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 Sabina Nawaz, author of the book “You’re the Boss” leadership secrets of the world’s most successful managers. Their conversation covers the fascinating concept of leading through pressure, which when managed correctly, creates new avenues for innovation and growth, and fosters resiliency.
1:51 How a Book Begins: 12,000 pages of Data on what it’s like to work with a boss
3:29 Managing at Microsoft: Sabina’s Personal Leadership Transformation
4:58 How Pressure - And Not Just Power - Corrupts
6:35 The Power of Doing Nothing Under Pressure
7:46 “Blank Space”: How Mental Rest Can Help Reveal Insights
10:42 How Micro Habits Change Your Day, 10 Seconds At A Time
12:31 Time Portfolios: Rethinking How You Spend Your Days, In Small Steps
14:29 “Still Doing Their Previous Job”: When Duties Collect With Promotions
16:26 “Innocent Saboteurs”: How Good Intentions Go Awry
17:32 42 Questions For Senior Leaders To Get Real Insights
19:50 Power As A Broken Volume Knob: Muted Employees, Amplified Managers
20:42 The Danger of the Singular Story: Avoiding Acting On Incomplete Information
23:55 “Don’t Act Until You Have At Least Three Stories”
25:47 Mission-Driven Strategy: How Purpose Underlies Forking Paths
27:08 Practicing Divergent Thinking To Accommodate For Crises
28:41 Trust and The 7 Communication Fault Lines
33:57 Executive Symbolism: What A Leader’s Actions And Expressions Communicate
35:46 The 5 Steps to Framing A Meeting
39:50 Leadership Insights from General Electric, Honeywell, and Build-A-Bear Workshop
42:15: Sharon Price John’s “Stop Doing Stupid Stuff, Start Doing Smart Stuff”
44:28 Cultural Transformation in The Age of AI and Dematerialization
49:51 Combining Empathy And Accountability in the Future of Work
51:33 The Benefits and Limitations of Bureaucracy
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
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
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 Scott Barry Kaufman, a Columbia University psychologist and expert in intelligence, creativity, and human potential. They share insights into empowerment, shifting our mindsets, and actualizing our full potential in both personal and professional contexts.
00:00 Meet Scott Barry Kaufman: Author of "Rise Above" & Expert on Overcoming Victim Mindset to Unlock Human Potential
00:58 Teaching the Science of Living Well: When Students Face Uncertain Futures
01:42 The Philosophy Job Market Reality: "They Never Were Really in a Job Anyway"
02:54 From Special Ed to Human Potential: What Sparked Scott's Life Mission
04:36 The Hidden Sources of Victim Mindset: Beyond External Circumstances
06:01 Beautiful Monsters: Making Peace with Your Dark Side
07:18 Being vs. Doing: Why We've Lost Focus on Character Over Achievement
09:22 What's Your End-of-Life Plan? Forget Five-Year Goals
11:32 Defining Victim Mindset: When Past Trauma Becomes Your Identity
12:18 The Empowerment Mindset: Yes-And Your Life Like Improv Comedy
13:26 Honest Love: The Third Way Between Coddling and Bootstrap Mentality
15:44 Why Abused Women Stay: The Counterintuitive Psychology of Attention
17:03 Self-Actualization Coaching vs. Trauma-Informed Therapy
21:03 "You Are Not Broken": Finding Light Within After Trauma
22:35 Continued Freshness of Appreciation: Seeing Beauty Despite Your Past
24:49 Let People Wallow Sometimes: Why There's No Expiration Date on Growth
28:48 Growth Motivation vs. Growth Mindset: Beyond Carol Dweck's Framework
31:30 Beyond Growth Mindset: Why 'Empowerment Mindset' Is the New Framework
35:41 The Consciousness Shift: From "I Have To" to "I Get To"
38:49 "Nobody's Coming to Save You": Breaking Out of Special Ed
47:09 Who This Book Is Really For: Are You Sick of Spinning Your Wheels?
