The Insightful Leader

Insight Unpacked S2E3 | The Misadventures of Insuring America

In episode 3 of our 5-episode series, “Insight Unpacked: American Healthcare and Its Web of Misaligned Incentives,” we explain how insurance companies became everybody’s favorite villain. On this episode, we talk to Kellogg faculty members Craig Garthwaite, David Dranove, and Paul Campbell, alongside Wharton School professor Robert Lawton Burns. Visit the episode page for supplementary materials.

Insight Unpacked S2E2 | The Power of the Physician's Pen

We rely on doctors to keep us healthy. In episode 2 of our 5-episode series, “Insight Unpacked: American Healthcare and Its Web of Misaligned Incentives,” we learn at what cost. On this episode, we talk to Kellogg professors Craig Garthwaite, David Dranove, and clinical associate professor Paul Campbell about the role doctors play in the expense and complexity of the American healthcare system.  Visit the episode page for supplementary materials. 

Insight Unpacked S2E1 | The Problem with Megaproviders

In episode 1 of our 5-episode series, “Insight Unpacked: American Healthcare and Its Web of Misaligned Incentives,” we investigate how hospital systems got so big—and what that means for our health and our pocketbooks. On this episode, we talk to Kellogg professors Craig Garthwaite and David Dranove, and Wharton School professor Robert Lawton Burns. Dranove and Burns co-wrote the book Big Med: Megaproviders and the High Cost of Health Care in America.  Visit the episode page for supplem...

Introducing Insight Unpacked, Season 2

Introducing Insight Unpacked, Season 2: American Healthcare and Its Web of Misaligned Incentives If you lived in the nineteenth century, and you got sick, it was bad news. Simple urinary tract infections were deadly. Appendicitis killed you. And Syphilis might leave you without a nose.   Thanks to modern medicine, this is pretty unimaginable today. And if you live in the United States, you know that we pay handsomely for the privilege. But why do we pay more than any other country...

Why Italy’s Economy Offers a Cautionary Tale for the U.S.

Since the 1990s, taxes, debt, and regulations have hamstrung the Italian economy. On this episode of The Insightful Leader: Could America be next?

Why You Need a Killer Answer to “So, What Do You Do?”

A great response to this question can open doors. On this episode of The Insightful Leader: we’ve got tips for fine-tuning your answer.

When AI Becomes a TA

Curious about using AI at work? On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we hear from one professor who found a fascinating, low-stakes way to bring AI into his workplace: the classroom.

What’s It Take to Get on a Board, Anyway?

It’s not like applying for a job. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, an expert demystifies the process.

AI Is a Tool. How Do We Want to Use It?

Generative AI is like “a hammer looking for a nail.” On this episode of The Insightful Leader: we have to decide what the nail should be.

Need to Make a Point? Tell a Good Story.

Plus: more leadership advice in this episode of The Insightful Leader’s “Ask Insight” series.

Need Product Inspiration? Meet Your Customer in the Wild.

On this episode of The Insightful Leader: a consumer anthropologist takes us behind the scenes as she interviews a “pet parent.”

Can Complexity Science Help Us Understand Organizations?

On this episode of The Insightful Leader: From climate change to neuroscience, this new approach is reshaping how we study complicated systems.

The Complicated Promise of ESG

On this episode of The Insightful Leader: Are companies as socially responsible as they claim? And how much should investors care?

How Should You Present Yourself at Work?

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. Book links:  The Mirrored Door: Break Through the Hidden Barrier that Locks Successful Women in Place. Embrace the Power of You: Owning Your Identity at Work Advertising Strategy Cambridge Handbook of Consumer Psychology Creative Brief Blueprint

Get Inside Your Customer’s Mind

On this episode of The Insightful Leader: how understanding consumer mindsets can help you make the sale.

Podcast: Using AI Comes with a Tradeoff. Now Multiply That by 8 Billion.

On this episode of The Insightful Leader podcast: what happens when everyone uses the same generative AI tools?

Avoiding the Likeability Trap at Work

Plus: insecure employees and a flagging culture. On this episode of The Insightful Leader’s “Ask Insight,” more from our conversation with Professor Harry Kraemer.

You’re the Boss! Now What?

On this episode of The Insightful Leader’s “Ask Insight,” Professor Harry Kraemer discusses how to lead your former peers and build trust with your team.

Insight Unpacked BONUS | Why Canada Goose Soared and Shinola Sputtered

Luxury is dominated by older brands. So what happens when newer entrants try to break through? In the second of two bonus episodes, we show what can go right—and wrong.

