Thought Sparks

Longterm Strategic Thinking with Rita McGrath and Roger Dennis 07.07.2026 57min

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, sits down with Roger Dennis, advisor on long term thinking and foresight and cultural transformation specialist. 00:00 Introduction 00:22 Welcome Roger Dennis 01:03 How Roger became a futurist 03:05 "Getting above strategy" explained 05:18 Current geopolitical risks & top trends to watch 07:13 Three things leaders need: capabilities, process, routines 09:44 Historical precedents for today's volatility 11:31 Example: tolls on the Strait of Hormuz/Malacca 12:35 Reversion to the mean, or a new normal? 14:19 The "Layer Player" framework 18:28 Second-order consequences & policy paradoxes 23:26 Acting under uncertainty: the Netflix story 26:15 Why you need real experts, not guesswork 28:03 The 2015 pandemic report nobody wanted 29:53 New Zealand's COVID Tracer App success story 33:08 The mindset of realistic optimism 41:58 How the music industry refused to adapt 43:38 Industries still "hanging on" today 45:02 Agentic AI and the ROI problem 46:57 From mass production to personalization 50:11 Where to learn more: The Paradox of Preparedness 55:02 Key takeaway for leaders Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719 https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/ https://x.com/rgmcgrath https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram. https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/ Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/ Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.

Building Strategy for the Future with Rita McGrath and Jonathan Brill 30.06.2026 59min

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, sits down with Jonathan Brill, business futurist and co-author of AI and the Octopus Organization: Building the Superintelligent Firm. 1:56: Explaining the Octopus Metaphor 3:25: AI-Enabled Bottom-Up Innovation 8:01: The Economic Shift: From Physical to Digital 9:05: Where Leaders Should Start with AI 14:27: Three Questions to Ask Your AI Every Month 19:10 Reading Signals Before Disruption Hits 20:37: Netflix, Blockbuster & Kodak: Lessons in Timing 24:08: HP vs. Xerox: Operational Flexibility Wins 25:24: Operational Advantage Is the New Competitive Advantage 30:16: The Danger of Organizational Myths 31:45: Why Leaders Must Be at the Edge 32:12: You Can't Outrun 32x: Rethinking Speed 34:24: The Dual Responsibility of Leaders 36:51: US Navy Case Study: Unleashing Innovation 43:25: The Emotion Chapter: Leading Through Disruption 44:29: The L-U-C-K Framework: 4 Traits of Leaders Who Thrive 48:19: Rethinking the CEO Role: Jensen Huang & NVIDIA 51:32: Psychological Safety & Execution Before Strategy 54:43: The Future of Organizations: Middle Management & Beyond 58:06: Wrap-Up & How to Connect Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719 https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/ https://x.com/rgmcgrath https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram. https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/ Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/ Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.

Unlocking Human Potential with Rita McGrath and Chris Shipley and Scott Barry Kaufman 23.06.2026 43min

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with fellow Silicon Guild Members Chris Shipley and Scott Barry Kaufman, editors of the upcoming essay collection “Leading for Tomorrow: Unlocking Human Potential in the Era of Continuous Change and Endless Possibility” which equips leaders with the skills needed for effective leadership in the modern era. 0:00 - Intro & Welcome 0:45 - About the Book "Leading for Tomorrow" (July 8th release) 1:07 - The Origin Story: Silicon Guild & Thinkers50 Collaboration 3:13 - Overview of the Book's 5 Core Themes 5:26 - Mindset Shift towards Collaboration & Adaptability 6:24 - Purpose & Organizational Values 6:45 - Learning as a Core Competence 7:37 - The Epochal Transition: From Physical to Digital World 8:33 - AI as Accelerant, Not the Cause of Change 9:16 - What the Book Teaches Us to Do in Uncertain Times 9:52 - Surprises During the Editing Process 11:15 - Advice for Young People Entering the Workforce 17:46 - The Decline of Traditional Corporate Employment 21:13 - From Transactional to Relational Value Creation 24:27 - Fear of Change & Experiencing Disruption as Loss 25:34 - The Information-to-Illumination Reframe (Sanyin Siang) 27:50 - Whitney Johnson: "When the Ground Gives Way" (Chilean Miners Story) 30:43 - Brian Solis: The AIQ Mindset 31:43 - Chip Conley on Wisdom as a Leadership Value 32:40 - The Importance of Empathy in Leadership 33:50 - Defining True Empathy (vs. Just Being Nice) 36:51 - What Leaders Actually Owe Their Teams 39:44 - What Readers Will Discover in the Book 40:22 - Coherence Among the World's Top Business Thinkers 43:13 - Wrap-Up & How to Pre-Order "Leading for Tomorrow" Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719 https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/ https://x.com/rgmcgrath https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram. https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/ Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/ Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.