49:16 20 Years From Now: When Humans and AI Merge
57:30 Human-Centered Leadership: What Love Means in the Workplace
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
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
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 Martin Reeves, Chair of the BCG Henderson Institute. Their conversation pulls from Reeves’ recent book "Like: The Button That Changed the World”, to explore how digital feedback has shaped our culture, political institutions, and innovation practices, with case studies from Cambridge Analytica, Apple, McDonald’s, TikTok, and more.00:00 Meet Martin Reeves: BCG's Chairman & Author of "Like: The Button That Changed the World00:58 7 to 100 Billion Uses Per Day: How Kids Define Status Through Digital Feedback03:01 The Roman Colosseum Myth That Fooled Silicon Valley03:49 From Ancient Painting to American Psyche: How Art Reproductions Shaped Culture06:49 The Disruption Hidden in Plain Sight: Why Cheap Reproductions Changed Everything07:42 From TV Set-Top Boxes to Digital Revolution: The Evolution of Feedback08:27 "Don't Make Me Think": Why the Apple Watch Isn't Actually a Watch09:24 The "Uber of Everything" Problem: Why Naming Your Innovation Is Strategic10:28 The 50-Company Secret: Why Innovation Heroes Don't Actually Exist12:29 The Innovation Nobody Predicted: How Tactical Problems Become Business Gold15:38 The Transistor Truth: Why Innovation Is Really Just Advanced Tinkering16:41 Why 70% of Scientists Can't Predict Their Own Breakthrough Discoveries20:03 The $2 Billion Advertising Bubble: Why 89% of Ads Vanish Into Thin Air22:09 When Cambridge Analytica Proved Digital Feedback Actually Works26:18 The McDonald's McLean Disaster: When Market Research Lies to You35:32 The TikTok Experiment: Manufacturing Sentiment at Government Scale38:45 When Bots Like Bots: The Hidden Economy of Manufactured Influence46:13 The Future of Corporations: Do We Still Need Mega-Companies?47:32 From Savannah to Silicon Valley: Why Our Brains Aren't Built for Modern Business54:23 Science Fiction Strategy: Using Imagined Futures to Plan for Today55:48 The Philanthropic Corporation: When Work Provides Purpose, Not Just Income59:20 Why Innovation Books Take on Lives of Their Own (And What's Next for AI)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 YouTubeFollow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.Connect with Rita on TikTokSign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com
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 Robert Pasin, Chief Wagon Officer at Radio Flyer. They take a deep dive into the history of the iconic wagon brand and the three generations of Pasin’s family that have helmed the brand. Covering everything from the e-commerce revolution that transformed how retail operated to shutdowns that threatened the brand as a whole, they share strategic insights applicable across sectors.
00:00 Meet Robert Pasin: Chief Wagon Officer & 4th Generation Leader of Radio Flyer
01:16 The 5-Year-Old's First Day at Work: A Magical Factory That Changed Everything
02:09 From Italy to Chicago: The Immigrant Carpenter Who Built an American Icon
03:46 The Mystery Behind the Name "Radio Flyer" Finally Solved0
4:41 The 45-Foot Giant That Launched a Brand at the 1933 World's Fair
06:03 When a 100-Year Company Almost Died: The Early 90s Crisis
07:31 The Plastic Revolution That Blindsided Radio Flyer
09:24 From "We Make Wagons" to "We Create Warm Memories"
11:36 The Bank Meeting That Taught a Young CEO About Cash Flow13:03 The Tricycle That Never Existed (But Everyone Remembered Having)
14:38 Becoming CEO at 28: "Nobody Else Wanted the Job"
18:59 "Plant a Lot of Seeds": How to Innovate Without Betting the Farm
20:07 Inside Radio Flyer's Prototype Shop: Where Ideas Become Reality
22:40 Why Radio Flyer Thinks "Quarter Century, Not Quarter"
29:12 The Day They Shut Down the Factory: A Leadership Test
38:04 From Toys"R"Us to Amazon: Adapting to Retail's Revolution
41:47 Why Focus Groups Lie: The Power of Observing Real Behavior
49:06 The 360 Feedback That Changed Everything
52:50 Electric Bikes and the Next Chapter: Hauling Kids for Another 100 Years
56:47 The One Leadership Skill That Matters Most
58:20 Why Teenage Kids Are the Ultimate CEO Reality Check
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 YouTubeFollow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.Connect with Rita on TikTokSign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack.
Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com
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 Frank Rose, a senior fellow at the Columbia University School of the Arts, and author of “The Sea We Swim In”. Their conversation revolves around narrative thinking and the importance of storytelling in our lives: from iconic brands to political parties to blockbuster movies.
00:00 Meet Frank Rose: Columbia's Digital Storytelling Pioneer & Author of "The Art of Immersion"
1:00 The Hidden Evolution: How Tech Breakthroughs "Burble Along" for Decades Before We Notice
2:12 James Cameron's Avatar Secret: The "Fractal Experience" That Changed Everything
3:40 Nine Inch Nails Meets Alternate Reality: How Trent Reznor Revolutionized Storytelling
7:07 The Great Flip: When Information Became Abundant and Attention Became Scarce
8:30 The $70 Trillion Secret: Why Most Corporate Assets Are Invisible to Accountants
9:33 Psychology's Biggest Mistake: How Scientists Dismissed Stories for Decades (Until Now)
12:10 Why Facts Don't Change Minds: The Emotional Truth About Persuasion
14:36 The Democratic Party's Fatal Flaw: "Who Are You Going to Believe? Us or Your Lying Pocketbook?"
17:19 The Storytelling Trinity: Author, Audience, and Journey (Most People Forget #2)
18:24 Beyond Setting: How "World Building" Creates Universes People Want to Join
21:34 The John Deere Phenomenon: When Brand Loyalty Reaches Casket-Level Devotion
22: 28 Country Music Meets Corporate Strategy: Rita's "John Deere Green" Moment
23:43 The Digital Dozen Revolution: 10 Years of Spotting Storytelling Breakthroughs Without Categories
27:22 Eno: The Film That's Never the Same Twice (Generative Cinema Without AI)
28:40 When Robots Meet Reality: Cat Royale, Fortune-Telling AIs, and Fuel-Sharing Machines
34:38 The Mailchimp Genius: How "Did You Mean Male Chimp?" Became a Marketing Masterclass
37:03 Martha Diamond: The Painter's Painter Who Was Decades Ahead of Her Time
41:21 Van Gogh's Real Hero: How Theo's Widow Made Vincent Famous (Frank's Mission for Martha)
44:27 The Scarcity Revolution: Why Human Connection Now Beats Virtual Reality
45:49 The Elevator Mirror Hack: The Brilliant Problem-Solving Solution That Cost Almost Nothing
51:15 Tesla's Story Crisis: How Elon "Lost the Plot" of Saving the Planet
53:25 The Platform Revolution: Why Owning Your Story Beats Paying for Ads Forever
55:51 The Programmatic Advertising Curse: Suitcase Stalkers and Google's Multiple Personality Disorder
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 YouTubeFollow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.
Connect with Rita on TikTokSign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack.
Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com
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 Karla Trotman, CEO of ElectroSoft, Inc, the largest Black- and woman-owned electronics contract manufacturer in the United States, and author of “Dark, Dirty, Dangerous”. They shed light on the unique challenges that family business face and how Karla broke barriers in the manufacturing industry to lead true innovation. 00:00 Meet Karla Trotman: Manufacturing CEO & Author of "Dark, Dirty, Dangerous" 01:16 From Kitchen Table to Corporate Empire: An Accidental Manufacturing Dynasty 02:20 Why Smart Kids Reject Family Businesses (And How One Changed Her Mind) 03:20 The E-Commerce Pivot That Led Back Home: When Amazon Changed Everything 04:44 Family Business Drama: When Three Siblings Want the Same Company 08:07 The Brutal Honesty That Saved a Family Legacy 09:56 Presidential Training Wheels: Learning to Lead Alongside Your Predecessor 12:13 Breaking Into the Boys' Club: A Woman of Color's Manufacturing Journey 15:46 Busting the Manufacturing Myth: It's Not Dark, Dirty, or Dangerous Anymore 16:36 The Great American Manufacturing Mistake: How We Made Other Countries Rich 20:02 The $70K High School Graduate: When Welding Beats Wall Street 20:38 Why Parents Are Finally Coming to Their Senses About College vs. Trades 22:16 Building Submarines and Changing Lives: The Military's Manufacturing Campaign 40:09 From Windows XP to AI: The Digital Transformation That Almost Broke the Bank 43:01 You Have to Be Crazy to Be an Entrepreneur: Why Everything is a Bet 46:57 The Light Fixture Philosophy: Investing in People, Not Waste 49:02 The DEI Backlash: Why Treating People Equally Became Controversial 51:17 The Blind Spot Solution: Why Diverse Teams Win (Despite Feeling Worse) 55:31 The Wrestling Match: What It's Really Like Being the Only One in the Room 1:00:48 The Conference That Saved Her Company: Why Leaders Must Leave Their Desks 1:01:57 Doing President vs. Being President: The Real Work of Leadership 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 YouTubeFollow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.Connect with Rita on TikTokSign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com
