Latest Episodes
Blue Ocean Strategy with Renée Mauborgne
Renée Mauborgne argues that lasting growth does not come from winning market share in crowded existing industries, but from creating entirely new market space that no one is competing in yet. In her conversation with Adam Job, senior director at the BCG Institute, Mauborgne discusses when a company should stop competing and start creating, why the search for new demand begins with non-customers rather than customers, how NVIDIA chases “zero-billion-dollar markets,” why differentiation and low cost need not be a trade-off, whether AI’s commoditizing effect makes advantage harder to defend, and how to reconcile bold commitment with the case for keeping options open.
Blue Ocean Strategy with Renée Mauborgne
Renée Mauborgne argues that lasting growth does not come from winning market share in crowded existing industries, but from creating entirely new market space that no one is competing in yet. In her conversation with Adam Job, senior director at the BCG Institute, Mauborgne discusses when a company should stop competing and start creating, why the search for new demand begins with non-customers rather than customers, how NVIDIA chases “zero-billion-dollar markets,” why differentiation and low cost need not be a trade-off, whether AI’s commoditizing effect makes advantage harder to defend, and how to reconcile bold commitment with the case for keeping options open.
Crisis Engineering with Matthew Weaver and Mikey Dickerson
Matthew Weaver and Mikey Dickerson argue that organizational crises are not problems to be survived but are rare windows in which rapid, directed transformation becomes possible within days rather than years. In their conversation with Nikolaus Lang they discuss why breakdowns in sensemaking cause well-trained operators to make situations worse, what the healthcare.gov rescue reveals about co-location and shared urgency, how crisis disrupts normal incentive structures to surface the organization’s real map, the concept of bracketing as a tool for directing team attention, and how AI integrations are creating the conditions for larger and harder-to-manage crises ahead.
Crisis Engineering with Matthew Weaver and Mikey Dickerson
Matthew Weaver and Mikey Dickerson argue that organizational crises are not problems to be survived but are rare windows in which rapid, directed transformation becomes possible within days rather than years. In their conversation with Nikolaus Lang they discuss why breakdowns in sensemaking cause well-trained operators to make situations worse, what the healthcare.gov rescue reveals about co-location and shared urgency, how crisis disrupts normal incentive structures to surface the organization’s real map, the concept of bracketing as a tool for directing team attention, and how AI integrations are creating the conditions for larger and harder-to-manage crises ahead.
The Irrational Decision with Ben Recht
Benjamin Recht argues that the optimization and mathematical rationality we apply to every corner of modern life—from dieting to hiring to strategy—often fails when encountering the messy realities of life. In his conversation with Adam Job he discusses the origins of mathematical rationality, why optimization works for microchips but not for diets, why game theory fails to describe how humans actually behave, and how leaders should think about the boundary between human and machine intelligence in the age of AI.
The Irrational Decision with Ben Recht
Benjamin Recht argues that the optimization and mathematical rationality we apply to every corner of modern life—from dieting to hiring to strategy—often fails when encountering the messy realities of life. In his conversation with Adam Job he discusses the origins of mathematical rationality, why optimization works for microchips but not for diets, why game theory fails to describe how humans actually behave, and how leaders should think about the boundary between human and machine intelligence in the age of AI.
AI Needs You with Verity Harding
Verity Harding argues that AI governance is too important to be left to technologists alone—and that the rest of us need to join the conversation to shape this technology’s future. In her conversation with Nikolaus Lang, she discusses why the nuclear arms race is the wrong analogy for AI, what the 1967 Outer Space Treaty can teach us about cooperation between rivals, how Britain’s regulation of IVF became a gold standard by depoliticizing the technology, and what business leaders get wrong about their own role in shaping AI governance.