Leadership and Transformation with Rita McGrath and Sharmla Chetty 16.06.2026 1u 2min

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Sharmla Chetty, CEO of Duke Corporate Education and expert on human-centered leadership, AI, and workforce transformation. 0:00 Introduction 0:57 Sharmla's Story: Growing Up Under Apartheid 3:30 Systems Change: From Personal to Global 10:27 Overton Windows & Tipping Points 12:51 The Global Economy: Uneven Worlds & Emerging Markets 16:22 A Once-in-a-Century Inflection Point (Carlota Perez's Framework) 21:41 The End of Competitive Moats: Strategy in the Age of AI 23:16 Strategic Centering: Five Ways to Define Your Company 26:18 Purpose, Ecosystems & the Role of Government 27:59 Trust as the New Currency 28:34 Remote Work, Human Connection & Social Capital 38:15 The Future of Education: New Models 45:37 Executive Education Reimagined: Duke CE's Approach 41:21 Do We Still Need Degrees? 47:05 The Care Economy & Kindness as a Capability 58:42 Distributed Leadership & Navigating Complexity 59:28 A Human-Centered Economy: Closing Reflections Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719 https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/ https://x.com/rgmcgrath https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram. https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/ Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/ Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.

Rethinking Education with Rita McGrath and MacKenzie Price 09.06.2026 1u 2min

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with MacKenzie Price, co-founder of Alpha Schools, about the limitations of the traditional education system, and what other educational models are possible. 0:00 – Intro teaser: raising adaptable young people and the future of learning 1:37 – Mackenzie's backstory: her own memories of schooling 3:17 – The "I don't want to go to school tomorrow" moment 4:36 – The root problem: one teacher, many different learners 6:16 – The Alpha Schools vision: academics + life skills + passions 6:56 – Alpha School's results and student growth 7:37 – The industrial-era origins of the school system 9:07 – Moving into a new era: information abundance and problem-solving 11:03 – The skill of learning how to learn 12:03 – Why base knowledge still matters in the age of AI + what the traditional model got wrong 16:05 – The 2 Hour School Day 23:01 – The foundation problem: algebra before multiplication tables 24:33 – Results for kids at all levels — 20th to 95th percentile 28:00 – Why ed tech alone doesn't work, and the role of motivation 28:57 – The distinction between Guides and teachers 33:37 – Jonathan Haidt's The Anxious Generation and screen time 42:26 – Teaching kids to use tools (including tech) for good 43:07 – Education at an inflection point: the question of scale and accessibility 45:12– Selection effects criticism — and the response 47:36 – Relationships with charter and public schools 52:38 – The relationship to failure the traditional system gets wrong 58:27 – Shout-outs, self-reflection, and accountability — even at age 5 1:00:25 – Where Alpha Schools is headed: expansion, summer programs, new models 1:01:52 – Closing thoughts and thank you Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719 https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/ https://x.com/rgmcgrath https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram. https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/ Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/ Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.

