In this engaging discussion, Stephan Meier, Chair of the Management Division at Columbia Business School, champions the concept of employee-centricity as a key to competitive advantage. He argues that happy employees lead to better performance and profitability. Discover how frameworks for customer-centricity can enhance the employee experience. Meier reveals the four crucial motivators beyond pay that significantly impact workplace dynamics. He also explores the double-edged sword of technology in optimizing employee engagement.

The world has undergone a transformation in the past century, as the industrial revolution turned many luxuries into everyday commodities. Then, at the turn of the century, the advent of the internet compounded this supply and demand shift. Now, we are entering yet again a new era as we see technology once again propel us into a new radical shift we call: Proximity.  Full disclosure, in this episode, we follow a different format to present the findings a book I co-authored with Rob Wolcott, cofounder and chair of The World Innovation Network (TWIN Global). He came up with the idea years ago. He I spent the last three years compiling research and case studies on the topic into our recently released book: Proximity: How Coming Breakthroughs in Just-in-Time Transform Business, Society, and Daily Life. In this discussion, Rob and I are honored to be joined by guest host Stuart Crainer, co-founder of Thinkers50, the definitive listing of the world's top 50 management thinkers. Rob is the cofounder and chair of The World Innovation Network (TWIN Global) and adjunct professor of innovation at the Booth School of Business, University of Chicago. Together, we lay out the key discoveries Rob and I made as we interviewed innovators, business leaders, and other experts seeking to piece together the facets of the concept of proximity: the idea that digital technologies are pushing the production and provision of value ever closer to the moment of demand in time and space.What we discovered is a monumental shift in how businesses approach value creation. Rather than following the typical value creation chain that has so long prevailed the concept of business and industries, businesses are now meeting customers by creating value at the moment it is needed. Not just when they need but actually where they need it.The implications of this shift with change most, maybe every, area of life: the way we work, eat, heal, produce, power, defend, explore space. And the implications for businesses are profound as well, and we share what leaders need to know and act on now if they want to stay ahead of this curve that will likely upend every business industry as we know it. We hope you enjoy this special episode of Outthinkers.__________________________________________________________________________Episode Timeline:00:00—Highlight from today's episode0:33—Introducing the topic of today’s episode4:25—If you really know me, you know that...5:41—What's your definition of strategy?6:36— What is Proximity? Unpacking the core concept 11:31— Praise for Procrastination: The counterintuitive logic of proximity 14:38—The Proximity revolution: Real-world examples and implications 17:20—How well is the Proximity concept understood in the business world 20:40—Proximity and AI 25:01— Overcoming obstacles 26:27— Proximity pioneers: Organizations leading the way 31:40— Just-in-time reimagined 32:46— Sustainability and Proximity  36:04—Projecting proximity's timeline 38:40—Optimism and caution in the proximity era Thank you to our guest. Thank you to our executive producer, Karina Reyes, our editor, Zach Ness, and the rest of the team. If you like what you heard, please follow, download, and subscribe. I'm your host, Kaihan Krippendorff. Thank you for listening.Follow us at outthinkernetworks.com/podcast

Matt Beane, Assistant Professor at UC Santa Barbara, discusses 'the skill code' for skill transfer. He highlights the importance of addressing the gap hindering younger workers from learning. The podcast delves into the science and psychology behind human learning, emphasizing the need to bridge the apprentice-master gap.

