The Strategy Skills Podcast: Strategy | Leadership | Critical Thinking | Problem-Solving 602: Harvard's Scott Levy on His Path from Investment Banking to Public Education and Leading in Uncertain Times
Nov 17, 2025
Scott Levy, an adjunct lecturer at Harvard and former investment banker, dives into his fascinating career transition from Wall Street to public education. He shares insights on risk management in finance and how those lessons apply to education. Scott discusses common misconceptions executives have about AI and urges leaders to consider practical use cases. He explains the importance of resilience, drawing from his experiences during crises, and emphasizes the role of school boards in democracy, highlighted in his book, Why School Boards Matter.
AI Snips
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Transcript
Episode notes
Invest In Relationships And Judgment
- Build relationships with clients and colleagues based on mutual trust and consistent contact.
- Use judgment alongside technical analysis to make better long-term decisions.
Organize, Persevere, Double Down
- Stay hyper-organized and prioritize tasks to cope with heavy workloads and travel.
- When setbacks occur, double down and learn why you lost to improve future chances.
Long-Term Client Value Beats Short-Term P&L
- Short-term wins can hurt long-term client trust when you chase immediate P&L.
- Prioritizing clients' long-term interests builds durable relationships and future business.