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 Sharon Price John, CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop and author of “Stories and Heart: Unlock the Power of Personal Stories to Create a Life You Love”. This special live episode was taped at Columbia Business School, where Sharon Price John delivered a keynote as part of Columbia Women in Business’s Women’s History Month celebration. They discuss confidence, and how lack of confidence can hamper both personal and professional growth. They identify the 3 reasons for the lack of confidence – fear of failure, pursuit of perfectionism, and negative self talk – and give actionable strategies for how to overcome low self esteem. How striking the balance between confidence and competence is key to success. 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 YouTubeFollow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.Connect with Rita on TikTokSign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com
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 Peter Georgescu, chairman emeritus of Young & Rubicam and author of 3 books: Capitalists, Arise!, The Source of Success, and The Constant Choice. Their conversation covers how business leaders can take action in an increasingly divided society, how multi-stakeholder capitalism unlocks long-term value creation, and how passionately caring for your customers and your employees is crucial to your success as a leader.
Key Takeaways: (Add description and time codes)
0:00 - Introducing Peter Georgescu: From Young & Rubicam to Capitalists, Arise!
1:14 - Surviving WWII: Peter's Extraordinary Early Life Story
4:40 - Child Labor Under Communism: Peter's Five Years of Forced Work
7:55 - The Blackmail Ultimatum: Spy For Us or Never See Your Children Again
9:40 - The Power of Public Opinion: How America Rallied to Save Two Boys
11:36 - From Prison to Exeter Academy: Arriving in America Without English
13:56 - Peter's Definition of the American Dream: Becoming His Best Self
16:11 - The Hurricane Metaphor: Understanding Capitalism as a Powerful Force
19:19 - The 1982 Turning Point: When Shareholder Value Became the Only Goal
21:07 - Two Americas: The Growing Divide Between Haves and Have-Nots
23:55 - $50 Trillion Transfer: The Staggering Cost of Worker Exploitation
27:40 - Historical Warning Signs: Why Social Instability Always Follows Inequality
29:41 - Workers as Leverageable Assets: The Secret to Business Success
33:08 - Profit Sharing in Action: How Costco Revolutionized Retail
34:55 - The PayPal Revelation: When 50% of Workers Needed Food Stamps
42:40 - The Business Case for Multiple Stakeholders: Everyone Wins
44:12 - The Planet as Stakeholder: Why Climate Action is Good Business
47:09 - Education's Role in Reviving the American Dream
50:21 - The Barber and the Top Surgeon: A Heartwarming Healthcare Story
52:21 - The KKR Transformation: Rethinking Private Equity with Pete Stavros
53:43 - The Garage Door Success Story: Workers Who Transformed Their Company
56:49 - Dignity in the Workplace: Creating Meaningful Work Cultures
1:01:23 - Our Shared Mission: A Call for Business Leaders to Take Action
1:01:56 - Lucky Us: Final Thoughts on Making a Difference in the World
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
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
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 Lori Rosenkopf, Vice Dean of Entrepreneurship at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and author of “Unstoppable Entrepreneurs: 7 Paths for Unleashing Successful Startups and Creating Value through Innovation”. Their conversation covers how to succeed and persist as an entrepreneur and what it takes to bring innovation to fruition, including case studies from Madison Reed, Nokia, and Square.