Getting Positioning Right with Rita McGrath and April Dunford 02.06.2026 1u

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with April Dunford, expert on brand and product positioning, and author of Obviously Awesome, recently rereleased in its second edition, and Sales Pitch. Their conversation covers how good positioning unlocks value and helps to clarify organizational purpose. 0:19 – Welcoming April Dunford 1:59 – The Classic Positioning Statement and What Leaders Get Wrong 5:18 – April's Journey: Tech Exec → Consultant → World-Class Positioning Expert 6:24 – Software vs. Consumer Goods Positioning 13:00 – April's Definition of Positioning 14:45 – The Five Components of Positioning 16:44 – The Investment Banking CRM Story 20:07 – Discovering the 'Reason to Call' 28:11 – Misreading Who the Competition Really Is 29:03 – 'If You Didn't Exist, What Would a Customer Do?' 31:04 – Horizon Competitors: The Vibe Coding Debate 35:17 – 'We Can Only Sell What's on the Truck' 36:01 – AI Excitement vs. Where Customers Actually Are 38:25 – Telltale Signs Your Positioning Is Off 45:27 – The Positioning Workshop 49:13 – What Changed in the New Edition of Obviously Awesome 54:46 – Strategic Centering and Positioning 56:58 – IBM Software Group: Positioning Thousands of Products 59:51 – Where to Find April Dunford Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719 https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/ https://x.com/rgmcgrath https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram. https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/ Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/ Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.

Leading Incorruptible Organizations with Rita McGrath and Eric Ries 26.05.2026 1u 3min

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, sits down with Eric Ries, author of The Lean Startup, to talk about his new book Incorruptible. They discuss what organizations beyond corruption look like, touching on financial gravity and fiduciary duty, and how we might move beyond making shareholder primacy to more holistic views of creating and assessing value. 0:00 Introduction & Eric Ries's New Book “Incorruptible” 2:11 The Legend of Sol Price & the Origin of Modern Retail 3:31 Shareholder Primacy vs. Fiduciary Duty to Customers 7:00 How FedMart Was Destroyed & the Birth of Costco 11:16 Financial Gravity as The Invisible Force Corrupting Companies 14:13 The Mechanics of Financial Gravity in Organizations 21:45 Redefining Corruption: Making Money Without Creating Value 23:46 Measuring Human Flourishing Instead of Just Profit 33:38 The Role of Government & Carlota Perez's Economic Waves 39:07 Mission-Controlled Companies and The Incorruptible Blueprint 44:48 Corporate Charters, Shareholder Primacy & the Public Benefit Corp 53:42 The Vectura Case Study: Value Destruction in the Name of Profit 1:00:23 Shareholder Primacy Is Already Over, and Other Reasons for Optimism Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719 https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/ https://x.com/rgmcgrath https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram. https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/ Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/ Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.

Beating Burnout and Building Culture with Rita McGrath and Jennifer Moss 19.05.2026 1u 2min

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Jennifer Moss, the Chief Research and Strategy Officer at the Global Wellbeing Group and the author of Why Are We Here? Creating A Work Culture Everyone Wants. She's an expert on what causes burnout, and what leaders can do to build workplace cultures centered on hope, purpose, and community. 0:00 Intro 0:17 Welcome & Introduction to Jennifer Moss’s Work 1:52 What Prompted the Book 2:37 The Great Resignation & Mortality Salience 15:03 Burnout: Still Getting Worse 15:03 The Purpose Gap Between Leaders and Frontline Workers 16:48 CEO vs. Frontline Experience 19:37 Hope as a Foundation 26:13 Learned Helplessness & Building Hope Skills 26:39 Purpose: What It Really Means 28:39 Rituals, Friendships & Belonging at Work 32:10 Building Community (Bowling Alone, Dunbar's Number) 36:28 Business Challenges: Compassion, Freedom & Openness 40:42 Why AI Hasn't Moved the Needle Yet 45:30 GDP & Measuring What Matters 49:57 Fertility Rates & Hope as Economic Strategy 51:45 The Lost Wallet Experiment: People Are Good 56:00 Reflections Since “The Burnout Epidemic” Book 58:47 What's Next for Jennifer Moss Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719 https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/ https://x.com/rgmcgrath https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram. https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/ Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/

