Gautam Mukunda

  • Boston, MA
  • Fees* $20,001 - $35,000

Gautam Mukunda presents in:

  • English

Tagline: Innovative Leadership

Talent Highlights

  • Authority on Leadership; Lecturer in the Practice of Management, Yale School of Management;
  • Author, “Indispensable” and “Picking Presidents” (2022)

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.

Gautam Mukunda | Political Leadership

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 LinkedIn

For Meeting Planners

This PowerPoint slide above is designed for meeting planners.

Register for FREE and simply click the URL link for automatic download of the PPTX slide.

We have created a simple “ABOUT” single slide which you can instantly insert into your pitch deck when submitting speaker proposals.

Features:

  • video links,
  • short concise bio
  • Book images and
  • topic list.

Author Books | Magazine Covers

Podcasts

Send an enquiry to Gautam Mukunda

Similar Speakers for consideration

  • 8 Views
  • 5 (6 )
Anthony Bourke

Anthony Bourke “AB” is a highly experienced F-16 fighter pilot who has flown tactical missions in countries all over the world. He has accumulated more than 2,700 hours of flight time in numerous high performance aircraft and was one of the first pilots to fly his F-16 over New York City in the homeland defense […]

  • Park City, UT
  • Peak Performance
  • 9 Views
Marc Randolph

Marc Randolph is a veteran Silicon Valley entrepreneur, advisor, and investor. As co-founder and first CEO of Netflix, he laid much of the groundwork for a service that’s grown to over 200 million subscribers, and fundamentally altered how the world experiences media. Marc Randolph | Netflix Co-Founder He also served on the Netflix board of directors […]

  • Santa Cruz, CA
  • Netflix Co-Founder
  • 13 Views
Whitney Johnson

Whitney Johnson is the CEO and co-founder of Disruption Advisors, a tech-enabled talent development company. Whitney is a globally recognized thought leader (named by Thinkers50 as a top #10 management thinker), author, keynote speaker, executive coach, and consultant; Whitney is the WSJ, USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of Smart Growth: How to Grow Your People to Grow Your Company (Harvard Business Press, […]

  • Lexington, VA
  • Business Innovation
  • 33 Views
Marcus Collins

Dr. Marcus Collins is an award-winning marketer, cultural translator, and best-selling author who has spent his career translating culture for brands and translating brands for culture. He currently serves as Clinical Assistant Professor of Marketing at Ross School of Business, University of Michigan and as a regular contributor to Forbes, where he writes about subjects ranging from […]

  • Ann Arbor, MI
  • Cultural Leadership
  • 26 Views

Keynote speaker Lili Gil Valletta is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and an award-winning entrepreneur. After immigrating to the US from Colombia, she had a successful corporate career including a 10-year tenure at Johnson & Johnson, where she pioneered various diversity strategies. Lili went on to co-found CIEN+ and CulturIntel and is an advocate […]

  • New York, NY
  • AI Innovation
  • 13 Views
Anne Harbison

Dr. Anne Harbison is an executive leadership educator known for her work with some of the world’s greatest organizations and thought leaders. Beginning her career in Brand Management at Procter & Gamble, she then served as a management consultant specializing in organizational change and learning. Anne was a Principal Strategic Consultant in Gallup’s executive leadership practice, […]

  • Minneapolis, MN
  • Executive Leadership
  • 13 Views

Sallie Krawcheck is on a professional mission is to help women reach their financial and professional goals (or, put more bluntly, to get more money into the hands of women), thus enabling them to live better lives and unleashing a positive ripple effect for our families, our communities and our economy. She is the Chair […]

  • New York, NY
  • Woman Empowerment
  • 4 Views
Cady Coleman - MISSION INTERPLANETARY

Former NASA Astronaut and Air Force Colonel Cady Coleman is a veteran of two Space Shuttle missions and a six-month expedition aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Onstage, Coleman draws from her time at NASA and in extreme “remote work” situations to discuss team building, leadership, and innovation. With her extraordinary photos and videos, Coleman delivers a […]

  • Washington, DC
  • NASA Astronaut
  • 18 Views
  • 5 (4 )

Shane Feldman, a dynamic and impactful speaker renowned for delivering inspiring, customized, and actionable keynotes. With a passion for fostering thriving teams and inclusive communities, Shane offers insights and strategies that can be applied immediately in the face of the challenges posed by the digital age. In today’s fast-paced and digitally connected world, the importance […]

  • Los Angeles, CA
  • Leadership Speaker
  • 26 Views
  • 5 (3 )

Commander Rorke Denver is a distinguished figure in the realm of military leadership, renowned for his extensive experience and remarkable achievements in the U.S. Navy SEALs. With a career spanning numerous continents and high-stakes missions, he embodies the epitome of courage, resilience, and strategic prowess. As a speaker, Commander Denver brings forth a wealth of […]

  • Denver, CO
  • Leadership
  • 114 Views
  • 5 (4 )
  • Featured
Michelle MACE Curran

Welcome to the world of aviation through the eyes of Michelle Mace Curran, a distinguished and inspirational keynote speaker based in the vibrant city of Las Vegas. Michelle is not merely a pilot; she is a trailblazer who navigates audiences through captivating journeys woven with her rich experiences in the aviation industry. With an unwavering […]

  • Las Vegas, NV
  • Inspirational Speaker
  • 18 Views
  • 5 (6 )
Phillip Van Hooser

Phillip Van Hooser is not just a keynote speaker; he’s a catalyst for change, a maestro of leadership development, and a beacon for intentional leadership. With a fervent passion for cultivating intentional leaders who can engage and empower their teams to achieve remarkable results, Phillip brings a wealth of expertise and a dynamic presence to […]

  • Princeton, KY
  • Leadership Speaker
Disclaimer
The profiles and images embedded on these pages are from various keynote speakers and talent.

These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by Speakers Inc.

Fee ranges where listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only.
 
The fees provided are a local range (country of residence), for an accurate “international” fee please contact one of our team at Speakers Inc who can provide you with their fees accordingly. 
 
All talent fees exclude local taxes, travel and accommodation where required.
 
Fees are subject to change without notice and often vary based on a number of factors, including: schedule, timings, script writing, rehearsals, location, and other factors.
 
Please contact us with your specific event details and requirements below, and we would be delighted to provide you with a more bespoke quote.

We are actively working to have our profiles current with Keynote Speech titles, and Summaries.

Some Speakers do not have a set title or summary for their topic lists. Instead they customize for each. Other speakers only do moderated conversations.

If you do not see content here, please contact us.

We also have ample information off line that we can share as some do not want to have visible profiles and as such these are hidden pages. Or in the event we do not have the information, we can contact the speaker to provide and share.

© All rights reserved 2024. Speakers Inc