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.
In the realm of American football, few names carry as much weight and respect as Tony Dungy. Renowned for his exceptional coaching career and unwavering commitment to leadership, integrity, and personal development, Dungy transcends the boundaries of sports to inspire audiences worldwide. As a sought-after speaker for corporate events, Dungy brings his wealth of experience, […]
Jennifer Keitt is a renowned communication and leadership speaker known for her dynamic and engaging presentations that inspire individuals and organizations to unleash their full potential. With over two decades of experience in the fields of communication, leadership, and personal development, Jennifer has become a trusted voice in guiding others towards achieving their goals and […]
Meridith Elliott Powell is an award-winning author, keynote speaker and business strategist. With a background in corporate leadership and sales, her career expands over several industries including banking, healthcare and finance. Meridith worked her way up from entry-level to earn her position in the C-Suite. She is a member of the Speaker Hall of Fame, […]
Dr. Brian Glibkowski is a pioneering force in the realm of business communication, best known as the creator of Answer Intelligence (AQ)™. His groundbreaking work on the role of questions and answers in business and society has revolutionized how leaders, teams, and organizations approach problem-solving, decision-making, and strategy formulation. With a passion for enhancing communication […]
As the founder and owner of Follow Your Heart, LLC., Stephanie Battaglino is an internationally recognized speaker, workshop presenter, trainer, author, coach, and workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant. A major voice in the LGBTQ+ workplace equality movement with emphasis on transgender and non-binary individuals, Stephanie casts a bright light on all of the pertinent […]
Retired Navy SEAL Lieutenant Jason Redman stands as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. His electrifying presentations on leadership, failure, redemption, and overcoming life’s ambushes captivate audiences worldwide. With a distinguished 21-year career in the Navy, Redman’s journey from youthful setbacks to battlefield heroism is an inspiring narrative of perseverance and triumph. […]
Laura Schwartz Speaker is an internationally acclaimed keynote speaker, author, and television commentator with a background that spans politics, media, and leadership. Her dynamic presentations blend her real-world experiences in the White House with practical strategies that inspire organizations and individuals to succeed. As a former Director of Events for the Clinton Administration, she leveraged […]
After 20 years in the personal and professional development space, Kevin L McCrudden is better known as “Mr. Motivation and America’s CMO – Chief Motivation Officer.” Kevin L McCrudden is an international author, speaker and the only motivational and leadership speaker in American history to ever have a day of recognition passed by The United […]
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
