The Insightful Leader: Recent Episodes
Kellogg School of Management
This week on The Insightful Leader, we're bringing you an episode of "Life, Automated"—a new podcast from Kellogg's Ryan Institute on Complexity.
Join host Jess Love as she attempts to answer the question on everyone's lips: Will AI actually take over every job ever?
Kellogg economist Ben Jones doesn't think so.
Drawing from historical evidence around innovation, Jones argues that automation never conquers everything—it inevitably creates operational bottlenecks that only humans can solve. By leaning into these bottlenecks, we can protect meaningful, well-paid work.
But his optimism comes with a stark caveat: there is one nightmare scenario where this historical pattern breaks down entirely. And it doesn't involve superintelligence. It involves mediocre AI.
For more Life, Automated:
Apple
Spotify
In the fifth—and final—episode of "Insight Unpacked: Can We Still Build a Green Economy?" we consider how AI and the human spirit could get us to net zero.
America passed its biggest-ever climate bill … only to reverse course three years later. In the fourth episode of "Insight Unpacked: Can We Still Build a Green Economy?" experts discuss why policy solutions struggle to stick.
A few years ago, the stock market was wild about green tech and ESG funds. And then it wasn't. We look at why in the third episode of "Insight Unpacked: Can We Still Build a Green Economy?"
They say they want to do better. In the second episode of "Insight Unpacked: Can We Still Build a Green Economy?" we look at an oil company, a tech giant, and an Italian energy provider to explore why net-zero pledges have barely moved the needle.
Saving the planet is going to take more than net-zero pledges and shopping green. In the first episode of our series, "Insight Unpacked: Can We Still Build a Green Economy?" we take the current temperature of the climate fight.
Introducing Insight Unpacked, Season 3: Can We Still Build a Green Economy?
In the last decade, we've seen powerful people and organizations take on the issue of climate change — making big pledges to reduce their carbon emissions by adapting their fleets, retrofitting their offices, or going paperless.
And yet global emissions are still at or near record highs. So what gives?
In this five-episode season, we're asking: If climate change is already reshaping our environment, is there anything that companies, investors, policymakers, technologists, and ordinary people can do to turn things around? And are we even capable of doing that?
There's reason for hope. But our work is certainly cut out for us.
The AI models informing many of our decisions are riddled with preconceptions. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, two experts outline how bias creeps in.
So you've tinkered with AI, but now you want to level up. Here are tips from Kellogg faculty on using the tech more effectively.
Uncertainty is everywhere. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we examine the effect of geopolitics on everything from Barbies to Sharpies.
Millions of blooms. Two continents, One day. And a very busy airport. On this (rerun) episode, we hear how our favorite symbol of love gets from point A to point B.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader, learn why companies should embrace the social-media testimonial, warts and all.
As your career progresses, it can be easy to get stuck in a narrow professional lane. Learn how to break free on this episode of The Insightful Leader.
From ketchup on hot dogs to politics, it can be hard to talk constructively about polarizing issues. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we play a game to recognize the traps we often fall into and learn how to avoid them.
It's not just about salary. On this episode of The Insightful Leader's "Ask Insight," we hear how to approach some common work tensions by finding common ground.
There's no "correct" approach to laying people off, but on this episode of The Insightful Leader, we discuss how you can maintain your integrity through the process.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader, an executive coach offers three tales of leaders who let complacency get in the way of success.
When Kellogg’s Craig Wortmann lost a portion of his leg to cancer, he felt like he lost part of his identity, too. On this episode of The Insightful Leader podcast, he offers a guide to “bouncing back better.”
In this bonus episode of our series, “Insight Unpacked: American Healthcare and Its Web of Misaligned Incentives,” a healthcare economist must make critical decisions with partial information.
Also: Do you have advice on how to be a good healthcare consumer? Any lessons you learned the hard way? Professor David Dranove wants to hear from you. Send him an email at d-dranove@kellogg.northwestern.edu, and write "shopping for healthcare" in the subject line.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader: when Fuyao Glass opened a U.S. factory, it underestimated the importance of translating company culture.
On this (rerun) episode of The Insightful Leader: You can't always control what happens at work. But reframing setbacks, and instituting some serious calendar discipline, can go a long way toward reducing stress.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we’ll discuss how these movies can help us navigate conflict and tackle power dynamics.
Be yourself! No, not like that. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we help you navigate the competing advice about how much to share and hold back. This episode originally aired in January of 2024.
Plus: insecure employees and a flagging culture. On this episode of The Insightful Leader's "Ask Insight," a conversation with Professor Harry Kraemer. This is a (favorite!) rerun. We'll have a couple more in the coming weeks, with new episodes to follow. Stay tuned!