Key Takeaways: (Add description and time codes)
0:00 Meet Lori Rosenkopf: Author of Unstoppable Entrepreneurs
00:59 Columbia to Wharton: Two Scholars' Parallel Journeys
3:31 The Six R's That Make Entrepreneurs Truly Unstoppable
4:12 Passionate vs. Pragmatic Entrepreneurs: Two Different Paths to Success
6:55 Recombination: Why Most Successful Innovations Are 90% Familiar, 10% New
8:20 "Unstoppable" vs. "Resilient" – The Psychology Behind Entrepreneurial Persistence
10:29 Madison Reed: Disrupting the Hair Color Industry
13:38 The Bootstrapper's Advantage: Why 80% of Enterprises Avoid Outside Funding
15:36 The Shocking Truth: Only 0.5% of Businesses Take Venture Funding
19:23 Intrapreneurship: How Jackie Reese Built a Bank Inside Square
22:06 The Innovation Arms Race: How Entrepreneurs Drive Corporate Change
23:21 Nokia's Surprising Pivot: Life Beyond Consumer Phones
24:52 From Bell Labs to Co-Working Space: The Evolution of Corporate Innovation
26:28 GenHERation: How COVID Transformed a Bus Tour Into a Thriving EdTech Platform
28:48 Beyond Profit: The Cultural Value Entrepreneurs Create for Society
32:49 Technology Commercialization: Bringing Life-Changing Ideas to Market
35:41 Harlem Capital: Transforming VC Funding for Underrepresented Entrepreneurs
38:31 Search Funds: The Little-Known Path to Business Ownership
40:24 From Funeral Homes to Tech: Unexpected Acquisition Opportunities
43:46 The Real Age of Successful Founders: Why Most Entrepreneurs Aren’t 22-Year-Olds
44:48 Inside Wharton’s VentureLab: Building the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
49:43 AI’s Impact on Jobs: Why Entrepreneurial Thinking Is More Important Than Ever
53:47 How Top Entrepreneurs Navigate Innovation: Risk Is Not an R
54:47 The Madison Reed COVID Pivot: From 12 Stores to 100+ Through Contrarian Thinking
56:09 The Next Chapter: Promoting Unstoppable Entrepreneurs and Its Message
57:52 Breaking Free: Why Entrepreneurship Can Be More Stable Than Corporate Life
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
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
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 Garry Ridge, the former CEO of WD-40, and author of “Any Dumb-Ass Can Do It: Learning Moments from an Everyday CEO of a Multi-Billion-Dollar Company”. They share lessons from Garry’s 25-year tenure at WD-40 on how leaders can foster a supportive, positive workplace, and create cultures of belonging.
Key Takeaways:
00:00 Meet Garry Ridge: WD-40 Chairman Emeritus & "Dean of Dumbassery"
01:19 Business as a Force for Good: Creating Cultures Where People Go Home Happy
02:29 “Smart Alec” the Doll: Identifying Soul-Sucking Leadership Behaviors
03:19 The Tribal Concept: Why "Belonging" Is the Foundation of Great Organizations
06:56 The Maniac Pledge: Eliminating the Finger-Pointing Disease in Organizations
11:26 "I Hate the Word Manager": Why Coaching Beats Management Every Time
13:53 Learning Moments vs. Failures: Building Psychological Safety in Your Team
18:13 WD-40's Origin Story: How 39 Failed Attempts Led to a Global Brand
19:59 Beyond Squeaks: Why Your Product Isn't Your Purpose
22:32 Values as Decision-Making Tools: How Hierarchical Values Empower Employees
24:41 The $4 Million Decision: How Values Protected WD-40 from a Toxic Opportunity
30:36 Market Research in China: How Curiosity Transformed a Failed Product Launch
33:41 "Don't Understand? Get Curious!": How to Identify Your Customers' Real Needs
36:09 From CEO to "Refirement": Planning Your Leadership Exit with Purpose
40:33 Leading Through Uncertainty: Six Principles for Navigating Crisis
43:31 The Leadership Risk: Why Absorbing Uncertainty Is Your Most Important Job
49:47 The Remote Work Dilemma: Why In-Person Connection Drives Innovation
55:06 "97% of My Assets Drive Out the Gate": Treating People as Your Greatest Value
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 YouTubeFollow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.
Connect with Rita on TikTokSign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack.
Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com
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 Steve Mandell, founder of party goods retail giant Party City.
