Thinkers & Ideas How to Be Bold with Ranjay Gulati
Dec 9, 2025
In a dynamic conversation, Ranjay Gulati, a Harvard Business School professor and author of How to Be Bold, discusses the learnability of courage. He emphasizes that courage isn't the absence of fear but mastering it, sharing insights on building a culture of boldness in organizations. Gulati dives into the importance of narratives and self-efficacy, illustrating how personal and corporate stories shape action. He also contrasts risky decisions with corporate caution, advocating for calculated risks to drive innovation and purpose in leadership.
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Courage Is Action, Not Fearlessness
- Courage is not the absence of fear but acting despite fear.
- Ranjay Gulati defines courage as perseverance in the face of fear toward a noble cause.
Boston Scientific's High-Stakes Turnaround
- Boston Scientific bought Guidant, suffered a disastrous integration, then rebuilt by changing leadership and culture.
- The turnaround focused on restoring a winning spirit and building M&A playbooks to bound risk.
Bound Boldness With Guardrails
- Avoid confusing courage with recklessness by creating guardrails for big bets.
- Build filters, playbooks, and bounded risk approaches so bold moves don't become destructive.