AI Needs You with Verity Harding
Verity Harding argues that AI governance is too important to be left to technologists alone—and that the rest of us need to join the conversation to shape this technology’s future. In her conversation with Nikolaus Lang, she discusses why the nuclear arms race is the wrong analogy for AI, what the 1967 Outer Space Treaty can teach us about cooperation between rivals, how Britain’s regulation of IVF became a gold standard by depoliticizing the technology, and what business leaders get wrong about their own role in shaping AI governance.
Incorruptible with Eric Ries
Eric Ries argues that mission-driven companies face an invisible pressure that pushes them toward short-termism and conformity, no matter the intentions of their stakeholders. In his conversation with Adam Job, Ries discusses how corporate corruption starts, why shareholder primacy became the norm, the concept of financial gravity, and the structural protections companies can put in place to defend their mission.
Incorruptible with Eric Ries
Eric Ries argues that mission-driven companies face an invisible pressure that pushes them toward short-termism and conformity, no matter the intentions of their stakeholders. In his conversation with Adam Job, Ries discusses how corporate corruption starts, why shareholder primacy became the norm, the concept of financial gravity, and the structural protections companies can put in place to defend their mission.
Inside the Box with David Epstein
David Epstein argues that constraints—not freedom—are what drive creativity, clarity, and focus. In his conversation with Adam Job, he discusses why freedom is the enemy of creativity, how leaders can set constraints that unlock rather than stifle their teams, why creativity is not the same as originality, and how Herbert Simon’s idea of “satisficing” can improve both decisions and well-being.
Inside the Box with David Epstein
David Epstein argues that constraints—not freedom—are what drive creativity, clarity, and focus. In his conversation with Adam Job, he discusses why freedom is the enemy of creativity, how leaders can set constraints that unlock rather than stifle their teams, why creativity is not the same as originality, and how Herbert Simon’s idea of “satisficing” can improve both decisions and well-being.
Genius at Scale with Linda A. Hill
Linda A. Hill argues that innovation fails not because companies lack ideas, but because they struggle to scale those ideas across the enterprise—and that the solution lies not in structure or processes, but in leadership. In her conversation with Adam Job, she discusses why innovation labs alone don’t work, the ABCs of innovation leadership, how to build a culture of creative abrasion, and why even senior leaders need coaching to get innovation right.
Genius at Scale with Linda A. Hill
Linda A. Hill argues that innovation fails not because companies lack ideas, but because they struggle to scale those ideas across the enterprise—and that the solution lies not in structure or processes, but in leadership. In her conversation with Adam Job, she discusses why innovation labs alone don’t work, the ABCs of innovation leadership, how to build a culture of creative abrasion, and why even senior leaders need coaching to get innovation right.
Design Love In, with Marcus Buckingham
Marcus Buckingham argues that love—not engagement, satisfaction, or motivation—is the only feeling that reliably changes the behavior of employees and customers, and that it can be deliberately designed into business. In his conversation with Adam Job, he discusses why love is categorically different from engagement, the five feelings that make up a loving experience, three disciplines leaders can use to design love into their organizations, and why common practices like outsourcing and large spans of control are fundamentally unloving.
Design Love In, with Marcus Buckingham
Marcus Buckingham argues that love—not engagement, satisfaction, or motivation—is the only feeling that reliably changes the behavior of employees and customers, and that it can be deliberately designed into business. In his conversation with Adam Job, he discusses why love is categorically different from engagement, the five feelings that make up a loving experience, three disciplines leaders can use to design love into their organizations, and why common practices like outsourcing and large spans of control are fundamentally unloving.
The Transformation Economy with B. Joseph Pine II
B. Joseph Pine II argues that an economic shift is underway, in which transformations—not commodities, goods, services, or experiences—will become the highest form of value creation. In his conversation with Adam Job, Pine discusses the evolution of economic value creation, the North Star for transformation businesses, and how to scale from one to many transformation journeys.
The Transformation Economy with B. Joseph Pine II
B. Joseph Pine II argues that an economic shift is underway, in which transformations—not commodities, goods, services, or experiences—will become the highest form of value creation. In his conversation with Adam Job, Pine discusses the evolution of economic value creation, the North Star for transformation businesses, and how to scale from one to many transformation journeys.