With recent headlines about Party City’s bankruptcy after nearly 40 years in business, they discuss Steve’s journey to founding the company, including the passion, hard work, and attention to detail that established Party City as a powerhouse. They discuss the future of retail, as online shopping continues to dominate over brick-and-mortar stores, and the impact of US tariffs remains to be seen.
Key Takeaways: (Add description and time codes)
00:00 Meet Steve Mandell: Party City Founder & Serial Entrepreneur
00:55 The Birth of Party City: One Store and a Simple Dream
02:59 From Brooklyn Street Corner to Retail Empire: Steve's Entrepreneurial Roots
04:09 Retail is Detail: The Obsession That Built an Empire
06:10 Listening to the Customer: The Secret to Party City's Evolution
08:30 The Revolutionary Picture Wall That Experts Called 'Crazy'
11:31 Accidental Franchising: The Surprise Visitor That Changed Everything
13:14 Three Times the Expected Sales: The First Day That Proved the Concept
15:40 The Entrepreneur's Mindset: 'What Are We Going to Do for an Encore?'
19:56 The Vendor Connection: Creating a Retail Category Together
21:17 Culture Through Mentorship: The Sam and Joe Story
23:55 The Secret Hiring Formula: Three Traits of Exceptional Performers
28:11 Culture of Caring: The Human Touch Behind Business Success
30:16 When Success Turns to Crisis: The Audit That Changed Everything
34:29 'Don't Run the Business for Wall Street': The Advice That Guided Party City
35:14 The Model That Couldn't Be Killed: Party City's Lasting Legacy
38:19 Reinvention: From Party Stores to Online Costume Empire
41:54 Hurricane Sandy and the Warehouse Under Water: When Nature Forces Change
43:20 The Entrepreneur's Idea Inventory: How Opportunities Take Shape
45:05 The Cookie Wall: Bringing Retail Innovation to E-Commerce
48:59 Solving the Hard Problems: Why Difficult Industries Create Opportunities
51:03 'I Don't Like It, I LOVE It': Passion as the Ultimate Driver
51:58 No Free Rides: Advice for Young Entrepreneurs
56:13 The Mandell Formula for Success: Luck, Luck, and Getting Off the Couch
57:38 Incrediblecookies.com: The Next Chapter of Retail Innovation
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
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
When should you stay the course in life, and when should you shift with changing tides? This week, we bring you case studies from the world of business to explore the science of inflection points — changes that dramatically transform the course of events. Researcher Rita McGrath of Columbia University explains why we fail to see impending moments of upheaval, and what we can do to be more adept at spotting them.
What you’ll learn from this week’s episode:
Originally published by Hidden Brain https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/when-to-pivot/
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 Terence Mauri, founder of the AI-trends think tank Hack Future Lab, and a MIT Entrepreneur Mentor. Their conversation covers everything from the meteoric rise of AI tools like Deep Seek, how we should consider tackling today’s climate crises, and how bureaucracy can help or hinder innovation.
00:00 Meet Terence Mauri: Author of "The Upside of Disruption" & Thought Leader on Thriving in Uncertainty
00:50 "The Day a Car Hit Me Changed Everything" – Terence's Life-Altering Moment & Profound Awakening
03:06 "Artificial Idiocy vs. Human Truth" – Esther Perel's Warning & The Three Pillars for Ethical AI
05:26 The $11 Trillion Threat: How Modern Cyber Crime Challenges Trust in the Digital Age
06:16 "The Shadow Boss" – Why Great Leadership Means Less Managing & More Leading
08:55 The DARE Framework Decoded: Four Mindset Shifts to Thrive in a Post-AI World
11:36 The Agility Paradox: Why 77% of Leaders Claim Agility But Can't Actually Achieve It
13:52 Light Speed Behaviors: Pfizer's Revolutionary Approach to Crushing Bureaucracy
14:43 "Marie Kondo Your Organization" – Two Powerful Examples of Fighting Complexity with Simplicity
17:50 The DeepSeek Advantage: How Constraints Sparked 100x Innovation Under China's Chip Ban
19:36 "Questions Are the Answer" – How Hack Future Lab Reframes Disruption as an Invitation to Reinvent
23:00 Hope Machines: The Progress Network & MIT Solve's Approach to Global Challenges
25:56 Climate Action Blueprint: What the Ozone Layer Success Story Teaches Us About Tackling Today's Crises
31:30 AI as Customer Ally: Inside OpenAI's Partnership with T-Mobile & John Deere's 190-Year Innovation Journey
35:19 The Strategic Question Trifecta: What's Enduring, Evolving, and Eroding in Your Business?
