Political Commentator George Will: Insights on American Government Today, and Where the Democratic and Republican Parties Have Both Gone Wrong
We sit down with George Will and discuss what conservatism means today and where the Republican and Democratic Parties have both gone wrong - the Republican Party with Donald Trump and the Democratic Party by being “dominated by a tail that wags the bigger dog.” Progressives, he says, are at most a third of the Democratic Party, but they are 90% of Joe Biden's agenda now and they are “in the saddle riding poor Joe Biden.”
He shares how Joe Biden squandered one of the great opportunities of modern politics and how the Democratic Party is disobeying Thomas Jefferson's admonition to not undertake large departures on slender majorities. As for the Republican Party, he talks about Donald Trump’s effect on the Party, how the Party has strayed from its roots and what it means to be a Republican today.
He also worries that from Elizabeth Warren on the left to Ted Cruz on the right, the political class is united by a constant powerful imperative for deficit spending.
George Will is a political commentator, columnist and author of 16 books. He has won a Pulitzer Prize and is a regular contributor to the Washington Post.
Reporting from War Zones with CNN Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward: How What's Reported Differs From the Situation On the Ground
This week we talk with Clarissa Ward, CNN’s Chief International Correspondent, who has been reporting from Ukraine, and who has covered hot zones and wars in Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Syria and Afghanistan and been based in Baghdad, Beirut, Beijing and Moscow. She shares the remaking of the world from the front lines and how the situation on the ground differs from what’s reported.
She provides a deeply personal and inside scoop on the news. Find out why TV doesn’t provide a full picture of reality and what she’s learned from her extensive time covering conflicts and wars.
She also talks about a reporter’s responsibility in being a vessel, the mental health toll of reporting from war zones and the surprising advantages to being a woman reporting from the Middle East.
Clarissa is known for her courage, compassion and riveting reporting. She speaks seven languages and has received multiple awards, including Peabody, Murrow and nine Emmy awards.
The Secret Life of Words - What Our Words Say About Us and What We Can Learn From Other’s Words: Jamie Pennebaker
Ever wondered if we could predict people’s actions through their words? Renowned social psychologist and linguist Dr Jamie Pennebaker shares how words can give away our secrets, feelings and inner state of mind from Putin’s language which predicted his invasion of Ukraine to poets whose use of the word “I” can predict a higher risk of suicide.
Dr. Pennebaker’s groundbreaking research in computational linguistics analyzing and counting the frequency of words, shows that our most forgettable words, such as pronouns I, me and my, can be the most revealing.
He explains what the words Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and Joe Biden use (and even the ones they don’t use) reveal about their inner feelings and the “tell” that predicted Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
He also talks about how American Presidents have become more likeable and less analytical, the differences in men’s and women's words, and how writing about traumatic experiences can help people heal and improve their physical health.
David Novak, Former CEO OF Yum! Brands on Motivating a Work Force, Staying Humble and Taking Charge of Your Career
From humble beginnings growing up as a trailer park nomad, David rose to be the CEO of Yum! Brands (Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC) where his successful techniques as a leader helped double the number of restaurants and increased market capitalization over 8 times. He has been recognized as one of the best performing CEO’s by Barron’s, Fortune and Harvard Business Review.
This week we talked about his people first approach, the essential traits leaders need, the importance of mindset and why purposeful recognition is the strongest motivational tool for leaders in any field. He explains how sometimes we have to say no in order to get what we want, as well as describes why people cried when he gifted them a rubber chicken!
David continues to campaign to create more leaders by creating the student leadership program Lead4Change.
Former MI6 Chief Sir Alex Younger: Putin's Miscalculations Invading Ukraine, Why Putin May Become More Desperate and Dangerous, Realities of a Spy and the Importance of Trust and Alliances
Former MI6 Chief Sir Alex Younger – with his years of experience as a spy - shares how Putin miscalculated with his invasion of Ukraine, why he can’t back down and what the long term impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the US exit from Afghanistan may be on Xi Jinping’s plans for Taiwan. He also provides insights on threats in our globalized world and reveals what it takes to be a successful spy, how to out-think the opposition and how spies, while professionally cynical, are romantics at heart.
“My career has showed me what well-motivated individuals, brave individuals can do, and that's been an enormous privilege.”
Growing Alibaba into the World's Largest Online Commerce Company with 1 BN Customers: Alibaba Group President Michael Evans
Sometimes, and mostly outside of China, Alibaba is referred to as the Chinese Amazon, but in reality, it’s very different and much larger.
