People have been buzzing about the promise of fully autonomous vehicles for years. But using self-driving cars in our everyday lives was something that we could only imagine existing in the distant future. No longer. Autonomous driving is here, and people are already using it to get to the mall, send their kids to school, or get dropped off at the airport. Waymo, the autonomous vehicle company owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has deployed a fleet of autonomously driven cars in cities like Phoenix and San Francisco that anyone can order from the Waymo One app -- just like you would with any ride-hailing service. Tekedra Mawakana, Waymo’s co-CEO, joins the podcast to discuss Waymo’s moonshot mission to solve “the greatest engineering challenge of our generation” and how autonomous driving technology is giving people freedom of movement while making the roads safer for all. She also gives an inside look into how Waymo is rolling out the autonomous service, city by city,...
Eliminating the world’s dependence on fossil fuels might seem like a farfetched goal. But to Francesco Starace, decarbonization is inevitable. As a nuclear scientist and the CEO of Enel, one of Europe’s largest energy companies serving 70+ million customers worldwide, Starace has seen firsthand the accelerated transition towards renewables over the past few years. It’s driven, he says, by digital transformation, innovation, and the economic viability of green energy. Global events, like the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, have only intensified this acceleration. Starace joins the podcast to discuss the future of energy, why “electrifying society” is achievable well before 2050, and the forces changing the way we consume (and produce) energy. Listen to this episode to learn: • How the pandemic tested our energy systems by dramatically changing energy consumption overnight, and how grid operators successfully adjusted in real-time • Why bringing sustainable energy to Africa needs to be centered around metropolitan areas, where most people will live in the future • The complicated energy dynamic created by the war in Ukraine, and why it will require us to insulate ourselves from gas by whatever means possible • Why globalization isn’t going away; it’s “mutating” • The emergence of consumers as energy producers and why they will help fuel energy demand • Why the future of electrification won’t be possible without customer centricity
CSR. ESG. Purpose. Code of Conduct. There’s an endless succession of acronyms and phrases that companies use to describe what a moral philosopher would call “ethics.” Or, put simply: how individuals and organizations can do right by others. David Rodin is the Founder and Chair of Principia Advisory and is one of the world’s foremost experts on ethics and organizational culture. For years, David says, his clients mostly sought guidance during an acute crisis or when something went wrong inside their company. But recently, companies are proactively seeking the same guidance, realizing that ethics are fundamental to their business, brand promise, and market position. David joins the podcast to discuss why ethics can be a competitive advantage and risk mitigator that informs and underlies business decisions. He also explains why companies are increasingly looking to be part of the solution to a range of societal issues, and why this “generational shift” towards ethics will be a defining aspect of business for decades to come. Listen to this episode to learn: • The difference between utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics -- and the three key ethical questions every organization should be asking themselves • Why, in order to drive ethical change and to build ethical capacity, you need to look at the organization as an organic whole (i.e., look at its “software and hardware”) • How the war in Ukraine has sparked a fundamental shift in how businesses operate on an ethical level • Why the language companies use around purpose and values is less important than their orientation around and commitment to ethical values • Why global organizations need to consider regional differences and define their ethical red lines • How do we retain the best parts of globalization, but at the same time make it more ethical and values-infused?
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has triggered the largest humanitarian and refugee crisis in Europe since WWII, threatening the global economy and upending decades of relative geopolitical stability. Patricia Cohen, Global Economics Correspondent at The New York Times, believes we’re at a “real turning point” in global affairs and a “time of incredible unpredictability.” She’s been covering this story since the war in Ukraine began from an economic perspective, reporting on how other nations, particularly European nations, are responding to Russian aggression and the impact the crisis is having on their economies. Patricia joins the podcast to discuss how the war in Ukraine has overturned decades of active integration and positive cooperation between advanced industrial democracies and is moving globalization as we know it into a new, more regionalized phase. Listen to this episode to learn: • How a Russian economy that only accounts for between 1% to 2% of global GDP still has...