Reimagining Work with Rita McGrath and Nilofer Merchant 12.05.2026 59min

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Nilofer Merchant, co-founder of The Intangible Labs, and author of the new book Our Best Work: Break Free from the 24 Invisible Norms that Limit Us. 00:28: Context for the Book 3:56: The Birdcage and Why We’re Stuck 5:39: The Steve Jobs Moment: Power Voice and Being Unheard 8:58: The Trillion-Dollar Problem and Untapped Human Potential 11:16: The 24 Practices for Better Work 13:38: Fix the Room, Not Her: Rethinking Voice and Inclusion 17:45: Franklin Leonard and Power, Networks, and Reorienting Toward Purpose 25:08: Nilofer's Story: Arranged Marriage, Apple, and the Path Not Planned 31:09: Fighting for the Emperor's Pleasure: Power and Gender in the MBA Classroom 36:08: The Origin of Intangible Labs 40:01: Who Made Adam Smith’s Dinner? And Rethinking How We Measure Value 43:57: Small Teams, Ecosystems, and the Future of Organizations 46:41: The Big Picture Vision of Reimagining Work 51:18: Intangible Labs, Early Adopters, and Spreading Goodness Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719 https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/ https://x.com/rgmcgrath https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram. https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/ Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/ Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.

Catalyzing Organizational Change with Rita McGrath and Michael Lurie 05.05.2026 1u 2min

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Michael Lurie, Chief Catalyst at Bayer and expert in leading large-scale transformations. 00:00 Introductions & Context 1:37 The Challenge — Walking Into Bayer 5:07 How the Rollout Began, Using Two Tracks 8:37 The Five Principles of Dynamic Shared Ownership 10:39 Principle 1: Focus on Mission and Outcomes 11:05 Principle 2: Collaborate on a Network of Self-Managing Teams 11:51 Principle 3: Create Value as Entrepreneurial Businesses 13:00 Principle 4: Explore, Execute, and Evolve in Rapid Cycles 13:38 Principle 5: Show Up in Creative Mindset 14:45 The VACC Leadership Model 15:52 Performance Results — The Evidence 19:37 Applying DSO to Manufacturing and The Precision Question 24:12 Overcoming Skepticism and Resistance 32:46 Reimagining Budgeting Towards Dynamic Resource Flow 41:44 Professional Homes — Reimagining Talent and Compensation 49:01 How Strategy Changes in the DSO Model 57:49 Lessons Learned and Surprises on the Journey 1:01:36 Closing Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719 https://open.spotify.com/show/0xmTsYXMgTeielwZ0dGTSU Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyXT8iJkTSciUMe0me3L7Q Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritamcgrath/ https://x.com/rgmcgrath https://bsky.app/profile/rgmcgrath.bsky.social Connect with Rita on TikTok and Instagram. https://www.tiktok.com/@rgmcgrath https://www.instagram.com/ritamcgrath.hub/ Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. https://thoughtsparks.substack.com/ Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.

Building Beloved Brands with Rita McGrath and Monica Nassif 28.04.2026 59min

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Monica Nassif, an entrepreneur and founder of Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day, as well as author of “I Bottled My Mother: The Mrs. Meyer’s Story: Grit, Grime, and Growing a Business”. [0:14] Monica Nassif: Entrepreneur, Career Changer, and Creator of Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day [0:36] Monica's Background, From Nursing to Marketing [2:42] The Eureka Moment: Reinventing Cleaning Products [5:28] The Real Mrs. Meyer: How Monica’s Mother Inspired a Brand [7:44] Savings, A Second Mortgage, and Credit Cards: When Entrepreneurs Go All In [11:14] The Founding of Caldrea [13:22] “Sawing Off The Branch” and Launching Mrs. Meyer's [16:26] Building Mrs. Meyer's Retail Presence [18:14] Growth Strategy and Lessons from Williams-Sonoma and Target [28:12] Being an Entrepreneurial Working Mother [35:37] The Decision to Sell [39:21] The Acquisition Process: Vetting PE Firms and Choosing SC Johnson [42:24] Life after the Sale [44:15] The Book I Bottled My Mother — Part Love Letter to Monica's Mom, Part Startup Manual [46:33] Lessons for Entrepreneurs [52:38] On Resourcefulness: “Creativity Lies in Your Hands" Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. Connect with Rita on TikTok. Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com.