36:34 Beyond Fear: Why the Regret of Inaction Outweighs the Regret of Bold Action
41:16 Auto-Sapient Trust: The Fourth Wave of Trust & Your Future Personal AI Confidant
46:14 From Hierarchies to Marketplaces: The Three D's Reshaping Value Creation
49:56 The Dematerialization Revolution: Why Psychological Value Is Replacing Physical Products
51:56 The Potato Washing Machine: How Permissionless Organizations Turned a Problem into $1 Billion
53:55 The Four Waves of AI: From Perception to Physical – What's Coming Next Will Transform Everything
55:19 The Unexpected Discovery: What Surprised Terence Most Since Writing His Book
56:05 The 80/20 Bee Principle: Nature's Perfect Model for Balancing Execution and Exploration
57:31 Final Thoughts & Where to Find More from Terence Mauri
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
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
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 Stephan Meier, a Columbia Business School Professor and expert on behavioral strategist. His recent book, “The Employee Advantage”, explains how companies that put their employees first are more profitable, innovative, and appealing to top talent, and how customer-centric tools can be repurposed to support employees.
00:00 Welcome to Thought Sparks: The Employee Advantage Unveiled
01:38 What Really Sparked 'The Employee Advantage'? Stephan's Pandemic Revelation
04:08 The ROI of Putting People First: Why Employee-Centric Companies Outperform
08:05 United's Turnaround Secret: How Oscar Munoz Revolutionized a Struggling Airline
09:26 Beyond Cost Centers: Zeynep Ton's Groundbreaking Research on Employee Value
10:28 The Science of Motivation: What Truly Engages People Beyond Compensation
13:00 The Reading Rebellion: How Stephan's Son Revealed a Universal Truth About Motivation
17:06 Netflix for Work Tasks? How AI Matchmaking Creates Perfect Employee Challenges
21:08 Permissionless Organizations: Why Hierarchy Is Becoming Obsolete
23:04 The Great Economic Transformation: From Mass Production to Information Ecosystems
25:04 Movie Crew Capitalism: Why Small Teams Are the New Organizational Building Blocks
28:32 The Career Zigzag Advantage: Why Linear Paths Lead to Dead Ends
33:27 The NASA Janitor Test: Does Everyone in Your Company Know Their True Purpose?
39:47 AI as the Great Democratizer: Augmenting Human Potential Instead of Replacing It
49:15 The Co-Leader Revolution: How AI Creates Superior Leadership Conversations
52:37 What Sports Teams Know That Businesses Don't: AI's Coaching Superpowers
57:05 Tom Friedman's Olympic Athlete Paradox: Training for Unknown Future Skills
59:52 Beyond Theory: Implementing the Employee Advantage in Your Organization
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
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
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 Anupam Jena, the host of the Freakonomics MD Podcast. Anupam is here to talk about his recent book “Random Acts of Medicine”, which shows how unexpected—but predictable—events profoundly affect our health. What are the hidden forces that sway doctors, impact patients and shape our health? He’s here to explain and help us understand what to do about it.
00:00 Welcome to Thought Sparks with Rita McGrath & Dr. Anupam "Bapu" Jena
00:56 "Random Acts of Medicine" - The Surprising Reception to Bapu's Groundbreaking Book
01:40 The Paradox: Why Do Patients Do Better When Cardiologists Leave Town?
04:17 London Cabbies, Brain Development & Alzheimer's: The Stunning Connection
08:50 The 5-Minute Fix: Why Sports Teams Warm Up But Surgeons Don't (And What Happens When They Do)
13:37 Trust vs. Errors: The Counterintuitive Research That Changed Everything
17:00 "The Machine Saw That": How AI Could Transform Professional Feedback in Medicine & Beyond
21:12 America's Healthcare Paradox: Why Spending 20% of Our Income Doesn't Make Us Healthier
32:45 "Flooding the System with Humans": How AI Could Democratize Healthcare Access
36:28 The 16-Minute Visit: Does Anyone Have Time for Healing?