On this episode of The Insightful Leader: two researchers offer tips on how to get AI development right.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader, Kellogg’s Ellen Taaffe interviews her mentor about success, self-belief, and supporting the next generation of leaders.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader’s “Ask Insight,” we finish our conversation by getting real about the emotional stakes that make delegating hard.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader’s “Ask Insight,” our conversation continues with a discussion of which tasks and functions to delegate—and which to keep.
It’s a tricky skill to master. On this episode of The Insightful Leader’s “Ask Insight,” a Kellogg professor and executive coach says it begins with assessing your team members and playing to their strengths.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader, why your trade secrets may not be safe, and other considerations.
When missteps knocked the famous “rooster sauce” off its pedestal, a competitor seized the moment. On this episode of The Insightful Leader: Why one brand sizzled and the other fizzled.
In this episode of The Insightful Leader, a former president at Kraft Foods explains why “sometimes just working harder is a complete waste of time.”
New rules are making it harder to track customers’ online behaviors. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we look at what this means for companies large and small.
In the final episode of our 5-episode series, “Insight Unpacked: American Healthcare and Its Web of Misaligned Incentives,” we travel overseas, and through our own backyard, in search of a way forward.
On this episode, we hear from Kellogg faculty members Craig Garthwaite, Amanda Starc, and David Dranove. We also talk to Murray Ross, vice president of Kaiser Permanente's Institute for Health Policy and Government Relations.
Visit the episode page for supplementary materials.
What will we pay for the next groundbreaking drug? In episode 4 of our 5-episode series, “Insight Unpacked: American Healthcare and Its Web of Misaligned Incentives,” we explore the trade-off at the heart of pharmaceutical innovation.
On this episode, we hear from Kellogg faculty members Amanda Starc and Craig Garthwaite, as well as Boston University School of Law’s Kevin Outterson.
Visit the episode page for supplementary materials.
In episode 3 of our 5-episode series, “Insight Unpacked: American Healthcare and Its Web of Misaligned Incentives,” we explain how insurance companies became everybody’s favorite villain.
On this episode, we talk to Kellogg faculty members Craig Garthwaite, David Dranove, and Paul Campbell, alongside Wharton School professor Robert Lawton Burns.
Visit the episode page for supplementary materials.
We rely on doctors to keep us healthy. In episode 2 of our 5-episode series, “Insight Unpacked: American Healthcare and Its Web of Misaligned Incentives,” we learn at what cost.
On this episode, we talk to Kellogg professors Craig Garthwaite, David Dranove, and clinical associate professor Paul Campbell about the role doctors play in the expense and complexity of the American healthcare system.
Visit the episode page for supplementary materials.
In episode 1 of our 5-episode series, “Insight Unpacked: American Healthcare and Its Web of Misaligned Incentives,” we investigate how hospital systems got so big—and what that means for our health and our pocketbooks.
On this episode, we talk to Kellogg professors Craig Garthwaite and David Dranove, and Wharton School professor Robert Lawton Burns. Dranove and Burns co-wrote the book Big Med: Megaproviders and the High Cost of Health Care in America.
Visit the episode page for supplementary materials.
Introducing Insight Unpacked, Season 2: American Healthcare and Its Web of Misaligned Incentives
If you lived in the nineteenth century, and you got sick, it was bad news. Simple urinary tract infections were deadly. Appendicitis killed you. And Syphilis might leave you without a nose.
Thanks to modern medicine, this is pretty unimaginable today. And if you live in the United States, you know that we pay handsomely for the privilege. But why do we pay more than any other country?
Welcome to Insight Unpacked—the series where our faculty break down a complex business topic. And boy do we have one for you this season: American healthcare and its web of misaligned incentives.
And we’re gonna get really familiar with the things that motivate this system’s biggest players. Those players? Hospital systems, doctors, health-insurance companies, pharmaceuticals, and patients.
So subscribe to Insight Unpacked, or check your feed at The Insightful Leader. Episodes drop on Mondays starting June 24.
Since the 1990s, taxes, debt, and regulations have hamstrung the Italian economy. On this episode of The Insightful Leader: Could America be next?
A great response to this question can open doors. On this episode of The Insightful Leader: we’ve got tips for fine-tuning your answer.
Curious about using AI at work? On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we hear from one professor who found a fascinating, low-stakes way to bring AI into his workplace: the classroom.
It’s not like applying for a job. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, an expert demystifies the process.
Generative AI is like “a hammer looking for a nail.” On this episode of The Insightful Leader: we have to decide what the nail should be.
Plus: more leadership advice in this episode of The Insightful Leader’s “Ask Insight” series.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader: a consumer anthropologist takes us behind the scenes as she interviews a “pet parent.”
On this episode of The Insightful Leader: From climate change to neuroscience, this new approach is reshaping how we study complicated systems.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader: Are companies as socially responsible as they claim? And how much should investors care?
