The Insightful Leader

Steve Frankenery, a Northwestern professor of psychology and marketing, discusses the art of constructive disagreement. He introduces his board game, Point Taken, which helps navigate polarizing topics like hot dogs and politics by emphasizing calmness and clarity. Listeners learn the importance of emotional readiness, humility, and the power of writing to enhance arguments. The conversation also highlights practical rules for leaders to foster better discussions, including avoiding personal attacks and changing conversation goals, making disagreements productive rather than divisive.

Leigh Thompson, a Kellogg professor specializing in negotiations, shares her insights on workplace bargaining. She emphasizes the importance of building rapport before negotiating to foster better relationships. Leigh discusses collaborative approaches for addressing supplier issues and offers strategies for negotiating headcount during hiring freezes using data-driven arguments. Additionally, she advises on coaching long-tenured employees to reskill by co-creating development plans. The overarching theme is putting relationships first to ensure mutual benefits in negotiations.

There's no "correct" approach to laying people off, but on this episode of The Insightful Leader, we discuss how you can maintain your integrity through the process.

Exploring the danger of complacency, an executive coach shares stories of leaders who struggled with comfort over risk. They delve into the repercussions of holding onto toxic employees and the perils of non-decisions in leadership. The impact of mergers on communication and the inefficacy of unproductive meetings are discussed. Emphasis is placed on authentic conversation and shifting focus towards customer interactions for growth. Lastly, leaders are urged to reflect on whether their choices stem from comfort or fear.

When Kellogg's Craig Wortmann lost a portion of his leg to cancer, he felt like he lost part of his identity, too. On this episode of The Insightful Leader podcast, he offers a guide to "bouncing back better."

A healthcare economist shares his personal battle with bladder cancer, revealing the unexpected complexities of the medical system. The discussion highlights the challenges of navigating healthcare costs and making informed decisions amidst a misaligned system. There's an eye-opening look at the pitfalls of relying on online reviews for outpatient facilities, emphasizing the need for focusing on surgeon quality. The emotional journey culminates in the joy of receiving a clean bill of health, reinforcing the importance of regular checkups.

On this episode of The Insightful Leader: when Fuyao Glass opened a U.S. factory, it underestimated the importance of translating company culture.

Stress in the workplace can take a toll on productivity and mental health. Leaders are encouraged to reframe setbacks and institute calendar discipline to reduce stress. Effective time management strategies, like task batching, are discussed to enhance focus. The importance of evaluating opportunities is highlighted, especially in saying no to commitments that don't align with personal priorities. Simplifying workloads for teams and fostering a supportive environment for mental health conversations are also essential for better stress management.

On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we'll discuss how these movies can help us navigate conflict and tackle power dynamics.

Be yourself! No, not like that. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we help you navigate the competing advice about how much to share and hold back. This episode originally aired in January of 2024.