The Doom Loop with Eswar Prasad
Eswar Prasad argues that we are caught in a destructive feedback loop between economics, domestic politics, and geopolitics. In his conversation with Nikolaus Lang, he discusses the breakdown of the rule-based system, implications for trade policy in Europe and elsewhere, and the role AI plays in driving global instability.
The Doom Loop with Eswar Prasad
Eswar Prasad argues that we are caught in a destructive feedback loop between economics, domestic politics, and geopolitics. In his conversation with Nikolaus Lang, he discusses the breakdown of the rule-based system, implications for trade policy in Europe and elsewhere, and the role AI plays in driving global instability.
The New Geography of Innovation with Mehran Gul
Mehran Gul examines how innovation works in different countries around the globe—diving deep into the ecosystems that produce great technology companies. In his conversation with Nikolaus Lang, he talks about how innovation ecosystems are converging, the role of statecraft in fostering innovation ecosystems, and the main forces that will shift the global innovation landscape in the coming decade.
The New Geography of Innovation with Mehran Gul
Mehran Gul examines how innovation works in different countries around the globe—diving deep into the ecosystems that produce great technology companies. In his conversation with Nikolaus Lang, he talks about how innovation ecosystems are converging, the role of statecraft in fostering innovation ecosystems, and the main forces that will shift the global innovation landscape in the coming decade.
Flourish with Daniel Coyle
Daniel Coyle investigates the ecosystems in which humans do their best work—from sports teams, to the boardroom, and our daily lives. In his conversation with Adam Job, he discusses his definition of flourishing, how to find moments of stillness in our turbulent world, and how leaders can balance efficiency with the disorder that fosters creativity.
Flourish with Daniel Coyle
Daniel Coyle investigates the ecosystems in which humans do their best work—from sports teams, to the boardroom, and our daily lives. In his conversation with Adam Job, he discusses his definition of flourishing, how to find moments of stillness in our turbulent world, and how leaders can balance efficiency with the disorder that fosters creativity.
Shared Prosperity in a Fractured World with Dani Rodrik
Dani Rodrik proposes new modes of cooperation and policy experimentation to address our greatest global challenges. In his conversation with Nikolaus Lang he discusses the trilemma between democracy, prosperity, and sustainability, how hyper-globalization contributed to this struggle, and his proposed framework for resolving it.
Shared Prosperity in a Fractured World with Dani Rodrik
Dani Rodrik proposes new modes of cooperation and policy experimentation to address our greatest global challenges. In his conversation with Nikolaus Lang he discusses the trilemma between democracy, prosperity, and sustainability, how hyper-globalization contributed to this struggle, and his proposed framework for resolving it.
BCG has a full suite of podcasts covering a wide range of topics in business, technology, economics, and society. Take your pick: artificial intelligence, women in technology, the latest trends in business strategy, the future of the metaverse, and more.
Meet Our Hosts
Nikolaus Lang is Global Leader of the BCG Institute and a leading voice on geopolitics, global trade, and the shifting dynamics of the world economy. Over the past 25 years, he has advised business leaders and policymakers across more than 50 countries on navigating geopolitical uncertainty, supply chain transformation, and the evolving landscape of globalization. He is a frequent author and commentator on the forces reshaping business and society, and coauthor of Beyond Great.
Adam Job is Senior Director at the BCG Institute, where he leads research on strategy and the forces shaping the future of business. A frequent contributor to leading publications including Harvard Business Review, Fortune, he explores how organizations can navigate disruption and create lasting competitive advantage.
Adam Job is Senior Director at the BCG Institute, where he leads research on strategy and the forces shaping the future of business. A frequent contributor to leading publications including Harvard Business Review, Fortune, he explores how organizations can navigate disruption and create lasting competitive advantage.