Be yourself! No, not like that. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we help you navigate the competing advice about how much to share and hold back.
Book links:
The Mirrored Door: Break Through the Hidden Barrier that Locks Successful Women in Place.
Embrace the Power of You: Owning Your Identity at Work
Advertising Strategy
Cambridge Handbook of Consumer Psychology
Creative Brief Blueprint
On this episode of The Insightful Leader: how understanding consumer mindsets can help you make the sale.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader podcast: what happens when everyone uses the same generative AI tools?
Plus: insecure employees and a flagging culture. On this episode of The Insightful Leader’s “Ask Insight,” more from our conversation with Professor Harry Kraemer.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader’s “Ask Insight,” Professor Harry Kraemer discusses how to lead your former peers and build trust with your team.
Luxury is dominated by older brands. So what happens when newer entrants try to break through? In the second of two bonus episodes, we show what can go right—and wrong.
So opulent! So exclusive! In the first of two bonus episodes, we explore everything that helps brands like Ferrari and Manolo Blahnik scream luxury.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader: Opaque algorithms on platforms like LinkedIn, Uber, and TaskRabbit have more power than ever. It’s starting to impact livelihoods.
Please take our quick listener survey: https://kell.gg/survey
For better or worse, generative AI is here to stay. On this episode of The Insightful Leader: What could it mean for you and your team?
Please take our listener survey: kell.gg/podsurvey
On this episode of the Insightful Leader: giving negative feedback is not easy, but such critiques can be meaningful for both parties if you use the right roadmap.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader: a blueprint for making strong (and honest) arguments with data.
Talking politics in this polarized climate is a dicey proposition. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, an expert in the psychology of persuasion offers tips on how to approach the topic constructively.
In this episode of The Insightful Leader, we consider the benefits and drawbacks of keeping a very close eye on employees.
Silicon Valley Bank spectacularly collapsed—and a new analysis suggests that its precarious situation is not as much of an outlier as we’d hope. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we learn what went wrong and what should happen next.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader: You can’t always control what happens at work. But reframing setbacks, and instituting some serious calendar discipline, can go a long way toward reducing stress.
With major incentives starting to kick in, here's how the legislation is poised to affect the economy.
It can be tempting for leaders to swoop in to solve problems. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we hear from a U.S. Army colonel about why doing so is a disservice.
There are cons—but a lot of pros, too. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we’ll explore what it’s like to work at a family business when you’re not a family member.
In this episode of The Insightful Leader, a CEO explains how to organize your life around what really matters—instead of trying to do it all.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader: the end of “Zero Covid,” escalating geopolitical tensions, and China’s potentially irreplaceable role in the global supply chain.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we hear how leaders can work with their “quiet-quitters” and rebuild morale.
The implosion of the crypto exchange has sent the industry reeling. We dig into what happened and whether cryptocurrency, as a concept, can weather the storm.
In the fifth and final episode of our series, “Extraordinary Brands and How to Build Them,” we look at how to measure your brand’s health–and what you should do if you don’t like what you learn.
Kellogg professors Julie Hennessy, Jennifer Cutler, Jim Lecinski, and Tim Calkins will explain how to use tools like Twitter to understand how customers feel about your brand, and what happened when Old Spice and Lego started to target surprising new audiences. Finally, we’ll learn how Kellogg professors feel about Insight’s new brand.
In the fifth and final episode of our series, “Extraordinary Brands and How to Build Them,” we look at how to measure your brand’s health–and what you should do if you don’t like what you learn.
Kellogg professors Julie Hennessy, Jennifer Cutler, Jim Lecinski, and Tim Calkins will explain how to use tools like Twitter to understand how customers feel about your brand, and what happened when Old Spice and Lego started to target surprising new audiences. Finally, we’ll learn how Kellogg professors feel about Insight’s new brand.
In episode 4 of our 5-episode series, “Extraordinary Brands and How to Build Them,” professor Mohan Sawhney discusses the importance of transmedia brand storytelling–and how to do it right.
Every brand has a story to tell. But consumers only have so much time, energy, and attention. You will need to find a story that cuts through our collective “story fatigue” and find creative ways to deploy it.
In episode 4 of our 5-episode series, “Extraordinary Brands and How to Build Them,” professor Mohan Sawhney discusses the importance of transmedia brand storytelling–and how to do it right.
Every brand has a story to tell. But consumers only have so much time, energy, and attention. You will need to find a story that cuts through our collective “story fatigue” and find creative ways to deploy it.
In episode 3 of our 5-episode series, “Extraordinary Brands and How to Build Them,” we discuss the associations you want customers to make with your brand, and how to use design to make it happen.
On this episode, Kellogg professor Bobby Calder looks at how great brands define themselves, how stale brands revitalize themselves, and why you should use all your senses when creating a brand image. Channel your inner artist, because it’s design time! We discuss clever multimedia campaigns and explore how soundmarks and audio branding can open the door to new brand associations.