Christopher Marquis, the Sinyi Professor at the University of Cambridge Judge School of Business. Chris writes a regular column for Forbes and his work has appeared in the Boston Globe, Washington Post, Fortune, TIME, Foreign Policy, and Harvard Business Review. He is also author of Better Business: How the B Corp is Remaking Capitalism  and Mao and Markets,  which made the  Financial Times “Best Book of 2022,” list. Christopher takes on topics that are, or should be, important for companies and society. In this episode, we dive into concepts from his newest book, The Profiteers: How Business Privatizes Profits and Socializes Costs_______________________________________________________________________________In this episode, Christopher shares: The underlying premise that drove him to write his new book—the fact that companies often pass on the hidden negative costs of their business onto society and the environment, while keeping the benefits and profits for themselves Why this is changing now, thanks to broad systemic changes underway with investors, consumers, employees, and governments Evidence that a group of pioneers taking actions to minimize their negative impacts and turning that into a competitive advantage Upcoming policy changes that business strategists should keep top of mind, that will impact all businesses—and how jumping on this curve serves to potentially reward those who do _______________________________________________________________________________Episode Timeline:00:00—Highlight from today's episode1:19—Introducing Chris + the topic of today’s episode 3:05—Chis shares what lead him to the subject of his latest book5:46—The cost of externalities11:21—EU's CSRD policy, a seismic shift in corporate sustainability reporting 15:33—Regional competition and policy differences 19:51—Regenerative business models26:48—Starting points for corporate strategists 28:53— How can people follow you and continue learning from you?_______________________________________________________________________________________Additional Resources:Personal site: https://chrismarquis.com/Link to book: The Profiteers How Business Privatizes Profits and Socializes CostLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-marquis-3884834/Twitter: https://x.com/Chris_Marquis_Thank you to our guest. Thank you to our executive producer, Karina Reyes, our editor, Zach Ness, and the rest of the team. If you like what you heard, please follow, download, and subscribe. I'm your host, Kaihan Krippendorff. Thank you for listening.Follow us at outthinkernetworks.com/podcast

Bruce Vojak, author of 'No-Excuses Innovation,' decodes the minds of serial innovators in this episode. He discusses the definition of innovation, the key characteristics of innovators, and how successful innovators view organization politics. The conversation also explores the different mindsets of executives and serial innovators towards handling politics and the value of 'no excuses innovation' in company survival and growth.

Neuroscientist Min Jung discusses brain networks for creativity, the '3 B's' of innovation, and how organizations can foster creative environments. He explores the role of 'place cells' in shaping our thinking and enabling organizational transformation.

Cathy Hackl is a globally-recognized tech & gaming exec, futurist, & speaker focused on spatial computing, virtual worlds, augmented reality, AI, & gaming platforms strategy. She’s the co-CEO of Spatial Dynamics, a spatial computing and AI solutions company. She is also a top tech voice on LinkedIn, and a fun fact, she was the first person ever to open the NASDAQ market in the metaverse with an avatar. Cathy is a powerful voice on spatial computing and immersive technology, guiding businesses on integrating these into their product portfolios and business models, having worked with companies like Nike, Ralph Lauren, Walmart, & Louis Vuitton. In this conversation, we dive deep into these topics, narrowing in on key insights from her upcoming May 2024 book, SPATIAL COMPUTING: An AI-Driven Business Revolution. In this episode, Cathy shares with us: The definition of spatial computing, and how it’s not just a new emerging technology, but rather an expansion of computing as we have known it  Spatial computing’s interrelation with the metaverse, and the increasingly blurring boundaries between what we knew of as the “virtual world,” and our physical reality How AI is not just an addition to computing, but a convergence that is opening up new possibilities  What areas of their business model leaders need to be thinking of to stay ahead of the curve in light of this new field of technologically that will quickly become the norm _______________________________________________________________________________Episode Timeline:00:00—Highlight from today's episode1:07—Introducing Cathy + the topic of today’s episode3:58—If you really know me, you know that...4:21—What's your definition of strategy?5:30—Cathy's virtual Nasdaq experience6:40— Clarifying what spatial computing encompasses 10:37—What people often get wrong when envisioning the spatial web  14:29—How people who grow up with digital experiences think about virtual vs. real world  16:58—How does supply and demand work with digital goods? 19:42—The opportunity and market size for digital products and goods 21:41—The role and interrelation of AI within the metaverse and spatial computing 24:09—Overlooked business model opportunities for business leaders 26:05—How can people follow you and continue learning from you?__________________________________________________________________________________________Additional Resources:Personal site: https://www.cathyhackl.com/Book site: Spatial Computing: An AI-Driven Business RevolutionLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathyhackl/Twitter: https://twitter.com/CathyHacklThank you to our guest. Thank you to our executive producer, Karina Reyes, our editor, Zach Ness, and the rest of the team. If you like what you heard, please follow, download, and subscribe. I'm your host, Kaihan Krippendorff. Thank you for listening.Follow us at outthinkernetworks.com/podcast

