Search....
CTRL+K
Search....
CTRL+K
Belongs to these categories
Keynote Topics
Companies that cannot innovate cannot succeed, and helping their companies to innovate is one of leaders’ most important, and least understood, responsibilities.
Through a series of studies of figures in politics, business, and science, Gautam Mukunda’s research shows what separates the extraordinary leaders who produce company and industry-changing innovations from ordinary ones, how some organizations are able to choose highly innovative leaders in surprising ways, and how different types of innovative challenges are likely to require very different types of leaders.
Changing an organization is leaders’ quintessential, and most challenging, task. Change efforts, however, are highly likely to fail, and too often leaders are far too resistant to changing the systems that brought them to power.
In this presentation, Gautam Mukunda explains which leaders are likely to attempt to make substantial changes to the organizations they lead, when they are likely to succeed and fail, and how organizations can pick the leaders most likely to dramatically improve their performance.
The importance of leadership and the impact of individual leaders has long been the subject of debate. Are they made by history, or do they make it?
Gautam Mukunda offers a fresh look at how and when individual leaders can really make a difference.
Drawing from his book, “Indispensable” (Harvard Business Review Press, 2012), he profiles a mix of historic and modern figures, and through the stories of how they came to power and made their most important decisions, he reveals how, when and where a single individual in the right place at the right time can save or destroy the organization they lead – or even change the course of history.
Mukunda also helps you understand how you can use this model in your life – whether as a citizen casting a ballot, an executive choosing your next CEO or a leader trying to make your mark.
As Wall Street’s size and profit continues to swell, so does its pressure and influence on public companies.
The problem is power, says Gautam Mukunda. And Wall Street has amassed an enormous and disproportionate share of it, forcing corporate executives to make risky decisions in the best interest of shareholder returns, not business value.
Pointing to compelling examples – from Boeing to Sara Lee to Dell – he discusses why so many leaders continue to succumb to the financial sector’s demands.
Based on his Harvard Business Review “Spotlight” article, he also offers ideas for reform that will rebalance the American economy, which he says is vital to the competitiveness and health of the country.
American business needs to get involved, Mukunda urges. And for that, leadership is critical.
Gautam Mukunda is an internationally recognized expert in leadership and innovation. He often jokes that his life’s ambition is to have the world’s most confusing resume and that he’s most of the way there. He is a Research Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for Public Leadership. He is also the host of Nasdaq’s […]
Gautam Mukunda is an internationally recognized expert in leadership and innovation. He often jokes that his life’s ambition is to have the world’s most confusing resume and that he’s most of the way there.
He is a Research Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for Public Leadership. He is also the host of Nasdaq’s podcast “World Reimagined” and a columnist at Nasdaq’s World Reimagined. Previously he was a professor at Harvard Business School and a Distinguished Visiting Professor for the Schwarzman Scholarship.
Gautam Mukunda is the author of two books: Indispensable: When Leaders Really Matter (Harvard Business Review Press, 2012) and Picking Presidents (University of California Press, forthcoming in 2022).
He has published articles in Harvard Business Review, Foreign Policy, Security Studies, Slate, Fast Company, Parameters, Politics and the Life Sciences, and Systems and Synthetic Biology on leadership, reforming the financial sector, military innovation, network-centric warfare, and the security and economic implications of synthetic biology.
His work has been profiled in the New York Times, Atlantic, New Yorker, Economist, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and on All Things Considered. He advises a variety of companies and organizations on leadership and strategy.
Gautam Mukunda was a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Security Studies Program and Program on Emerging Technologies.
He was a Paul & Daisy Soros New American Fellow, an NSF IGERT Fellow, a Next Generation Fellow of The American Assembly, and a Principal Investigator on the National Science Foundation’s Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center grant.
He served on The Chief of Naval Operation’s Executive Advisory Panel and as a member of the New England Regional Selection Committee for the White House Fellowship and was a Member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on New Models of Leadership. He was also a Jeopardy Champion.
At MIT, Gautam was the National Science Foundation Synthetic Biology ERC Postdoctoral Fellow resident at MIT’s Center for International Studies. He received his PhD from MIT in political science focusing in International Relations and Security Studies and an AB in Government from Harvard, magna cum laude.
Before his academic career he was a consultant with McKinsey & Company, where Gautam Mukunda focused on the pharmaceutical sector.
Contact us at Speakers Inc and follow us on Twitter
In order to view the below you must be logged in.
JJ DiGeronimo, President of Tech Savvy Women, a powerhouse in the realm of empowering professional women in the tech industry. With a trajectory marked by remarkable achievements and a passion for driving change, JJ stands as one of the most esteemed speakers, authors, and executive strategists dedicated to advancing women in the technology sector. About […]
JP Pawliw-Fry is an internationally renowned speaker, thought leader, and co-author of the global bestseller Performing Under Pressure: The Science of Doing Your Best When It Matters Most. With a career dedicated to enhancing leadership performance, emotional intelligence, and resilience, JP has captivated audiences around the world, delivering actionable insights that empower individuals and organizations […]
Erin Stafford stands as a trailblazer in the marketing world, particularly within the healthcare industry. As the Head of Marketing for the largest healthcare staffing company in the United States, Erin’s leadership was instrumental in the company’s phenomenal growth, overseeing the largest deployment of healthcare personnel in history. With a remarkable track record that includes […]
Marci Shimoff, a renowned speaker, and leading expert in personal development, happiness, and success. With a captivating presence and profound insights, Marci Shimoff has inspired countless individuals worldwide to transform their lives and achieve greater levels of fulfillment and joy. Marci Shimoff | Transformational Leadership Background and Expertise Marci Shimoff is a New York Times […]
Billy Beane, a visionary leader and management icon, brings a unique blend of insight and wit to every stage he graces. With a career steeped in innovation and success, Beane has revolutionized the way organizations approach management and leadership. Renowned for his role in transforming the Oakland Athletics into one of baseball’s most consistent winners, […]
Silvia Garcia, the former International Marketing Director and President of the Happiness Institute at Coca-Cola, is a pioneer in the field of understanding how emotions impact consumer and employee behavior. With her unparalleled expertise, she has inspired millions to revolutionize their approach to sales, customer retention, relationship-building, leadership, and overall success. Silvia Garcia’s insights have […]
Lt Col Bo Guvner McGowan is a Certified Speaker with Wingman Enterprises who draws extensively on his experience as an Air Force fighter pilot, instructor, international airline pilot, and leadership consultant. Bo has flown 6,400 hours in the F-16 and T-37, including 42 combat missions in Iraq and Kuwait while enforcing the “No Fly Zone” […]
Julie Smolyansky is the dynamic President and CEO of Lifeway Foods, a pioneering company in the production of kefir and probiotic-rich foods. At just 27 years old, she became the youngest female CEO of a publicly traded company, transforming Lifeway into a leader in the health and wellness industry. With her vision and leadership, the […]
These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by Speakers Inc.
All talent fees exclude VAT, travel and accommodation where required.
Our Mission:
© All rights reserved 2025. Designed using Voxel