In episode 3 of our 5-episode series, “Extraordinary Brands and How to Build Them,” we discuss the associations you want customers to make with your brand, and how to use design to make it happen.
On this episode, Kellogg professor Bobby Calder looks at how great brands define themselves, how stale brands revitalize themselves, and why you should use all your senses when creating a brand image. Channel your inner artist, because it’s design time! We discuss clever multimedia campaigns and explore how soundmarks and audio branding can open the door to new brand associations.
In episode 2 of our 5-episode series, “Extraordinary Brands and How to Build Them,” we dig into the importance of finding the right name for your brand. With apologies to Shakespeare, a rose by any other name wouldn’t smell as sweet.
On this episode, Kellogg professors Paul Earle and Tim Calkins offer advice on where you might look for naming inspiration, what great names convey, and when you should go with something fun and funky versus simple and straightforward. Plus: an NFL franchise with a bad name, a podcast with a great name, and the single naming rule that trumps them all.
In episode 1 of our 5-episode series, “Extraordinary Brands and How to Build Them,” we reveal the key questions you should answer before you start to craft your brand. Because if you can’t articulate your brand’s value to yourself, you won’t stand a chance of convincing customers.
On this episode, Kellogg professors Tim Calkins and Alice Tybout discuss brand purpose, point of difference, and the McDonald’s McLean burger.
Visit the episode page for supplementary materials.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader podcast, two seasoned entrepreneurs share wisdom from the trenches.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader podcast: you asked and our faculty answered. We dig into a mailbox of listener questions on leadership and management.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader: When Boston Public Schools looked to algorithms to solve equity issues and save money, it ran into a roadblock—the complicated lives of parents and students.
This week, an episode from the archives: It’s not enough to be good at your job. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, learn how to develop the gravitas that commands attention and respect.
In this episode of The Insightful Leader, we hear how leaders can help their teams—and themselves—turn ambitious goals into reality.
On our first episode of Ask Insight, we learn that changing the status quo will take self-reflection and time.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we learn why it’s not always as simple as handing out a performance bonus.
In the second episode of our two-part series, former NSA director Mike Rogers discusses what to do if your defensive tactics have failed and your network is exposed.
In the first episode of our two-part series, former NSA director Mike Rogers shares strategies for protecting your organization from a cyberattack.
Zoom doesn't have to be a drag. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we discuss some rules of the road.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader: How to identify leadership talent—and how to advance the careers of employees who aren’t looking to manage others.
The good news is you may already have the skills you need. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we’ll learn about doubling down on that expertise to help your team through a crisis.
Business leaders can’t rely solely on data scientists to get the job done. Learn more on this episode of The Insightful Leader.
Individual actions won’t be enough to slow global warming. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, learn how companies—and the people who lead them—need to get involved.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader: how to talk so that your team (and boss) will listen.
COVID conspiracies have a powerful psychological allure. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we explore how to combat them.
Some employees moved out of state. Others don't want to be in the office. And not everyone is vaccinated. On this episode of The Insightful Leader: What happens now?
The stakes have never been higher. Learn more on this episode of The Insightful Leader.
It’s not enough to be good at your job. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, learn how to develop the gravitas that commands attention and respect.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we provide a blueprint for making strong (and honest) arguments with data.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader: what the data say about successful entrepreneurs and the types of policies that best support them.
Strong leadership is about more than being the smartest person in the room. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we offer tips to become more aware of yourself and those around you.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader: Carbon’s Ellen Kullman, former CEO of DuPont, on having the right people around to hold up a mirror.
Tip: It’s not over when the Zoom call ends. Learn more on this episode of The Insightful Leader.
On this episode of The Insightful Leader, get practical advice for detecting your blind spots—and pushing past them.
The technology can help reopen workplaces—but only if your employees trust it. Three experts discuss how to earn that trust.
A conversation with the chairman and the CEO of Griffith Foods about leading with purpose during the crisis.
In this special episode, veteran venture capitalist Woody Marshall discusses the investment landscape and the importance of leadership through the pandemic.
In this special episode, a conversation with the company’s chief merchandising officer about adapting for an unprecedented future.
Anti-Black racism is deeply embedded in corporate culture. On this special episode, Professor Nicholas Pearce and Google’s Ginny Clarke discuss the moral responsibility of leaders to finally address that.
Dilemmas are rarely black-and-white. Here's what fictional characters can teach us about today’s real-world quandaries.
When we stop compartmentalizing our home and work selves, we tend to act more ethically, research finds.
Prof. Megan Kashner describes three ways that leaders in the private sector can help solve the biggest problems facing society today.
New research from Prof. Nicola Bianchi goes inside the black box of management training. What he finds could help companies get more bang for their buck.
