep 22 2026
    In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, sits down with Beth Gardiner, journalist with bylines in National Geographic, the New York Times, the Guardian, the Washington Post, and Scientific American; and author of the new book Plastic Inc.: The Secret History and Shocking Future of Big Oil's Biggest Bet. 0:00 Intro & Welcome 1:06 How the Book Idea Came About 6:50 The Fossil Fuel Industry's Pivot to Plastic 10:06 The History & Growth of Plastic Production 12:30 Recycling as a PR Tool 17:55 Keep America Beautiful & the Crying Indian 21:38 How Plastic Crept Into Our Lives 25:07 The Economics of Cheap Plastic 29:19 Diane Wilson vs. Formosa Plastics 35:48 The Recycling Symbol & Its Misuse 38:55 Lawsuits & Corporate Accountability 44:16 Fast Fashion & Plastic in Clothing 46:13 Cancer Alley & Fence-Line Communities 50:36 The Ozone Layer Parallel & Policy Solutions 54:10 Extended Producer Responsibility 57:21 Closing & Wrap Up Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719 https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/ https://x.com/rgmcgrath https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram. https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/ Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/ Learn more about Rita, her books, and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    58 min
  • The Transformation Economy with Rita McGrath and Joe Pine
    Sep 15 2026
    In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, sits down with Joe Pine, management advisor and author of the new book The Transformation Economy: Guiding Customers to Achieve Their Aspirations. Joe shares insights into the transition from the experience economy to the transformation economy, and why customers want change, not stuff. 0:00 Intro & Welcome 0:21 Meet Joe Pine: The Transformation Economy 1:28 Origins of the Experience Economy 3:02 The Rise of Coaching & Why Now 6:27 The Economic Hierarchy: Commodities to Transformations 7:00 From Tangible to Intangible Assets 8:54 Understanding What Customers Truly Want 12:27 The Four Types of Transformation 15:02 The Transformation Framework: Scale & Kind 17:16 Rethinking Competitive Advantage 20:27 Time Well Saved, Spent & Invested 22:12 Friction in Experiences & The Modern Love Column 25:05 Generational Shifts in Valuing Experiences 30:49 Nudging Companies Toward Customer-Centricity 33:25 Disneyland: Making Dad the Hero 35:06 Real-World Experience Fails: Hotel & Passport Stories 39:28 The Real Purpose of Business: Human Flourishing 43:22 The Global Food Economy & Pricing Paradoxes 47:23 The Coffee Progression: 5¢ Beans to $8 Latte 49:16 Surprises from 30 Years of Research 52:11 Paying for Outcomes: Texas State Technical College 55:43 AI & The Future of Outcomes-Based Economy 57:58 Wrap-Up & Closing Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719 https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/ https://x.com/rgmcgrath https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram. https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/ Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/ Learn more about Rita, her books, and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    58 min
  • The Science of Better Leadership with Rita McGrath and Caroline Webb
    Sep 8 2026
    In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, sits down with Caroline Webb, former McKinsey partner, leadership coach, and economist. Her new book, Leadership Intelligence, which is available on September 8, gives practical strategies for leaders facing 21 everyday management challenges. 0:00 Welcome to Thought Sparks 0:24 Meet Caroline Webb 1:21 Experiential vs. Deliberate Wisdom 3:04 How the Book Came to Be 10:27 The Three-Part Structure: How We Think 12:57 The Brain's Reward System: Competence & Connection 17:23 The Brain's Threat System & Resilience 19:58 Absorbing Uncertainty: Know, Be, Do 26:00 Staying Calm Under Pressure: The ABC Routine 27:57 The Readiness Reframe: Channeling Anxiety 29:59 Preparing Before Key Moments 31:00 The Positive No 36:51 Fix Flex: The Art of Delegation 40:17 The Leadership Pipeline & Managing AI Agents 41:48 Difficult Conversations: Layoffs & Underperformance 45:08 Compassionate Clarity 45:36 The Arc of a Coaching Engagement 50:21 Common Themes in Senior Leaders 53:56 Loneliness at the Top & Building Networks 56:09 Wrap-Up & Where to Learn More Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719 https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/ https://x.com/rgmcgrath https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram. https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/ Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/ Learn more about Rita, her books, and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    57 min
  • Leadership in an Age of Polycrisis with Rita McGrath and Caroline Stokes
    Sep 1 2026
    In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, sits down with Caroline Stokes, author of AfterShock to 2030: A CEO’s Guide to Reinvention in the Age of AI, Climate, and Societal Collapse, and member of the Thinkers50 Radar Class of 2026. 0:00 — Cold Open: The Trust Crisis in CEO Leadership 0:26 — Welcome to Thought Sparks & Introducing Caroline Stokes 2:10 — The Brian Thompson Assassination: Why It Opens the Book 6:21 — Why the Book Is Digital-Only & CEO Reading Habits 8:10 — The Trust Gap: Organizations Making People Sick 12:20 — LSE Research: Doughnut Economics & Post-Growth Practices 15:15 — Why "Aftershock": Polyvagal Theory & CEO Behaviors 19:11 — Carlota Perez: Turning Points in Capitalism 22:03 — NVIDIA's Fluid, Mission-First Organization Model 25:55 — Mea Culpa & Tabula Rasa: Reinventing Yourself as a Leader 31:07 — Radical Listening: The Human-to-Human Approach 34:39 — The PlayStation Backward Compatibility Story 36:30 — AI-Enabled Radical Listening & the DOGE Example 38:21 — NVIDIA's Top Five Things & Stochastic Sampling 41:01 — Getting Started: Finding Your Mission & Purpose 45:43 — Corruption, Shareholder Theory & the Need for a Reset 48:12 — Caroline's Personal Shocks & Living Abroad 49:53 — Advice for Younger People 54:26 — Where to Find the Book & Closing Remarks Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719 https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/ https://x.com/rgmcgrath https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram. https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/ Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/ Learn more about Rita, her books, and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    56 min
  • Designing Meetings that Matter with Rita McGrath and Rebecca Hinds
    Aug 25 2026
    In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, sits down with Rebecca Hinds, Head of the Work AI Institute & Director of Thought Leadership at Glean to discuss her new book Your Best Meeting Ever. 0:00 Intro & Welcome 0:13, Meet Rebecca Hinds 0:58, Rebecca's Journey Into Meeting Research 3:45, Meetings as Status Symbols & Power Dynamics 6:36, Meetings as a Product: Design Principles 7:33, Cutting Meeting Debt: The Meeting Doomsday 9:52, Return on Time Invested (ROTI) 13:42, The Four D CEO Test for Meetings 15:02, Bezos One-Way Door Decisions & Law of Triviality 18:13, Decision Fatigue & The Importance of Breaks 20:13, Amazon's Six-Page Memo Practice 26:05, Using Verbs in Agenda Items 27:11, Alan Mulally at Ford: Meetings That Drive Action 31:08, In-Person vs. Hybrid Meetings 38:51, Ensuring Diverse Perspectives Are Heard 45:48, AI's Role in Improving Meetings 47:27, Surprises Since the Book's Publication 50:14, Meeting Budget & Optimal Meeting Hours 53:43 Where to Learn More & Closing Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719 https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/ https://x.com/rgmcgrath https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram. https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/ Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/ Learn more about Rita, her books, and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    55 min