Dear HBR:
83 episodes - English - Latest episode: 5 months ago - ★★★★★ - 736 ratingsWork can be frustrating. How can you get along with that maddening coworker? Figure out what your unapproachable boss really wants? Motivate your demoralized team? "Dear HBR:" is here to help. With empathy, experience, and humor, veteran Harvard Business Review editors and co-hosts Alison Beard and Dan McGinn explore solutions to your workplace dilemmas. Bolstered by insights from guests and academic research, they help you navigate thorny situations to find a better way forward.
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Episodes
Introducing New Here: Office Etiquette
November 30, 2023 13:40 - 26 minutes - 25.1 MBWhile Dear HBR: is on hiatus, we want to introduce you to HBR’s podcast for young professionals, New Here, hosted by Elainy Mata. Whether it’s your first job or a fresh start, New Here will help you build a meaningful career on your own terms. In this episode, Elainy and comedian Sarah Cooper break down the unwritten rules around to how to behave in a new job—otherwise known as office etiquette. Listen for free to season one of New Here at HBR.org/Podcasts/New-Here or wherever you get your p...
HBR Presents: Coaching Real Leaders
February 04, 2021 14:00 - 38 minutes - 35.2 MBThis new podcast features real-life coaching sessions with leaders working to overcome professional challenges. In this episode, host Muriel Wilkins speaks with a woman who’s been walking a tightrope between addressing a superior’s microaggressions and making her team feel safe. Wilkins coaches this manager toward the actions she can take to improve the situation and build a healthier culture at her organization. "Coaching Real leaders" is part of HBR Presents, a network of business podcasts ...
New Chapters
December 10, 2020 14:00 - 30 minutes - 29.2 MBIs it time to do something different in your career? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Bruce Feiler, a researcher and the author of Life Is in the Transitions. They talk through what to do when you’ve been out of work and can’t find a job the usual ways, you feel lost in the ambiguity of a new role, or you want to convince your boss to release you to another team.
Remote Feedback
November 25, 2020 14:00 - 31 minutes - 29.8 MBIs it hard for you to give or get feedback virtually? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Marcus Buckingham, a cohead of the ADP Research Institute and the author of Nine Lies about Work. They talk through what to do when you want to tell your boss they’re derailing virtual meetings, you’re starting a new job remotely and getting little guidance, or you want more feedback on your organization’s performance during the pandemic.
Commutes
November 12, 2020 14:00 - 31 minutes - 29.7 MBIs the pandemic making you rethink your commute? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Ashley Whillans, a professor at Harvard Business School and the author of the new book Time Smart. They talk through what to do when you want to work remotely but your company is against it, you’re considering a new job closer to home, or you’ve been offered a job that’s a great fit but comes with a longer commute.
Safe Workplaces
October 29, 2020 14:00 - 32 minutes - 31.1 MBWhat will it take for you to feel safe at work again? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Ethan Bernstein, a professor at Harvard Business School. They talk through what to do when your essential employees are staying home despite increased safety measures, you want to redesign your open office to make it work for the new normal, or you’re seeing a growing divide between workers who have to come in and those who can work from home.
Sexism
October 15, 2020 14:33 - 34 minutes - 33 MBAre you experiencing gender bias at work? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Katie Coffman, a professor at Harvard Business School. They talk through what to do when you are held to a higher standard as a female manager, you’ve been promoted but a male deputy has been chosen for you, or you join a company that is living in the past.
Flawed Bosses
October 01, 2020 14:00 - 36 minutes - 34.5 MBDo you wish you could understand your boss better? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Mimi Nicklin, a business coach and author. They talk through what to do when you have a boss who is unforgiving, who relies on you to cover their flaws, or who flip-flops between being your warm friend and cold supervisor.
Coaching Problem Employees
September 17, 2020 14:30 - 35 minutes - 33.7 MBDo you have a difficult subordinate who needs coaching? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Melvin Smith, a professor at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. They talk through what to do when your new employee is slacking off, a new hire needs to adjust to your organization’s culture and communication style, or you have to coach two direct reports who are in conflict with each other.
Public Sector Careers
September 03, 2020 14:00 - 30 minutes - 29.3 MBAre your workplace dilemmas different because you’re in the public sector? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Bernie Banks, a retired U.S. Army general and a professor at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. They talk through what to do when you want to effect change as a middle manager in the military, you’re battling misperceptions of public-sector work as you switch to the private sector, or you want to boost the morale of your team of government work...