Prof. Adam Pah explains why it’s getting harder to get good data, why too much data can sabotage your algorithm, and how companies are now using AI to address customers’ pain points.
For more tips on using AI and analytics in business, download our new ebook: kell.gg/book
There’s a classic rule in economics that says more transparency and communication always leads to better outcomes. But research from Prof. Robert Bray suggests that there are important exceptions to this trusty rule. When does it make more sense to keep your cards close to the vest?
What’s the best way to offer your employees and colleagues constructive criticism? Prof. Ellen Taaffe shares tips for how to give (and receive) better feedback, and what you can do if you’re not getting any feedback at all.
For leaders, deciding how much trust to place in the people you manage can be tricky. Give them too much leeway, and they might take advantage of you—but don’t give them enough, and they may not feel safe to take risks. So how much does a more trusting CEO really spur innovation? And how should you determine if more trust is what your organization really needs? Prof. Kieu-Trang Nguyen describes a new study that takes a clever approach to analyzing trust at the top.
These days, more and more work is happening in teams. However, it’s often difficult to see who on the team did what. So how do we allocate blame when a team project goes wrong? Research from Profs. Benjamin Jones and Brian Uzzi finds that we often point the finger at the wrong individuals—and suggests ways that leaders can guard against this bias.
Machines are taking on more and more new responsibilities in the workplace. But are some jobs better left to humans? Prof. Adam Waytz, author of The Power of Human, offers three guidelines for how managers can play to the unique strengths of both people and technology.
"Don't be afraid to have an edge about you." Craig Wortmann, a professor of innovation and entrepreneurship and three-time CEO, explains how to hone the skills you’ll need to ask for what you want at work—and challenges you to embrace the tension that comes with being bold.
Creativity is invaluable. Yet when trying to generate ideas, we often censor ourselves for fear of being seen as foolish. So could overcoming this fear make us more creative? Professor Leigh Thompson tests that theory with a unique series of experiments.
After a short break, Kellogg Insight’s podcast is now back with a new look—and a new name.
What does it mean when the leadership role you have accepted comes with an expiration date? On this episode, Kathleen Hagerty, the outgoing interim dean of the Kellogg School, reflects on the leadership lessons she learned in her year at the helm of a leading business school.
At some point in our careers, we all question if we’re truly on the right path. But how do you know for sure? On this episode, Nicholas Pearce, a clinical professor at Kellogg and author of "The Purpose Path," explains how to find your calling, and summon the courage to make it a reality.
How can thinking like a designer help you create better products, better services, and better solutions? On this episode, Kellogg Clinical Associate Professor David Schonthal, a senior director at IDEO, shares the three simple steps that can let anybody harness their inner designer and get results.
In 2001, Harry Kraemer faced a full-blown leadership crisis. At the time, he was CEO of healthcare company Baxter International. When one of his company's products was linked to patient deaths worldwide, it was up to Kraemer to decide how to respond. On this episode of the Kellogg Insight podcast, Kraemer discusses how to make hard choices that align with your internal compass.
Waiters get mistreated. Call center operators get screamed at. Salespeople have to smile at difficult clients. But why do those tense moments sometimes escalate to sabotage? Kellogg Professor Cynthia Wang shares what she discovered—and what companies can do about it.
Most of us think of Valentine’s Day as the “day of love.” But for the people in charge of getting roses out of the field and into the hands of consumers—from growers, to shippers, to flower shops—it's actually a high-stakes day of commerce. On this episode of the Kellogg Insight podcast, Martin Lariviere explains what the humble rose can teach us about a working supply chain, and the many ways it can go awry.
If you’ve ever had to give a presentation at work, then you know: It seems like there are a million things to worry about. In this episode of the Kellogg Insight podcast, Tim Calkins, a clinical professor of marketing and author of "How to Wash a Chicken: Mastering the Business Presentation," shares five tips that will let you conquer the business presentation.
When we think people are different from us, how do we treat them? The answer to that question can sometimes be a matter of life or death. On this episode of the Kellogg Insight podcast, we hear from Prof. Nour Kteily about his research on social categorization.
In this episode of the Kellogg Insight podcast, we take a fresh look at how the Supreme Court really makes decisions. First, Tonja Jacobi, a professor at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, explains what oral arguments can tell us about how the Court is planning to vote. Then we hear from Jörg Spenkuch, an associate professor of managerial economics and decision-making at Kellogg, whose research questions whether justices are really as impartial as they think.
Kellogg Insight offers advice for entrepreneurs on the importance of defining their startup's identity as early in their journey as possible. We hear from Rick Desai, an adjunct professor of innovation and entrepreneurship at Kellogg and founder of the brand identity firm Listen. Then we discuss with Ben Jones, a professor of strategy at Kellogg, his groundbreaking new research on the ages of successful entrepreneurs.