The Science of Retiring Well with Rita McGrath and Teresa Amabile 21.04.2026 1u 2min

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, sits down with Teresa Amabile, Edsel Bryant Ford Professor, Emerita, at Harvard Business School, and co-author of the book Retiring: Creating a Life That Works for You, which draws on over 100 case studies of individuals’ experiences with retirement. 0:33: From “The Progress Principle” to “Retiring” — The Origin of the Research 11:13: Preparing for Retirement and What to Think About Before You Take the Step 15:16: The Research Methodology 20:07: The Four Tasks of Retiring 20:24: Task One: Making the Decision 26:17: Task Two: Detaching from Work 29:29: Task Three: Exploring and Experimenting 38:42: Task Four: Consolidating a Retirement Life 41:12: Identity in Retirement — Bridging and Building Anew 51:33: What Companies Should Do 57:18: What Does Work Mean Now, And Teresa’s Own Retirement 59:53: Where to Learn More Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. Connect with Rita on TikTok. Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

Maximizing Human Capacity with Rita McGrath and Vivienne Ming 14.04.2026 1u 9min

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Vivienne Ming, theoretical neuroscientist and artificial intelligence expert, named one of “10 Women to Watch in Tech” by Inc. Magazine and one of the BBC’s 100 Women in 2017, and author of the new book “Robot-Proof: When Machines Have all the Answers, Build Better People”. 00:45: Introductions 3:44: Vivienne's Personal Background – From the Farm to the Academy 13:45: Vivienne's Work Today – From Hiring Science to the Human Trust 18:30: What Actually Predicts Long-Term Life Success 23:04: How AI Is Changing Teams, Trust, and Cognition 28:01: The Core Distinction Between Well-Posed vs. Ill-Posed Problems 32:38: Deprofessionalization and the "Right" Questions About AI and Jobs 36:52: Three Types of Human-AI Collaborators : Automators, Validators, and Cyborgs 43:59: The Utopia/Dystopia Debate and What's Actually Worth Worrying About 51:29: Teaching in the Age of AI and The Case for Productive Friction 1:00:13: What You Still Need to Learn And Why Human Qualities Are Developable 1:05:44: Closing and Where to Learn More Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. Connect with Rita on TikTok. Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

Building Lasting Organizations with Rita McGrath and Dave Whorton 07.04.2026 1u

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, speaks with Dave Whorton, Founder & CEO at Tugboat Institute, and co-author of Another Way: Building Companies That Last…and Last…and Last alongside Bo Burlingham, which gives practical advice and explanations of Evergreen companies: focused on long-term stability and steady growth, and leadership beyond personal wealth generation. 00:56: The HP Origin Story and Learning to See a Different Way 3:58: From Reluctant Venture Capitalist to the Evergreen Discovery 9:59: The Tugboat Metaphor 10:51: The Book's Approach to Learning in Real Time 14:44: Financial Transparency, Jack Stack, and the Great Game of Silicon Valley Business 18:01: The Wealth Trap and What Evergreen Leaders Model Instead 22:15: How Evergreen Leaders Approach Boards 25:30: People First: The First of the Seven P's 30:22: Perseverance and the Debt Question 30:45: Customer Intimacy Over Competition-Watching 37:10: Why Aren’t More Companies Like This? 40:02: The Scale and Diversity of the Evergreen World 49:00: Weighing up Venture and Evergreen 52:45: AI, Careers, and the Changing Unit of Value Creation Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. Connect with Rita on TikTok. Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

AI and Human Capabilities with Rita McGrath and Johan Roos 31.03.2026 57min

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, sits down with Johan Roos, Global Chief Academic Officer at Hult International Business School, co-creator of LEGO Serious Play, and author of Human Magic: Leading with Wisdom in an Age of Algorithms. 00:30: Introductions — A Long Friendship and a New Book 6:00: The Genesis of Human Magic — The Central Question 10:34: The History Behind the Idea, From 2012 to ChatGPT 17:58: The Five Cs: The Core of Human Magic 22:42: Algorithmic Citizenship vs. Professional Citizenship 28:24: The Junior Talent Problem and Unintended Consequences 35:50: AI in Business Schools and Lessons from Hult Business School 40:04: The Future of Business Schools and the MBA 44:08: Rethinking the Role of the Professor 50:35: What Human Magic Hopes to Accomplish 53:45: Science Fiction, Warning Signs, and "Your Choice" 55:06:What's Next for Johan Roos Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. Connect with Rita on TikTok. Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

The Future of Employment with Rita McGrath and Deborah Perry Piscione 24.03.2026 53min

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, sits down with Deborah Perry Piscione, co-author of the book “EMPLOYMENT IS DEAD: How Disruptive Technologies are Revolutionizing the Way we Work” and co-founder and Chief Future Officer of the Work3 Institute. 0:22: Welcome and Introduction to “Employment is Dead” 1:39: The Core Thesis: Why Employment as We Know It Is Ending 6:18 The Destruction of Jobs: AI, Humanoids, and Physical Work 14:18: Carlota Perez’s Theory of Economic Transitions 17:54: The Work3 Institute: Advising Organizations Through the Shift 20:32: Education: What K–12 and Universities Must Become 27:23 Alpha Schools and New Models for Learning 31:00 Economics, Purpose, and the Meaning Crisis 37:40 Humanoids, AI Relationships, and Human Identity 42:49 Optimism, Pessimism, and Where We Stand 50:11 What Leaders and Organizations Should Do Now 52:15 Where to Learn More Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. Connect with Rita on TikTok. Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

AI and the Knowledge Economy with Rita McGrath and Sangeet Paul Choudary 17.03.2026 58min

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, welcomes Sangeet Paul Choudary– expert on platform economics and network effects, and the recipient of the 2025 Thinkers50 Strategy Award – to discuss his new book Reshuffle. 0:00 - Intro & Teaser 0:31 - Welcome & Guest Introduction (Sangeet Choudary, author of "Reshuffle") 1:49 - The Maginot Line Analogy: Why We're Solving the Wrong Problem with AI 4:07 - AI's Automation Lens vs. the Coordination Lens 5:02 - AI's Real Impact: Changing How the Economy Connects 7:15 - What Inspired the Book "Reshuffle" 9:40 - The Shipping Container Analogy: Lessons for AI 11:21 - From Port Automation to Systemic Transformation 13:04 - How AI Makes Tacit & Unstructured Knowledge Usable 15:35 - AI's Impact on Jobs & Roles: What Really Disappears 17:51 - Coordination as AI's Magical Property 18:27 - What AI Means for Strategy 19:08 - From Operational Uncertainty to Structural Uncertainty 19:51 - Industry Boundaries Are Collapsing 21:46 - The New Way to Win: Reshaping the Playing Field 26:51 - The TikTok Example: Intelligence-First vs. Social Graph 29:34 - Shein & AI-Driven Fast Fashion 33:45 - Sephora: AI as a Consumer Decision-Making Assistant 36:13 - Solution Providers vs. Tool Providers (Two Strategic Roles) 41:55 - What Will Happen to Consulting? 44:22 - New Business Models: Rentable, Recombinable & Scalable (Mr. Beast Burgers) 48:30 - Sangeet's Next Book: "Unfair Advantage" 51:01 - The Dynamics of Transition: From Petroleum Age to Digital 53:00 - Apple's Masterclass in Value Migration (iPod → iPhone) 57:37 - Closing Remarks & Farewell New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every Tuesday at 11am Eastern. Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. Connect with Rita on TikTok. Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

The Psychology of High Performance with Rita McGrath and Christian Marcolli 10.03.2026 55min

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, welcomes Christian Marcolli, a performance psychologist who works with elite athletes and executives on how to achieve and sustain high performance, and the author of “Winning Match: Leadership for Game Changers” 00:27 Introductions and Novartis’ Culture Leadership Advisory Board 2:19: From Professional Soccer Player to Psychology PhD Candidate 8:37: Working with Roger Federer 10:05: Creating Frameworks that Nurture Talent 12:55: The 4 Traits of a Potential Game Changer 14:32: The Role of Generosity in Leadership 17:03: Leadership Sparring: How Leaders Get Feedback as Organizations Flatten 23:35: The Five Practices for Performance Improvement 29:42: Examples from NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang and Airbnb’s Brian Cheskey 33:36: Case Study in Performance Improvement 36:59: How Leaders Foster the Development of Potential 38:49: The Hidden Talents That Leaders Miss 42:20: Examples from Elite Athletes: How Mindset Boosts Performance 47:33: How to Find a Leadership Sparring Partner 48:59: Why Peer-to-Peer Leadership Support is Indispensable 52:03: Takeaways to Implement Right Away Thought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence. New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every Tuesday at 11am Eastern. Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. Connect with Rita on TikTok. Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