Covid and Kids
August 20, 2020 14:03 - 29 minutes - 28.8 MBAre you a working parent stressing over how to advance your career during the pandemic? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Alyssa Westring, a professor at DePaul University’s Driehaus College of Business. They talk through what to do when you now want to quit your job to be a stay-at-home parent, your reduced salary and growth prospects are hurting your plans to have children, or a Covid-delayed job start date is tricky timing for your pregnancy.
Management Material
August 06, 2020 19:19 - 33 minutes - 32.2 MBDo you have what it takes to be a manager? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Ellen Van Oosten, a professor at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. They talk through what to do when you’ve been tapped for a managerial role but you don’t want it, you have only informal management experience on your CV, or your supervisor is blocking you from earning the title of manager.
Start-Ups
July 23, 2020 14:00 - 32 minutes - 30.6 MBAre you struggling with start-up life? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Dave Balter, an entrepreneur, CEO, and author. They talk through what to do when you’re burning out due to a frenzied workload, a key hire is hurting your start-up’s culture, or you want more pay because of your fast-growing responsibilities.
Frustrated Engineers
July 09, 2020 14:00 - 31 minutes - 30.7 MBAs an engineer, do you feel you carry a bigger burden at work? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Richard Sheridan, an engineer, CEO, and author. They talk through what to do when you want to influence decisions as a technical expert, you’re a female engineer seeing your male counterparts promoted more quickly, or you have a hard time committing fully to flawed projects.
Self-Promotion
June 25, 2020 21:57 - 28 minutes - 26.7 MBAre you unsure of when to toot your own horn? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Meredith Fineman, a communication coach and author. They talk through what to do when your boss takes credit for your accomplishments, your employer doesn’t value what you bring to the table, or your braggart colleague is getting all the growth opportunities.
Tough Teams
June 11, 2020 14:00 - 28 minutes - 27.1 MBIs a team you manage keeping you up at night? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Melanie Parish, a leadership coach and author. They talk through what to do when you lead a rogue team that doesn’t follow company processes, your growing team of managers is clamoring to weigh in on key decisions, or you want to improve the morale of a frustrated team.
Covid-Delayed Start (Bonus)
June 04, 2020 14:00 - 15 minutes - 15.2 MBIs your new employer pushing back your start date due to the pandemic? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Moshe Cohen, a senior lecturer at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business. In this bonus episode, they talk through what to do when your new boss postpones your first day on the job and then doesn’t respond to your communications.
Career Reinvention
May 28, 2020 14:00 - 32 minutes - 32.8 MBAre you contemplating a career change? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Monica Higgins, a professor at Harvard Graduate School of Education. They talk through what to do when you’re having trouble breaking into a new field, you want to leave a secure career path for something riskier, or you’re eyeing a new industry but don’t know where to start.
Quitting Mid-Crisis (Bonus)
May 20, 2020 16:59 - 13 minutes - 13.2 MBAre you leaving your organization during a critical time? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Shirli Kopelman, a negotiations professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. In this bonus episode, they talk through what to do when you’re planning to give notice during the coronavirus pandemic and can’t train your replacement.
Challenging the Boss
May 14, 2020 14:00 - 35 minutes - 34.5 MBDo you fear speaking frankly with your supervisor? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Liz Kislik, a management consultant and executive coach. They talk through what to do when your boss micromanages your output, you want to set boundaries for better work-life balance, or your new supervisor is eagerly volunteering your team for too many projects.
Pre-Pandemic Promises (Bonus)
May 07, 2020 14:15 - 19 minutes - 17.9 MBIs your organization breaking a promise to you and blaming Covid-19? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Leigh Thompson, a negotiations professor at Kellogg School of Management. In this bonus episode, they talk through what to do when your boss can no longer afford to give you a planned raise.
Coronavirus Career Limbo
April 30, 2020 14:15 - 26 minutes - 26.8 MBIs the Covid-19 pandemic messing up your career plans? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Scott Galloway, a professor at NYU Stern School of Business. They talk through what to do when you’ve been laid off with a promise that you’ll be hired back eventually, your goal of moving into management has stalled, or your employer’s inflexible work-from-home policy is forcing you to look for other jobs in a difficult market.
Onboarding Remotely (Bonus)
April 23, 2020 14:15 - 14 minutes - 13.5 MBAre you starting a new job during the coronavirus pandemic? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Siobhan O’Mahony, a professor at Boston University Questrom School of Business. In this bonus episode, they talk through what to do when you want to hit the ground running but your onboarding is not taking place in person as planned.
