HBR IdeaCast

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The Secrets Behind Barry Diller’s Business Success May 20, 2025

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To achieve long-term success in tumultuous businesses like media and entertainment, following formulas and data won't get you there. Barry Diller, the current Chairman and Senior Executive of both IAC and Expedia Group, has built a decades-long career in TV, film, and digital media by going with his instincts and betting on what he views as good ideas with limitless potential. He shares what he's learned about navigating the larger-than-life personalities in Hollywood, developing talent over time, and taking advantage of luck when it comes your way. Diller is the author of the new memoir, Who Knew.

Unexpectedly Out of a Job? Here’s How to Bounce Back May 13, 2025

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In a period of increasing political and economic uncertainty, government funding cuts, and AI that can outperform humans, many people are rightly worried about how those forces might disrupt their careers. Layoffs loom, and even those in senior leadership might soon experience - or have already endured - a setback they weren't expecting. Whitney Johnson, the CEO of Disruption Advisors, has advice on how to deal with the emotions surrounding those kinds of shocks, tactical steps you can take to get back in the game, and ways to learn from the experience so you're better positioned for the future.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy on Agility, AI Strategy, and the Changing Role of Managers May 06, 2025

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It's a tough time to lead one of the biggest companies in the world - one that depends on supply chains, physical infrastructure, and top tech talent to stay competitive. But Andy Jassy, who took over as CEO of Amazon from legendary founder Jeff Bezos in 2021, manages in a way that he says helps him stay focused on what is best for their products and ultimately their customers. He explains his decision to get workers back to the office five days a week, why he is building an organization less dependent on managers, and how their artificial intelligence strategy differs from the rest.

Introducing a New Era of HBR IdeaCast Apr 30, 2025

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A new sound is in store for the HBR IdeaCast. Every Tuesday, we'll keep giving you the insights, research, and advice you need to lead, featuring practical conversations with leading thinkers. But as Adi Ignatius, editor-at-large at Harvard Business Review, joins executive editor Alison Beard as cohost of the show, we're offering even more to better serve you. Look forward to more interviews with C-suite executives, more expert perspectives on the most pressing, up-to-date problems facing leaders, and some special surprises for HBR subscribers. The new and improved HBR IdeaCast kicks off next Tuesday, be sure to hit subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Tell us what topics you'd like us to cover: ideacast@hbr.org

The Growth of the Private-Sector Space Industry Apr 29, 2025

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Many industries depend on the government to finance infrastructure and research before a true private market can develop. In the case of space, there is still a strong need for public-private collaboration. But as costs drop to reach space, more private-sector companies can enter the market. Matthew Weinzierl is a senior associate dean and professor at Harvard Business School, and Brendan Rosseau is a strategy manager at Blue Origin. They explain the evolving role of the U.S. government to foster innovation and competition as the space economy increasingly privatizes. They also identify the emerging opportunities for businesses and individuals. Weinzierl and Rosseau are authors of the book Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier.

How Immigrant Entrepreneurs Build Lasting Businesses Apr 22, 2025

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It's a common story: an immigrant arrives in a new country, sees a need, and works hard to build a successful business around it. Think of Chobani, Google, or Tesla. Indeed, 45 percent of Fortune 500 companies had immigrant founders. While most research focuses on why these people launched their businesses, perhaps more interesting is how they achieved lasting success. Neri Karra Sillaman is an entrepreneurship expert at Oxford University and the founder of luxury leather goods company Neri Karra. She's studied these entrepreneurs and shares her findings, which offer lessons for anyone in the corporate world. Sillaman wrote the book Pioneers: Eight Principles of Business Longevity from Immigrant Entrepreneurs.

The Conversations You Should Be Having with Your Manager Apr 15, 2025

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As you advance in your career, you develop the skills to lead teams and manage direct reports. But no matter your role or seniority, you’ll always need to manage those above you and to develop the right relationships to progress. The secret to managing up, says Melody Wilding, is being strategic and thoughtful in several key kinds of conversations with your boss and boss’s boss—including finding alignment, setting boundaries, getting visibility for your work, and winning a promotion. She explains how the effort pays off both in future opportunities and your day-to-day satisfaction on the job. Wilding is an executive coach and the author of the book Managing Up: How to Get What You Need from the People in Charge.

What All Leaders Can Learn from Taylor Swift Apr 08, 2025

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Whether you're a fan of Taylor Swift or not, no one can deny her success as both a music star and businesswoman. Her career has been a masterclass in everything from customer connection to innovation, decision-making to digital adaption, offering lessons for people in any industry. HBR senior editor Kevin Evers investigated Swift's rise and evolution for his new book, There's Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift, and found interesting patterns. He explains how she's kept audiences loyal, why her Eras tour was so successful, and the vision and "productive paranoia" that have kept her on top. Evers also wrote the HBR article "The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift."

Navigating the Hybrid Work Dilemma Apr 01, 2025

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Many organizational leaders believe remote work is here to stay. Others are requiring employees return to the workplace. But Prithriwaj “Raj” Choudhury, an associate professor at Harvard Business School, says it’s not a simple managerial choice between two options. He explains three main variations of hybrid work: quarterly, monthly, and weekly. And he shares three key challenges to remote work: isolation, communication, and socialization. And he breaks down the specific management practices necessary to make those hybrid arrangements succeed most effectively, adding that AI is making some of those practices easier and cheaper than ever. Choudhury’s new book is The World Is Your Office: How Work from Anywhere Boosts Talent, Productivity, and Innovation.

The Keys to Great Conversation Mar 25, 2025

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Whether we’re interacting with colleagues, clients, friends, family members or strangers, conversations are the way most of us build — or break — relationships. And yet we don’t often think deeply about how to approach this type of casual communication. Alison Wood Brooks, associate professor at Harvard Business School, has studied what it takes to create a great conversation and offers research-backed tips for improving your skills. Brooks is the author of the book Talk: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves.

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