Alibaba Group president Michael Evans shares how Alibaba grew to become the world’s largest online commerce company serving nearly 1 billion customers each month, how it’s different than its Western counterparts, and what international companies need to know in order to succeed in the China consumer market.
Michael also shares how he sees the future of retail and how Alibaba creates new businesses that are innovative and different from what you see elsewhere. He also explains how Alibaba is using its platform to help its merchants understand consumer trends, manufacture more efficiently and make the future greener.
Former CEO of New York Federal Reserve Bank Bill Dudley on Inflation and Fiscal Recovery in the US, Regulating Cryptocurrencies and Why Current Fed Policies Benefit the Rich and Not the Poor
We talk with Bill Dudley, the former President and CEO of the New York Federal Reserve Bank, about the US economy - where it is headed and what could happen, how the pandemic affected it, why Fed policies benefit the wealthy and what $5 trillion in government spending means for GDP. He also shares his thoughts about cryptocurrencies and how stricter regulation could bring wider adoption. Does he think the Fed is Too Hawkish, too Dovish or in “Alice In Wonderland”?
Bill Dudley is an American economist - who joined the Federal Reserve on the eve of the 2008 financial crisis after a 20 year career at Goldman Sachs.
Founder Payal Kadakia on Building ClassPass into a Billion Dollar Company, Living a Plan A Life and Achieving Your Potential
Learn how Payal Kadakia built a start up into a billion dollar unicorn in her 20’s, despite many setbacks, and what her most important decisions were. Payal shares what living a Plan A life means, how the moment that enabled her to launch her life was one of the lowest moments of her career, and what leadership characteristics enabled her to succeed.
Payal is the founder of ClassPass, the world’s largest health club aggregator with over 30,000 health clubs in 28 countries. ClassPass offers a revolutionary membership that lets members use health clubs and book unlimited fitness classes for a subscription fee.
Payal is also the author of LifePass: Drop Your Limits, Rise to Your Potential: A Groundbreaking Approach to Goal Setting.
Why Platform Companies (Facebook, Amazon, Airbnb and Uber) Are the Opposite of Traditional Companies, Why They Become So Enormous, and How They Can Be Effectively Regulated: Marshall Van Alstyne
Marshall Van Alstyne shares why platform companies dominate traditional businesses and why 7 of the 10 largest companies in the world are platform companies. Learn how they outcompete traditional companies while employing just a tiny fraction of the number of people, how they are completely different from companies of the past, and why platforms beat products all the time.
Boston University professor Marshall Van Alstyne is the co-author of the international bestseller Platform Revolution and he is one of the world's experts on network business models.
The Future of Artificial Intelligence: Head of Columbia University’s Creative Machines Lab Hod Lipson
We are at an inflection point in artificial intelligence today. Find out what the next 3 waves of artificial intelligence will bring — including creativity and consciousness. Learn why AI is accelerating and what we can do to ensure tech is used for good.
Hod Lipson is the head of Columbia University’s Creative Machines Lab, which pioneers new ways to make machines that create, and machines that are creative. His work focuses on evolutionary robotics, design automation, rapid prototyping, artificial life, and creativity.
Is Tribalism Always Bad? How Group Identity or Tribalism Has Taken Over our Political System with Yale Law School Professor Amy Chua
Yale Law School professor Amy Chua shares how group identity has caused bitter partisanship in the U.S. and the failure of U.S. policies in Vietnam and other countries. Learn how children as young as 4 years old identify with groups and consistently display systematic, unconscious bias toward other groups. Amy argues that tribalism has taken over America's political system and that the way forward lies in remembering what makes the country special.
Amy Chua is the author of 5 books and was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.
Free World Class Education to Anyone Anywhere: Building the World’s Largest Online Learning Platform with Khan Academy Founder & CEO Sal Khan
Find out how the founder and CEO of Khan Academy, Sal Khan, built the world’s largest online learning platform, his vision for scaling free educational resources, and how he is reimagining education.
Khan Academy is a free remote learning platform that offers lessons for all ages. Today more than 133 million registered users access Khan Academy in dozens of languages in more than 190 countries.
The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business: Setting the Table with Union Square Hospitality Group Founder & CEO Danny Meyer
Danny Meyer shares how to deliver outstanding hospitality, how he thinks restaurants will be different post pandemic and what continues to get him excited each day.
Danny is the founder and CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group, which comprises some of New York’s most beloved and acclaimed restaurants, including Gramercy Tavern, Shake Shack, The Modern, Maialino, and many more.
