Meet the Leader

How leaders can fix focus and happiness in an AI Era: Psychologist Jonathan Haidt

2026年5月4日

 • 22 mins

As tech and AI transform productivity and free us from rote work, will humanity finally crack happiness? Maybe not, warns Jonathan Haidt. This social psychologist, NYU professor and bestselling author of The Anxious Generation has spent years studying the links between happiness, technology, and societal change. Unless key steps are taken, he says, the technologies transforming work and communication could pull humans further from a sense of meaning, connection and purpose, taking happiness even further from our grasps. Success in tackling any big challenge ahead will depend on restoring focus, trust, and purpose. Haidt warns that AI and social media may be weakening all three—making intentional leadership more critical than ever. He shares research-backed insights that can help us better understand a fragmented, distracted world and the challenge this brings to leaders running teams in a changing AI era.

As tech and AI transform productivity and free us from rote work, will humanity finally crack happiness? Maybe not, warns Jonathan Haidt. This social psychologist, NYU professor and bestselling author of The Anxious Generation has spent years studying the links between happiness, technology, and societal change. Unless key steps are taken, he says, the technologies transforming work and communication could pull humans further from a sense of meaning, connection and purpose, taking happiness even further from our grasps. Success in tackling any big challenge ahead will depend on restoring focus, trust, and purpose. Haidt warns that AI and social media may be weakening all three—making intentional leadership more critical than ever. He shares research-backed insights that can help us better understand a fragmented, distracted world and the challenge this brings to leaders running teams in a changing AI era.

How mentoring is changing in an AI world - and real ways it’s shaped top leaders

2026年4月22日

 • 26 mins

As more professionals turn to AI for career guidance, is human mentorship extinct? Not by a long shot, according to our experts. Mentors will continue to be critical in shaping talent, but will make their mark not by sharing expertise but by leveraging truly human skills --  by meeting changing needs in time and by being a champion that unlocks potential, not just directs it. Key insights: - Mentorship is moving from expertise to emotional intelligence - The best leaders will continue to prioritize people over output alone In this moment of change, learn how the top minds of our time have been changed by their own mentors and how an AI era will reshape how mentors guide teams and drive potential.

As more professionals turn to AI for career guidance, is human mentorship extinct? Not by a long shot, according to our experts. Mentors will continue to be critical in shaping talent, but will make their mark not by sharing expertise but by leveraging truly human skills --  by meeting changing needs in time and by being a champion that unlocks potential, not just directs it. Key insights: - Mentorship is moving from expertise to emotional intelligence - The best leaders will continue to prioritize people over output alone In this moment of change, learn how the top minds of our time have been changed by their own mentors and how an AI era will reshape how mentors guide teams and drive potential.

Why Great Teamwork Outperforms Raw Talent: An Astronaut Explains

2026年4月7日

 • 30 mins

Teamwork beats raw talent. It’s a fact astronauts know well but one that Earthbound teams can sometimes overlook. European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti shares what space crews understand about building teams that work well together – and the shift preparation undertook to make that happen. She shares what mentors taught her about being a great team member and why the ‘experience’ of the work day is as important as the task at hand. She also details what’s next for space sovereignty and the capabilities ESA is working to strengthen as agencies like hers become partners, not just customers, in the space ecosystem of the future. The first European female astronaut to do a spacewalk will also explain why the gender gap in space is finally closing—and what other sectors can learn from long-term changes in STEM pipelines. This interview was recorded in January 2026 at the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

Teamwork beats raw talent. It’s a fact astronauts know well but one that Earthbound teams can sometimes overlook. European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti shares what space crews understand about building teams that work well together – and the shift preparation undertook to make that happen. She shares what mentors taught her about being a great team member and why the ‘experience’ of the work day is as important as the task at hand. She also details what’s next for space sovereignty and the capabilities ESA is working to strengthen as agencies like hers become partners, not just customers, in the space ecosystem of the future. The first European female astronaut to do a spacewalk will also explain why the gender gap in space is finally closing—and what other sectors can learn from long-term changes in STEM pipelines. This interview was recorded in January 2026 at the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

Meet the Leader at 200: Top tips, pivots and lessons learned so far

2026年4月2日

 • 48 mins

Learn when you listen. Know your strengths can be weaknesses. Take your space before someone takes it for you. This 200th 'Best of' episode collects hard-won lessons learned and one-of-a-kind moments from this podcast's past 6 years. Listen to the late Jane Goodall recall a transformative run-in with a grumpy cabbie or hear the critical question that helped AWS teams get future-ready. It’s a hit parade of top names, from IKEA to Microsoft, from Misty Copeland to Matt Damon, drawing insights and turning points that have shaped CEOs, startup founders, actors, activists, fashion designers, AI pioneers, best-selling authors and more find solutions and drive meaningful change. 

Learn when you listen. Know your strengths can be weaknesses. Take your space before someone takes it for you. This 200th 'Best of' episode collects hard-won lessons learned and one-of-a-kind moments from this podcast's past 6 years. Listen to the late Jane Goodall recall a transformative run-in with a grumpy cabbie or hear the critical question that helped AWS teams get future-ready. It’s a hit parade of top names, from IKEA to Microsoft, from Misty Copeland to Matt Damon, drawing insights and turning points that have shaped CEOs, startup founders, actors, activists, fashion designers, AI pioneers, best-selling authors and more find solutions and drive meaningful change. 

Why Smart Ideas Fail—and How to Build Curious Teams (5 Skills)

2026年3月26日

 • 0 mins

In an AI era, the real competitive advantage won’t come from generating more ideas, but picking the right idea to take forward. Leaders who foster cultures of creativity and curiosity will build teams better able to sharpen focus, challenge assumptions, and execute in the most effective and compelling ways. Liberty Science Center CEO Paul Hoffman is a noted expert on connecting the public to the sciences. He’ll explain how that major cultural institution makes complex ideas clear and irresistible. The long-time science writer, puzzle maker, brainstorming expert and former head of the Encyclopaedia Britannica shares lessons from his eclectic background on how leaders can harness a team’s natural curiosity to drive fresh thinking and innovation. You’ll learn: - Why clarity matters in innovation - and why the audience is usually right - How to model the creative behaviors you want to see in your team - Which qualities creative, curious teams always have in common This episode was recorded at the Urban Transformation Summit, San Francisco (October 2025).

In an AI era, the real competitive advantage won’t come from generating more ideas, but picking the right idea to take forward. Leaders who foster cultures of creativity and curiosity will build teams better able to sharpen focus, challenge assumptions, and execute in the most effective and compelling ways. Liberty Science Center CEO Paul Hoffman is a noted expert on connecting the public to the sciences. He’ll explain how that major cultural institution makes complex ideas clear and irresistible. The long-time science writer, puzzle maker, brainstorming expert and former head of the Encyclopaedia Britannica shares lessons from his eclectic background on how leaders can harness a team’s natural curiosity to drive fresh thinking and innovation. You’ll learn: - Why clarity matters in innovation - and why the audience is usually right - How to model the creative behaviors you want to see in your team - Which qualities creative, curious teams always have in common This episode was recorded at the Urban Transformation Summit, San Francisco (October 2025).