In this best-of podcast, Kellogg Insight offers advice on advancing your career. We hear from Adnan Rukieh, a director of career services at Kellogg, about getting recruited, as well as faculty members Steven Franconeri, Carter Cast and Michelle Buck, who all discuss ways to hone your skills and put your best foot forward as you climb the professional ladder.
Insight talks about mentorship and advice with two professors whose own executive careers were helped by others.
Insight talks to an Army colonel and two finance professors about the unique qualities former servicemembers bring to the corporate world.
Insight looks to the NBA for leadership lessons on how to build a successful team, how to manage diversity, and how one NBA team has embraced data analytics to drive decision making across the organization.
Most of us spend a lot of time interacting with our coworkers. Being surrounded by the right teams can make long hours and challenging projects a lot more bearable. Getting along with our colleagues can make work fun.
In this best-of podcast, Kellogg Insight offers advice on how to make the most of your work relationships. We hear from Kellogg School faculty Ellen Taaffe, a clinical assistant professor of leadership, and Eli Finkel, a professor of management and organizations, about the thorny task of giving feedback. We also hear from Jeanne Brett, a professor of management and organizations, about how to resolve workplace disputes.
While most of us are interested in contributing to the greater good, it can be daunting to figure out just where to start, and how to make the most impact. In this podcast, we talk with Megan Kashner,a clinical assistant professor and director of social impact at Kellogg, about how companies and their employees can offer their expertise to nonprofit organizations. Then we discuss with Kara Palamountain, a research associate professor at Kellogg, how social impact entrepreneurs have some tough decisions to make when they are deciding whether to go the nonprofit or for-profit route.
Building a new business comes with a lot of uncertainty, but there's one thing companies can do to make the odds of survival as favorable as possible.
In this podcast, we talk with lecturer Jeff Hyman about how to identify, attract, and retain rockstar employees. Then we talk with Bernie Banks, Kellogg’s associate dean for leadership development and a retired brigadier general in the U.S. Army, about how to develop leadership talent from the ground up.
Music can be powerful. It can change our mood, and, research shows, even change our behavior.
In this podcast, we talk with professor Derek Rucker about his research on power songs and how they might shape the way we behave after we listen to them. Then we talk with Kris Kukul, a Broadway music director and orchestrator, who helps us understand how music is crafted in order to elicit an emotional reaction.
Ashwin Ram, one of the creators of Amazon Echo, describes how the artificial intelligence device is learning how to understand the ways we speak. Plus, a Kellogg School data scientist describes an algorithm that can identify new social-media hashtags as they emerge.
Learn how to most effectively give and receive feedback in the workplace. Then an expert on marriage discusses the ways our relationships can inform our work communications.
Learn how the science of regret can motivate us to keep connections with friends and colleagues. Then get a practical tool for staying front-of-mind with business connections.
We look into three questions: How do we know when to trust new information? What can reputable journalists do to convince their audience that they are not, in fact, fake news? And why are people particularly skeptical about institutions these days?
Why marketers and journalists benefit from an understanding of how effective lists are designed and deployed.
This month’s Insight In Person podcast is an encore broadcast from January 2015 that investigates how to get off to a strong start in the new year. Blake McShane, an associate professor of marketing at the Kellogg School, explains that when faced with paying off multiple debts, those who tackle the smallest debt first are more likely to succeed in paying off everything. Eli Finkel, a professor of management and organizations at the Kellogg School, cautions that relying on others to reach our goals can undermine our own efforts. Miguel Brendl, an associate professor of marketing at the Kellogg School, underlines the importance of setting intermediate goals to avoid that motivational lull in the middle of longer tasks. Finally, Sunil Chopra, a professor of managerial economics and decision sciences at the Kellogg School, explains why the best possible outcome for many retailers come January is to have nothing to do.
Kellogg Insight takes a look at how humans can learn to work with machines in decision-making, and how machines can learn to understand us. We talk to three researchers who approach these relationships in exciting ways. Kellogg professor Brian Uzzi studies how machine learning can improve human decision making. David Ferrucci, formerly the principal investigator of IBM’s Watson project and now a senior technologist at Bridgewater Associates and founder and CEO of Elemental Cognition, discusses machines as collaborative thought partners. Sandra Waxman, a professor of psychology at Northwestern University, discusses how humans learn to understand the world, and what that means for machine learning.
We often have complicated relationships with machines, whether we are anthropomorphizing our navigation system, expressing our "love" for our phone, or getting creeped out when technology gets "too human."
But do we trust these machines... and do they trust us?
Kellogg Insight takes a multifaceted look at human-machine trust with four researchers who approach these relationships in different ways. Kellogg professors Adam Waytz and Rima Touré-Tillery look at how designers can build human trust in nonhumans by integrating human characteristics—while avoiding the "uncanny valley" of over-humanization. Brenna Argall and Todd Murphey, from Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, design robots that can learn to trust humans.