Amy C. Edmondson, a Harvard Business School professor, delves into creating psychological safety for risk-taking and innovation. She discusses the importance of allowing space for experimentation and failure, distinguishing between different types of failure. Learn how to assess risks and avoid hindering your team's pursuit of new ideas by asking specific questions.

John Winsor is a prominent figure in strategic marketing and product innovation, known for his deep understanding of future work trends and open talent strategies. Hisexpertise in collaboration, co-creation, and open innovation has made him a keyinfluencer in innovation, disruption, and storytelling. He founded and chairs OpenAssembly, an organization pioneering the adoption of open talent and freelancing.At Harvard Business School's Laboratory for Innovation Science (LISH), as anexecutive-in-residence, Winsor significantly promotes innovation. He co-authored thenational best-selling book Open Talent: Leveraging a Global Workforce to Solve YourBiggest Challenges with Laboratory for Innovation Sciences at Harvard co-founders Jin Paik, published by Harvard Business Press in January 2024. Additionally, Winsor leads the Open Assembly Community, a global network of 4000 members focused ontransforming workplaces worldwide.In this conversation, we dive deep into concepts from Open Talent: Leveraging a Global Workforce to Solve Your Biggest Challenges, John’s most recent co-authored and national best-selling book with Jin Paik, published by Harvard Business Press in January 2024.  We discuss the intricate layers of the modern workforce, including:The rapid shift of the workforce culture, with the rise of micro-entrepreneurs and freelancers at the core, transforming industries The democratization of talent through digital platforms that provides companies a more varied, diverse workforce while providing individuals more opportunities for work A growing shift away from traditional roles and jobs, towards a focus on tasks and skills to achieve desired outcomes, with an emphasis on speed and momentum given today’s fast-paced momentum How to break through the mental and organizational barriers that impede them from embracing new workforce paradigms to fully take advantage of the modern workforce reality ___________________________________________________________________________________Episode Timeline:00:00—Highlight from today's episode1:04—Introducing John Winsor + the topic of today’s episode3:18—If you really know me, you know that...4:24—What's your definition of strategy?6:56—Using strategy to move things in your favor?11:35—How Open Talent differs from gig work15:44—Is the talent power shift permanent?18:24— How is technology transforming talent acquisition?21:52—Overcoming mental barriers to embrace Open Talent26:14—The economic benefits of variable workforce costs28:01—Why innovation is vital for survival30:08—How can people follow you and continue learning from you?__________________________________________________________________________________________Additional Resources:Personal site: https://johnwinsor.comBook site: Open Talent: Leveraging a Global Workforce to Solve YourBiggest ChallengesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntwinsor/Twitter: https://twitter.com/jtwinsorThank you to our guest. Thank you to our executive producer, Karina Reyes, our editor, Zach Ness, and the rest of the team. If you like what you heard, please follow, download, and subscribe. I'm your host, Kaihan Krippendorff. Thank you for listening.Follow us at outthinkernetworks.com/podcast

Jeanne Liedtka, a business professor, discusses the importance of design thinking in unleashing creativity in business. She shares insights on strategic experimentation versus strategic design, the concept of design thinking, and how it complements strategic thinking. The conversation explores balancing risk aversion and innovation in organizations like UTC and the significance of data-driven experimentation methodologies for scalability.