37:53 Your Zip Code Shouldn't Determine Your Health: The Geography of Medical Inequality
43:02 From Research to Reality: The Rocky Path from Healthcare Insights to Actual Policy
46:31 When Science Meets Values: The Hidden Battle Behind Health Policy Debates
53:10 New Zealand's Hard Choice: A Global Lesson in Healthcare Trade-offs
54:41 The Orphaned Cures: Why Some Life-Saving Treatments Never Make it to Market
57:46 Unintended Consequences: How the Inflation Reduction Act Is Reshaping Medicine's Future
59:34 The Unsung Heroes: Why We Thank Doctors But Not the Innovations That Save Us------------------------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 YouTubeFollow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.Connect with Rita on TikTokSign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com
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 Dean Carignan and JoAnn Garbin about their new book The Insider's Guide to Innovation at Microsoft. Together, the three innovation experts discuss the strategies and models that enabled Microsoft to continuously innovate for 50 years, and how other leaders and organizations can apply these strategic lessons. Key Takeaways:✅ The Power of Reinvention – How Microsoft has navigated four major technological shifts, including AI.✅ Culture of Risk & Learning – Why embracing failure fuels innovation rather than stifling it.✅ From Competition to Collaboration – How Satya Nadella’s leadership transformed Microsoft’s work culture.✅ The Hackathon Effect – How company-wide experimentation has driven groundbreaking ideas.✅ Human-Centered AI – How Microsoft approaches responsible AI development.🔗 Order now: https://www.innovationatmicrosoft.com/home#buynow
00:00 Welcome Intro
01:17 Dean Intro
02:08 JoAnn Intro
03:23 Brief Book Intro & Proceeds to STEAM
05:35 Microsoft’s “Secret Sauce” for Innovation
09:45 Boundary Crossers for Innovation @ Microsoft
11:23 How to Grow a Business — Innovate with Everyone & Over the Years
15:26 Failure and Not Working Out in Innovation
19:29 “Failure to Launch” — Trying New Things
20:54 Agility & Learning from Failure (Mobile Example)
23:03 Hackathons & Rita’s “Brand Takeover” — Expanding Your Thinking
27:32 Design Principles — What Good Looks Like
31:10 Overshooting What Customers Want — No New Features!
34:01 Satya Nadella Transition
38:10 Responsible AI & Human-Centered AI
45:55 Startups & Where the Money Flows
51:23 Is Software Going Away? Agentic AI
54:26 “Fifth Industrial Revolution”
58:06 Hyper-Localization & Technology Reaching Out to U -------------------Thought Sparks, the brainchild of Rita McGrath, 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 YouTubeFollow Rita on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Blue Sky.Connect with Rita on TikTokSign up for her Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack. Learn more about Rita, her books and ideas at RitaMcGrath.com
Join me in this chat with Matt Beane as we dive into one of today’s biggest workforce challenges: upskilling at scale. 📈 In a rapidly evolving world, the skills our teams need are constantly changing, and leaders everywhere are asking: How do we equip people to adapt and thrive?
Matt, author of “The Skill Code: How to Save Human Ability in an Age of Intelligent Machines, a groundbreaking book on skill-based work, will share insights into skill transfer and workplace transformation—vital topics for any executive navigating today’s fast-paced environment. Don’t miss this chance to explore the future of work and practical strategies for upskilling. 🔥
Follow my social channels to hear the full discussion on Friday, December 13 at 11 am EST!
Sitting down with Susannah Fox, former Chief Information Officer at Health and Human Services and author of “Rebel Health.” Susannah is a true innovator in healthcare, and her work on “Rebel Health” explores how patients, caregivers, and survivors are using digital platforms to unite, advocate, and change the system from within. 💡
From inspiring stories of grassroots health movements to practical insights on shaping healthcare from the ground up, this chat is one you won’t want to miss.
Follow me on my social channels to get notified when we start our live discussion.
Rita McGrath joins KFNN
H.R. McMaster's new book "At War with Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House" is an incisive account of his time as National Security Advisor during Trump's presidency. Be sure to tune in this Friday at 11:15 am EST to ask questions, and hear firsthand about the political experience of a lifetime.