For more than 100 years, Mercedes-Benz has been one of the most innovative and valuable brands ever created. But as the global automotive industry shifts towards an electric future, Dimitris Psillakis, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, says the company has a new goal: to become the most desirable electric luxury vehicle brand in the world. The automaker will shift its focus entirely to electric vehicles in 2025 and be prepared to sell only electric vehicles by 2030. But the transformation to electric has its hurdles. Namely, competition from both legacy automotive companies and newer, tech-driven entrants into the space, as nearly every automaker aspries to lead the transition to all-electric within the next decade. Dimitris joins the podcast to share the vision behind Mercedes-Benz’s electrification strategy and how the company is approaching the challenge of transitioning to electric from two angles: product performance and customer experience. Listen to this episode to learn: • What will it take to inspire luxury auto buyers -- especially those in the United States -- to make the switch to electric vehicles • How Mercedes-Benz plans to differentiate its premium luxury brand amongst competitors • The value of the dealership experience, and how the customer-dealer relationship is evolving -- both in-person and online • The digitalization of Mercedes-Benz and why the car of tomorrow is a “smart car” powered by software and connectivity
Companies love to tout their purpose. They come up with a grandiose purpose statement, include it in their advertising, and paint it across their walls. But, when you look closely, there’s a lot of confusion about what purpose really means and what value it actually serves. Is a company’s purpose only about profit? Or, is it anything but profit? Perhaps purpose and profit should work in harmony to create a win-win? “The word ‘purpose’ has been hijacked,” says Harvard Business School professor Ranjay Gulati. He recently conducted extensive field research, interviewing leaders of some of the world’s most successful organizations to fundamentally understand what it means to operate from a place of purpose -- or a reason for being. The culmination of his research is his latest book, Deep Purpose: The Heart and Soul of High-Performance Companies. Ranjay joins the podcast to explain what it means to be a “deep purpose” company. He describes what we can learn from leaders who get purpose right -- and use it as a North Star to guide and elevate an organization's people, productivity, and potential. Listen to this episode to learn: • Why business (and life) without tradeoffs is an illusion • How purpose provides clarity on how to prioritize tradeoffs as well as the ability to make demands of company’s stakeholders • How leaders like Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella create a sense of purpose within their company to inform culture, organizational design, and people strategy • The opportunity for companies to help their employees (especially younger ones) discover coherence and connection between their purpose in life, career, and job -- the “Holy Grail” of fulfillment • Why great companies look inside before they look outside -- aiming to get a clear understanding of “who I am and why I’m here” • How NFL coach Pete Carroll unlocks “human potential,” and why all company leaders should strive to do the same with their employees
Amid the verdant rolling hills of central Kentucky, in the heart of Appalachian coal country, you’ll find 60 acres of a massive, glass-encased structure. Inside, you’ll find row after row of tomatoes. The bounty -- sold in grocery retailers like Kroger, Publix, and Walmart -- is grown and harvested to precision using data, AI, and robotics by an AgTech company called AppHarvest. But this isn’t your garden-variety greenhouse. It’s essentially a 60-acre robot — a high-tech, data-driven indoor farm. Inside is a tightly controlled environment that uses 90% less water than open-field agriculture and only rainwater to produce crop yields up to 30 times that of traditional farming. “The facility itself is really living while the plants are living,” explains Jonathan Webb, AppHarvest’s CEO. “We're collecting data all through the facility to optimize for the plant.” Webb joins the podcast to talk about the environmental consequences of what we eat and what’s at stake for the future of agriculture, as the current system depletes our soil and climate change threatens our global food supply. He also takes us inside how AppHarvest is harnessing the best of nature supported with technology to create sustainable agriculture and working to increase food security -- one data-driven tomato at a time – and soon to include salad greens and berries. Listen to this episode to learn: • The story behind AppHarvest and its mission to redefine agriculture for a more sustainable, equitable, and healthy future for all • How traditional farming often exploits farm workers across the world, and why we all should demand these essential workers get paid a living wage • Why the environmental and tech communities should be investing in the economic potential of Appalachian coal country and reskilling its workforce • The role of consumer demand and activism in helping to make AppHarvest a more mainstream, recognized brand in the produce aisle • From LED lights that automatically turn on when it’s cloudy to ensuring that the perfect amount of water gets directly into the roots, how AppHarvest harnesses data and technology to optimize plant growth -- 365 days a year • What’s on the horizon for AppHarvest in the years ahead
In 2005, fashionistas across America were raving about something called the “Morning After Bag” (or, the M.A.B. for those in the know). On fashion and celeb blogs, “It Girls” of the moment, like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, were photographed out and about with the M.A.B. draped casually on their arms. Over on an online chat board called The Purse Forum, Rebecca Minkoff, the bag’s designer, was doing something that, up until then, fashion designers would never dare do: talk directly with and listen to customers (“my girls,” as she calls them) about her designs. This was the beginning of Rebecca Minkoff the lifestyle brand, which is now sold all over the world and includes accessories, clothing, jewelry, and, of course, handbags. Rebecca Minkoff, co-founder of the eponymous brand and author of Fearless: The New Rules for Unlocking Creativity, Courage, and Success, joins the podcast to talk about how she launched an “accessible luxury” fashion brand around milestone moments...
When Corie Barry took over as CEO of Best Buy in the summer of 2019, she -- nor any of us -- could have foreseen what would soon come next. Now, nearly two years into leading one of the world’s largest consumer electronics retailers through a global pandemic, Corie says the experience has only reinforced her leadership philosophy: “I am here to create the conditions for other amazing leaders to be successful.” Corie joins the podcast to give an inside look at how she became CEO of Best Buy and what she’s learned about the role along the way. She also talks about how Best Buy’s purpose of “enriching lives through technology” has come into sharp focus, driving and uniting the organization in innovative ways -- and leading to exciting changes in how the company serves both its customers and its employees now and in the future. Listen to this episode to learn: • How a Midwestern work ethic, artist parents, and a drive to make the world a better place helped shape Corie into the leader she is today • Why retailers can’t force customer behavior, but rather need to “get out of the way” and focus on delivering a frictionless experience • The value of communication in any large organization with so many stakeholders in times of “stacked crises” • How tailoring employee benefits for working parents and caregivers creates a “scaffolding” that helps them succeed at work and in life • The reason and strategy behind why Best Buy is entering the health space • How sustainability and being a part of the circular consumer electronics economy is a competitive advantage for a retailer like Best Buy • Advice for young people aspiring to one day become a CEO
The world of work is experiencing a seismic shift. After the stress and trauma of a global pandemic, people are questioning how, where, and why they work. That’s led to what many are calling The Great Resignation. People around the world are looking for new career opportunities as they begin to take stock of all aspects of their lives in order to find greater meaning and purpose. With 800 million global members and 50 million companies represented on its platform, LinkedIn is watching this shift happen in real time. In many ways, the platform and its users are humanizing work, and pushing companies to follow. Mel Selcher, LinkedIn’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, joins the podcast to discuss how companies are rethinking their working models, their culture, and their values -- and what all business leaders should be doing to prepare for the future of work. Listen to this episode to learn: • The growing influence marketers and brand leaders have on a company’s ability...