Rethinking Authenticity with Rita McGrath and Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic 03.03.2026 1u

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, welcomes Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, professor of business psychology at University College London and an adjunct professor at Columbia University, and the author of Don't Be Yourself: Why Authenticity Is Overrated (and What to Do Instead). 00:00 Introductions 01:06 Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? 02:54"Don't Be Yourself”: Why This Book, Now 05:21 Authenticity Versus Leadership, and Being the Leader the Situation Calls For 06:59 The Visibility of Authenticity 09:18 Power and Self Censorship from Jeff Pfeffer 11:04: The Four Mantras of Authenticity 11:30: Mantra 1: “Honesty” 14:18 Mantra 2: “Don’t Worry About What People Think” 15:45 Skill Building and Self Awareness, from Matt Beane 18:27 Mantra 3: “Always be True to Your Values” 21:42 The Overton Window and How Norms Shift 24:03: Herminia Ibarra’s Critique of the Authenticity Paradox 26:44 Mantra 4: “Bring Your Whole Self to Work” 27:57 Diversity and Belonging at Work 30:22 How Employee Engagement Fits Into the Authenticity Picture 32:27 How DEI Interventions Utilize Authenticity 34:36 The Return to Office: Why Senior Leadership Might Prefer In-Person Work 35:38: Chip Conley’s Learning to Love Midlife 36:37: Tech Bros, Solopreneurs, and Authenticity to an Extreme 38:27 Practical Alternatives: Your Right For Self Expression Versus Your Obligation to Others 41:22 The Self Complexity Framework and Office Politics 44:41 How to Interview: Honesty versus Employability 48:32 Gen Z: Developing Grit and Learning from Feedback 55:28 AI Paranoia and Adaptation 58:42: Gen AI as “Intellectual Fast Food” Thought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence. New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every other Tuesday at 11am Eastern. Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. Connect with Rita on TikTok. Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com

Unlimited Leadership with Rita McGrath and Jose Marcilla 24.02.2026 52min

In this week’s Thought Sparks Podcast episode, Rita McGrath, a Columbia University Business School Professor, C-Suite strategist, business founder and best-selling author, welcomes José Marcilla, President of Latin America and Canada (LACan) Region at Novartis, and author of “Unlimited Leadership”. 00:46: Why this Book, and The Crisis of Good Leadership 3:04: Jose’s Journey and Career Path 5:16: Burnout, and the Need for Leaders to Focus on What They Can Control 8:06: Humanism in Leadership: The “Hardware” and “Software” that Leaders Need 10:38: Explaining Tough Decisions to Your People 13:42: Novartis’ Transformation Strategy: The Intersection of Technological and Biomedical Revolutions 16:00: Building an Inspired, Curious, and Unbossed Culture at Novartis 18:01: Clarity and Simplicity in Corporate Strategy 19:50: The Next Best You: Are You Changing as Fast As The World Is? 22:59: Staying Grounded as a Senior Leader 25:40: Setting the Tone Around Innovation and Failure 28:16: How Leaders Can Repair Eroded Trust in 3 Ways 32:37: Amy Edmondson’s 3 Types of Failures 34:59: Leaders as Coaches: How Coaching Training Changed Jose’s Leadership 37:40: The Delayering Question: Bureaucracy Eats Culture for Breakfast 43:19: What Leaders Need to Unlearn 45:15: Advice for Gen Z: Going from a “Tetris” Mindset to a “Roblox” Mindset 50:27: The Importance of Mentorship Thought Sparks are the brainchild of Rita McGrath. They are insightful actions, strategic ideas, actionable suggestions and innovative approaches that help organizations and leaders master the future with less fear and more confidence. New episodes of the Thought Sparks Podcast are released every other Tuesday at 11am Eastern. Want to learn more about Rita’s ideas and hear more of her conversations with business leaders and innovators? Listen to more Thought Sparks Podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Watch Thought Sparks episodes on YouTube. Follow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky. Connect with Rita on TikTok. Sign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com