From tweets to scientific discoveries, human behavior is surprisingly predictable.
Why do some ideas go viral while others go nowhere? Is it all about reaching that mythical tipping point, or is something else at work?
Kellogg Insight talked with two researchers who are starting to find answers by analyzing huge amounts of data. Microsoft’s Duncan Watts explains why we should stop worrying about a tipping point, and Kellogg Professor Dashun Wang discusses how human behavior is more predictable than you might think.
Advertisers pay good money to reach potential customers as they read the news on their phones, or shop on their tablets, or skim their Facebook feeds at work. But determining whether those digital ads actually lead to new purchases? That can be surprisingly tricky.
But determining whether those digital ads actually lead to new purchases? That can be surprisingly tricky.
In this Insight in Person podcast, we chat with Kellogg faculty members, as well as researchers from Facebook, to find out why many of the techniques that advertisers use to measure effectiveness are so inaccurate. We also learn what advertisers should be doing whenever possible.
Few people relish the idea of walking into a workplace rife with conflict. What’s more, conflict can be a drag on productivity and creativity. So what are the best ways to manage conflict at work?
The answer depends on the type of conflict you face. In this Insight In Person podcast, we talk with two Kellogg professors of management and organizations about two different types of conflict.
Jeanne Brett addresses cross-cultural conflict, offering advice on the best ways to diffuse tense situations—or better yet, avoid them in the first place. Eli Finkel, who is also a professor of psychology, explains how his research into romantic relationships is also relevant among coworkers.
By the time they start companies, most entrepreneurs have a clear vision for their product: what it will look like, who will use it, and it will fit in the market. But for some startups, that picture is less clear—and it is not because they lack focus.
Instead, they have their sights set beyond the horizon—to markets that do not yet exist, to technologies that are still in a nascent stage, or to products that may need years of development and testing before they hit the market.
Given these longer timelines, what do young companies do to stay afloat while perfecting their products? This month, we hear how Kellogg School professor and entrepreneur Kara Palamountain's Global Health Initiative and entrepreneur Jesse Chang's company, MDAR Technologies, have gone about setting goals to bring their products to market.
The 2016 presidential campaign is in full swing. Even if you’re not a political junkie, it’s pretty hard to tune out the candidates right now. They’re all fighting to tell you who they are and what they stand for. Like any product, presidential candidates are trying to brand themselves.
This month, we talk with Kellogg professors Nour Kteily and Julie Hennessy about what we can learn from studying candidates' brands. This includes the impact of the rhetoric they use to establish those brands.
This month, we explore how poaching affects companies and industries—and why it may not always be a bad thing. We also hear from a former executive recruiter about how you can make yourself more attractive to headhunters. Kellogg School professors Gad Allon and Achal Bassamboo join Kellogg School PhD student Evan Barlow to discuss their recent research on poaching. They explain why some companies are open to having their employees poached.
Then we hear from Adnan Rukieh, director of career services for executive and part-time MBA students at the Kellogg School and a former executive search consultant, about how employees looking to change jobs may best position themselves for success.
This month, we ask: why are business leaders turning to the arts—from storytelling to jazz ensemble, orchestra conducting to tap dance to Argentine tango—for insights into how to do their own jobs better?
You will hear from Kellogg professor Michelle Buck, Stephen Alltop, a conductor and professor at the Beinin School of Music at Northwestern, Michael Gold, director of the arts consultancy Jazz Impact, and tap dancer Jenai Cutcher West about their methods for using arts-based experiential learning to bring epiphanies to business leaders.
Most people understand the importance of a good first impression. So on our first day with a new company, we arrive early. Maybe we overdress. We know that starting out strong will make it easier to succeed in the long run. But when it comes to achieving success, the onus is not only on the recent hire. Companies need to set the stage for their employees to hit the ground running.
In this month’s Insight In Person podcast, you will hear from Kellogg's U.S. Army Chief of Staff Senior Fellow about how the Army handles a high rate of transition on a personal level. Later, a Kellogg School lecturer and entrepreneur looks at onboarding in younger, leaner organizations—like startups—that are experiencing explosive growth.
This month’s Insight in Person podcast is a three-part, in-depth look at the entrepreneurial journey of Scott Mandell, Founder and CEO of Enjoy Life Foods, who took his company from idea to startup to acquisition—and in the process helped to establish a product category around allergen-free foods. In the third episode of the series, we are joined by Mandell and Joe Dwyer, adjunct lecturer of innovation and entrepreneurship at the Kellogg School and a partner at Digital Intent, to look at how Enjoy Life Foods financed its growth.
How did Mandell navigate a tricky funding environment in order to become a category-maker in the allergen-free packaged food industry? What can other startups learn from Enjoy Life’s successes--and its numerous setbacks?