Influencing Up
April 16, 2020 14:29 - 32 minutes - 31.7 MBDo you feel fake when you try to manage up? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Nashater Deu Solheim, a leadership consultant and author. They talk through what to do when you want choice assignments, you feel like higher-ups aren’t noticing your contributions, or you need a senior manager to be more responsive.
Working While Distancing
April 02, 2020 14:15 - 27 minutes - 26 MBAre you suddenly working from home? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Tsedal Neeley, a professor at Harvard Business School. They talk through how to be productive at home whether you’re alone or distracted by children, how to care for your newly remote team and make sure they still get work done, or how to adapt when your job requires going outside and seeing people face-to-face.
Stay or Go?
March 19, 2020 14:15 - 34 minutes - 32.7 MBWhen is the right time for a new job? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Hal Gregersen, a senior lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management. They talk through what to do when you’re advancing in your role but itching for change, an outside job offer is making you question your current situation, or you’re considering going to a smaller organization for bigger responsibilities.
Subversive Employees
March 05, 2020 14:15 - 32 minutes - 30.6 MBDo you have an employee working against you? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Adrian Gostick, an executive coach and author. They talk through what to do when your direct report is creating problems only to fix them, one team member is hoarding knowledge, or two employees have created a disruptive office clique.
Disagreeable Colleagues
February 20, 2020 19:56 - 28 minutes - 27.2 MBIs there someone you work with and wish you didn’t have to? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Jennifer Goldman-Wetzler, an organizational psychologist and the author of Optimal Outcomes. They talk through what to do when you manage a high performer who gets on everyone’s nerves, your teammate unfairly berates you, or the one person you don’t get along with is your boss.
Feeling Disrespected
February 06, 2020 14:15 - 30 minutes - 28.5 MBDo you deserve more respect for your role and contributions at work? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Blair Decembrele, a career expert at LinkedIn. They talk through what to do when your direct report goes around you to your manager, your superiors move you into an undesired role without explanation, or your boss suddenly stops appreciating your work.
Internal Networks
January 23, 2020 14:15 - 32 minutes - 30.3 MBDo you wish you were more plugged-in at your organization? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Robin Abrahams, a research associate at Harvard Business School. They talk through what to do when you want to network at a company retreat, your manager is bothered by your schmoozing with their peers, or you want to know about plum projects before they get assigned to someone else.
New Beginnings
January 09, 2020 14:24 - 30 minutes - 28.3 MBDo you want a fresh start to your work life? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Wendy Wood, a social psychologist at USC Marshall School of Business. They talk through what to do when you’re bored to tears in your current job, you’re being recruited by an exciting company right after a disappointing promotion, or you feel stymied in a role you thought was going to be great.
Gender Equality Issues
December 26, 2019 14:15 - 39 minutes - 36.6 MBAre you being treated unfairly at work because of your gender? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Michelle King, the director of inclusion at Netflix. They talk through what to do when you and other women on your team are being marginalized, you’re a man experiencing reverse discrimination, or gender bias is blocking your advancement.
Skills Gaps
December 12, 2019 14:15 - 33 minutes - 31.4 MBAre you underqualified for the job you want? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Obed Louissaint, IBM’s head of talent. They talk through what to do when an MBA isn’t enough to get you into your desired role, you’re trying to keep your skills current as you spend more time managing people, or you want to return to a fast-moving industry after a long stint in another field.
Perfect Timing (Live)
November 27, 2019 15:30 - 44 minutes - 41 MBIs the right career move coming at the wrong time? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Daniel Pink, the author of “When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing.” In front of a live audience, they talk through what to do when you’re poised for a better role but have to wait six months, you want your company to seize an immediate market opportunity, or you’re trying to correct a mistimed job move.
Motivating Employees
November 14, 2019 14:15 - 28 minutes - 27.2 MBHas your team checked out? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Richard Boyatzis, a management professor at Case Western Reserve University and coauthor of the book “Helping People Change.” They talk through what to do when a colleague wants the status of a prominent role but doesn’t want to do the work, employees are leaving the company at a high rate, or your subordinate resists doing any additional work.
Heavy Workloads
October 31, 2019 17:57 - 34 minutes - 32.1 MBDo you or your team have way too much to do? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Amy Jen Su, an executive coach and author. They talk through what to do when you’re struggling to get things done at a new job, a coworker is stressed about their work, or you and your team disagree about whether they're overworked.
Leaving Comfort Zones
October 17, 2019 20:13 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBHow do you feel when you have to do something new or difficult? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Andy Molinsky, a professor at Brandeis International Business School and the author of "Reach". They talk through what to do when you’re terrified of giving presentations, big changes at work make you uneasy about the future, or your voice quakes when you deal with conflict.