Danny and USHG’s restaurants have won an unprecedented 28 James Beard Awards, including Outstanding Restaurateur, several three Michelin stars, and a Julia Child Award. He has also been recognized by Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America and TIME 100 “Most Influential People”.
”You may think, as I once did, that I’m primarily in the business of serving good food. Actually, though, food is secondary to something that matters even more. In the end, what’s most meaningful is creating positive, uplifting outcomes for human experiences and human relationships. Business, like life, is all about how you make people feel. It’s that simple, and it’s that hard.”
Always Be Learning: The Top 10 Takeaways of 2021 From Our Guests
This week on the podcast we are highlighting the Top 10 Takeaways of 2021. With guests ranging from CEOs and founders, to best-selling authors and even the Director of the U.S. Secret Service. These individuals left us feeling motivated and inspired!
Achieving Your New Year’s Resolutions: The Science of Getting To Where You Want to Be with Katy Milkman (Repost)
Wall Street Journal best-selling author Katy Milkman shares science-based ways to create change in our lives. Learn how to understand your impulses and make them work for you, rather than against you.
Katy is an advisor on how to spur positive change and has advised organizations from Google to the Red Cross. She is a professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and the best-selling author of How to Change: The Science of Getting From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.
Harvard Professor, Robert Waldinger: What the Good Life Actually Looks Like Based on Harvard’s 75 Year Study
Find out what the good life actually looks like based on Harvard's 75-year study of more than 700 men from when they were teenagers through old age, with the director of the study, Robert Waldinger. Learn the single most important thing that keeps us healthy and happy as we go through life and what predicts who will stay healthy and live longer.
To learn more about Robert Waldinger and the Harvard Study of Adult Development, visit https://robertwaldinger.com.
Harvard Business Review Editor in Chief Adi Ignatius: The New World of Work and the Biggest Trends in Business
Adi Ignatius, Editor in Chief of Harvard Business Review, shares the biggest trends in the business world right now and how he sees the new world of work – including the future of the workplace, innovation and leadership.
As Editor in Chief he oversees editorial activities at HBR, HBR.org, and HBR's book-publishing unit. He was previously deputy managing editor of Time and bureau chief of the Wall Street Journal in Beijing and Moscow.
Adi is the editor of two books: "President Obama: The Path to the White House" and "Prisoner of the State: The Secret Diaries of Premier Zhao Ziyang." Both made the New York Times' bestseller list. He is the host of the Harvard Business Review video series “The New World of Work” - candid conversations on talent, tech, and the future of business.
Harvard University President Lawrence Bacow: The Value of a College Education, Investing in the Future and Free Speech
Lawrence Bacow, President of Harvard University, shares how he sees the future of education and the values he leads by at Harvard. Learn the role of universities in a democracy, the importance of teaching students to think critically and why he believes the value of a liberal education is higher than ever.
“I owe my life to higher education. I think it’s been an engine of opportunity for so many.”
Lawrence Bacow is the former President of Tufts University and past Chancellor and Chair of the Faculty at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
He was raised in Pontiac, Michigan, by parents who were both immigrants. He earned his undergraduate degree from MIT and three graduate degrees from Harvard.
Army General (Ret.) Stanley McChrystal: "The Greatest Risk Is Us" - So What is the Solution?
Former Commander of Afghanistan General (Ret.) Stanley McChrystal shares lessons from Afghanistan, the impact of the withdrawal, what makes a great leader and what he is most proud of in his career. Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates has described General McChrystal as, "Perhaps the finest warrior and leader of men in combat I have ever met." Learn what General McChrystal believes to be the biggest risk facing the U.S. and the solution.
Gen. McChrystal rose to four-star general in the U.S. Army and Commander of both the International Security Assistance Force and Commander of the U.S. Forces in Afghanistan. He previously served as Director of the Joint Staff and as Commander of the Joint Special Operations Command.
He is the author of several books, including Leaders and Risk, and is currently a senior fellow at Yale University's Jackson Institute for Global Affairs and co-founder of the McChrystal Group, a leadership consulting firm.
World Renowned Thinker and Harvard Professor Steven Pinker: Human Action Can Improve the World
Steven Pinker shares why there is so much irrationality in the world – including conspiracy theories, belief in fake news, and medical quackery. Learn why he is optimistic about the future of democracy and the world, despite so much negativity and partisanship happening today.
Steve is one of the world’s most renowned thinkers. He is a Harvard University psychology professor and author. Bill Gates called one of Steve’s books his new favorite book of all time.
His most recent book is Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters.