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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.
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Sylvie di Giusto is a renowned keynote speaker, author, and executive coach who has captivated audiences around the world with her profound insights into leadership, emotional intelligence, and personal branding. With a career spanning over two decades, Sylvie has become a trusted advisor to executives and professionals seeking to enhance their leadership capabilities and emotional […]
Sara Dean is not your average speaker. With over a decade of experience in leadership development, executive coaching, and organizational psychology, Sara brings a wealth of knowledge and insights to her presentations. As the founder of a successful coaching consultancy, Sara has worked with Fortune 500 companies, startups, and nonprofits alike, helping leaders at all […]
Geoff Colvin is a distinguished business journalist, author, and sought-after keynote speaker renowned for his insights into leadership, innovation, and what it takes to succeed in an ever-changing economy. As a Senior Editor at Fortune magazine, Colvin has analyzed global business and economic trends for over three decades, shaping perspectives on leadership and future-readiness. His […]
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 […]
Wema Hoover is a trailblazer in the fields of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), organizational development, and authentic leadership. With a career spanning decades, she has become a trusted voice for driving meaningful transformation in corporate culture. Known for her ability to inspire leaders and teams alike, Wema’s thought-provoking insights and actionable strategies resonate on […]
Lisa B. Marshall helps leaders create and deliver stronger messages, manage conflict, and transform teams. In a nutshell, our training gets results. Working together with organizations and individuals is what I love most (and is what pays the bills). I love creating significant transformations – personal, professional and financial – through developing and enhancing communication. […]
Alden Mills is on a mission to help 100 million people Be Unstoppable. With more than 40 years of experience failing and succeeding in a vast array of different environments from sports, military, and business to nonprofits and community action groups, he learned success is driven by one vital factor – leadership – of oneself […]
Phillip Koontz, a former Navy SEAL with over six years of service, stands as a beacon of resilience, leadership, and adaptability. Through the crucible of SEAL training, Koontz honed his skills and acquired invaluable life lessons that he now imparts to others, helping them navigate the challenges of their personal, professional, and family lives. Phillip […]
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