This month’s Insight in Person podcast is a three-part, in-depth look at the entrepreneurial journey of Scott Mandell, Founder and CEO of Enjoy Life Foods, who took his company from idea to startup to acquisition—and in the process helped to establish a product category around allergen-free foods.
In our second episode, we are joined by Mandell and Daniel Weinfurter, an adjunct lecturer of management and organizations at the Kellogg School, founder and CEO of the integrated sales effectiveness firm GrowthPlay, and author of Second Stage Entrepreneurship. We look at how Enjoy Life Foods scaled its business, in the process becoming one of Inc. Magazine’s fastest growing private companies for three years running.
Once Enjoy Life landed a coveted slot at Whole Foods markets in the Midwest, the stage was set for it to become a major player in a still-forming category. But expectations for allergen-free foods had traditionally been low. In order to exceed them and really stand out, the company would need to take some radical steps.
This month’s Insight in Person podcast is a three-part, in-depth look at the entrepreneurial journey of Scott Mandell, Founder and CEO of Enjoy Life Foods, who took his company from idea to startup to acquisition—and in the process helped to establish a product category around allergen-free foods.
Our first episode examines the origin of Enjoy Life Foods.
How was it able to establish itself as the first major brand in its category? Episode two looks at how Mandell successfully scaled the business. The third episode dives into how timing, preparation, and a bit of luck helped the company overcome financial setbacks.
Storytelling is a key business skill. In this month’s Insight in Person podcast, you’ll hear from two Kellogg School professors and a lecturer about the power of storytelling, as well as their tips to become a better storyteller. The art of storytelling may conjure up images of telling tall tales around a campfire or artsy live lit events. But storytelling is also a key business skill.
Stories let you connect with your audience on an emotional level. Stories help you convey key information in a way that will be remembered and help you persuade your audience to take action. This holds true for both spoken and written stories as well as the stories you want to tell with data.
In this month’s Insight in Person podcast, you’ll hear from two Kellogg School professors and a lecturer about the power of storytelling, as well as their tips to become a better storyteller.
Have you ever worked with someone so unpleasant that they turn your office toxic? These toxic workers might be lying or stealing, or bullies, or just plain incompetent. Regardless, they infect the workplace with their behavior and bring down everyone’s morale.
What’s more, new research from Dylan Minor of the Kellogg School shows that they cost companies a significant amount of money. In fact, when measured against superstars, toxic workers are a bigger drain on a bottom line than superstars are a benefit.
Minor and Kellogg School professor Brenda Ellington Booth discuss the dangers of toxic workers as well as how to avoid bringing them into your organization.
Read the transcript of this month's Insight in Person podcast.
Of all the annoyances the workday can entail—that too-early alarm, rush hour traffic, late nights stuck at your desk on deadline—having a bad boss can be the most insidious. “Nobody wants to go to work when they don’t get along with their boss,” says Jon Maner, a professor of management and organizations at the Kellogg School. “It really weighs on people’s everyday life.”
Maner has studied bad bosses, with the goal of understanding their behavior so that it can be curtailed. He has focused in particular on power-hungry bosses who are surprisingly willing to sideline their best performing employees—and promote incompetent team members—in order to keep themselves from being outshined. (You can read more about Maner’s research into why bad bosses sabotage their teams here.)
“Top performers are really, really valuable members of the group,” Maner says. “These are the people who are often innovating, they’re creating, they’re pushing the organization forward. That can make power-hungry bosses nervous because these are the people who are probably the most able to take over some of their power.”
And, of course, bad bosses are not simply unpleasant for employees. They also can be disastrous for companies.
James Shein, a clinical professor of strategy at the Kellogg School, has seen power-hungry bosses ruin company after company. This is particularly true when a company is failing and the CEO needs to change course to salvage the organization.
“A sitting CEO has a very difficult time making changes because, to them, it often means, ‘I must have done something wrong previously,’” Shein says. This is when a board needs to step in to find a new leader.
“If you don’t push them out they often will just keep driving the company down into the dirt,” he says.
You can hear more from Maner and Shein about what motivates bad bosses and how to keep them in check in this month’s Insight in Person podcast.
This month, Insight In Person looks at how business leaders can incorporate data analytics into their companies—from what the manager's role should be to how big data can be used in product development. Florian Zettelmeyer, a professor of marketing at the Kellogg School and faculty director of the program on data analytics at Kellogg, explains why every leader needs a "working knowledge of data science," and why it is important to encourage data literacy across organizations.
Eric Anderson, a professor and chair of the marketing department at the Kellogg School, discusses how companies can use analytics to see who is buying their products—and whether they’re the kind of customer that might be a "harbinger of failure."
This month’s Kellogg Insight In Person podcast looks at how awareness of the causes of boom and bust cycles in real estate can help investors avoid financial crises.