Regaining Confidence
October 03, 2019 22:28 - 36 minutes - 33.6 MBAre you struggling to recover from a setback? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Neil Pasricha, a former Walmart executive and the author of You Are Awesome. They talk through what to do when your confidence is shattered by bad reviews, you’re in a difficult situation that you don't know how to navigate, or you want to be a high achiever again after plateauing for a while.
Troublesome Teammates
September 19, 2019 22:26 - 35 minutes - 34.5 MBIs a coworker getting on your nerves? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Amy Gallo, the author of the HBR Guide to Dealing with Conflict. They talk through what to do when a coworker acts like their responsibilities are beneath them, a colleague you referred to the team is being aggressive and sneaky, or a fellow team member is coasting while you’re putting in long hours.
Navigating Change (Live)
September 05, 2019 22:01 - 35 minutes - 32.4 MBIs your organization going through some big shifts? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Katie Burke, the chief people officer of HubSpot. They talk through what to do when you’re ready to move up but there’s no one to take over your role, you’re expected to work on too many projects with too little support, or layoffs are happening but your boss isn't giving you more responsibility.
Managing Older Workers
August 22, 2019 22:03 - 32 minutes - 30.7 MBAre you struggling to manage people who are older than you? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of workplace consultant Lindsey Pollak. They talk through what to do when you’ve been promoted above more experienced colleagues, you’re not sure how to motivate older reports, or senior employees are skeptical of the technology you want to implement.
Workplace Culture Conflicts
August 08, 2019 21:50 - 30 minutes - 30.1 MBAre you at odds with your company’s culture? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Alicia Tillman, the CMO of SAP. They talk through what to do when your company celebrates one kind of worker and ignores others, everyone seems to fit in but you, or a hard-charging culture is hurting performance and employee morale.
Client Troubles
July 25, 2019 17:21 - 33 minutes - 31.1 MBAre clients bringing you down? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Diane Hessan, the founder and chair of the marketing technology agency C Space. They talk through what to do when you have a difficult client, your coworkers are hampering your ability to serve clientele, or you want to win more business to advance your career.
Career Crossroads
July 11, 2019 18:40 - 52 minutes - 31.1 MBAre you weighing the trade-offs of a big career decision? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Claudio Fernández-Aráoz, a senior adviser at the executive search firm Egon Zehnder. They talk through what to do when you want to transition from individual contributor to management, you’re mulling over a more senior role at a smaller organization, or you’re having doubts about staying on a high-pressure career track.
Nonprofit Workplaces
June 27, 2019 22:21 - 31 minutes - 29.2 MBDoes standard work advice not apply to you because you’re at a nonprofit? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Joan Garry, a nonprofit leadership consultant and former executive director. They talk through what to do when you’re trying to advance amid a leadership change, your job seems to shift as sources of funding do, or you’re unsure how to describe your work to people in the private sector.
Stretch Responsibilities
June 13, 2019 22:29 - 35 minutes - 32.6 MBAre you being pushed outside your comfort zone? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Jerry Colonna, a professional coach and a former venture capitalist. They talk through what to do when you don't feel qualified for your new role, you're covering an absentee boss's responsibilities, or you have been assigned to lead a team but haven't been given formal power.
Unwanted Roles
May 30, 2019 20:00 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MBIs your job turning into something you don't want? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Francesca Gino, a professor at Harvard Business School. They talk through what to do when your boss gives you duties you dislike, your company is grooming you for roles you can’t see yourself in, or you’ve been offered a different job than the one you applied for.
Executive Ambitions
May 16, 2019 22:19 - 33 minutes - 31.1 MBDo you want the corner office someday? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Mike Troiano, a venture capitalist and former executive. They talk through what to do when you’re falling off the executive track, you're moving up but don’t believe in the company's strategy, or you have a rival who could block your path to the C-suite.
Leading Small Teams
May 02, 2019 20:54 - 32 minutes - 29.4 MBDo you have a hard time managing team dynamics? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Facebook executive Julie Zhuo. They talk through what to do when your subordinate is bossing around others on the team, a star performer you’ve hired threatens your status, or you want to help an underperforming team member.
Counteroffers
April 18, 2019 20:45 - 34 minutes - 32.1 MBShould you accept your boss's counteroffer to stay at the organization? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Leigh Thompson, a negotiations professor at Kellogg School of Management. They talk through what to do when you’re presented with a counteroffer, you’re considering what you would need to stay at your company, or you want to use a job offer to get a raise.