Insight Unpacked BONUS | So You Want to Be a Luxury Brand

So opulent! So exclusive! In the first of two bonus episodes, we explore everything that helps brands like Ferrari and Manolo Blahnik scream luxury.

The Case for Admitting (Some) Flaws at Work

On this episode: Why showing vulnerability can actually be a boon for leaders.

Platforms Are Experimenting on Their Users…a Lot. Is That Okay?

On this episode of The Insightful Leader: Opaque algorithms on platforms like LinkedIn, Uber, and TaskRabbit have more power than ever. It’s starting to impact livelihoods.  Please take our quick listener survey: https://kell.gg/survey

How to Prepare for Your New Algorithmic Coworker

For better or worse, generative AI is here to stay. On this episode of The Insightful Leader: What could it mean for you and your team?

How to Discuss Performance Issues

Please take our listener survey: kell.gg/podsurvey On this episode of the Insightful Leader: giving negative feedback is not easy, but such critiques can be meaningful for both parties if you use the right roadmap.

How to Tell Compelling Stories with Data Visualizations [rerun]

On this episode of The Insightful Leader: a blueprint for making strong (and honest) arguments with data.

How to Discuss Politics When You Disagree

Talking politics in this polarized climate is a dicey proposition. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, an expert in the psychology of persuasion offers tips on how to approach the topic constructively.

Is There a Right Way to Monitor Worker Productivity?

In this episode of The Insightful Leader, we consider the benefits and drawbacks of keeping a very close eye on employees.

“It’s Hard to Regulate U.S. Banks!”

Silicon Valley Bank spectacularly collapsed—and a new analysis suggests that its precarious situation is not as much of an outlier as we’d hope. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we learn what went wrong and what should happen next.

Workers Are Stressed Out. Here’s How Leaders Can Help.

On this episode of The Insightful Leader: You can’t always control what happens at work. But reframing setbacks, and instituting some serious calendar discipline, can go a long way toward reducing stress.

How Last Fall’s Climate Bill Is Creating Opportunities for Businesses

With major incentives starting to kick in, here's how the legislation is poised to affect the economy.

How Letting Teams Fail Can Help Them Succeed

It can be tempting for leaders to swoop in to solve problems. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we hear from a U.S. Army colonel about why doing so is a disservice.

What to Expect When Joining a Family-Owned Business

There are cons—but a lot of pros, too. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we’ll explore what it’s like to work at a family business when you’re not a family member.

Does Your Life Reflect What You Value?

Please take our listener survey: kell.gg/podsurvey In this episode of The Insightful Leader, a former CEO explains how to organize your life around what really matters—instead of trying to do it all.

China’s Economy Is in Flux. Here’s What American Businesses Need to Know.

On this episode of The Insightful Leader: the end of “Zero Covid,” escalating geopolitical tensions, and China’s potentially irreplaceable role in the global supply chain.

How to Engage a Disengaged Employee

On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we hear how leaders can work with their “quiet-quitters” and rebuild morale.

What the FTX Meltdown Means for the Future of Crypto

The implosion of the crypto exchange has sent the industry reeling. We dig into what happened and whether cryptocurrency, as a concept, can weather the storm.

Insight Unpacked S1E5 | Is Your Brand Working?

In the fifth and final episode of our series, “Extraordinary Brands and How to Build Them,” we look at how to measure your brand’s health–and what you should do if you don’t like what you learn. Kellogg professors Julie Hennessy, Jennifer Cutler, Jim Lecinski, and Tim Calkins will explain how to use tools like Twitter to understand how customers feel about your brand, and what happened when Old Spice and Lego started to target surprising new audiences. Finally, we’ll learn how Kellogg prof...

Insight Unpacked S1E4 | How Will You Tell Your Brand’s Story?

In episode 4 of our 5-episode series, “Extraordinary Brands and How to Build Them,” professor Mohan Sawhney discusses the importance of transmedia brand storytelling–and how to do it right. Every brand has a story to tell. But consumers only have so much time, energy, and attention. You will need to find a story that cuts through our collective “story fatigue” and find creative ways to deploy it.

Insight Unpacked S1E3 | What Should Your Brand Look (and Sound and Smell) Like?

In episode 3 of our 5-episode series, “Extraordinary Brands and How to Build Them,” we discuss the associations you want customers to make with your brand, and how to use design to make it happen. On this episode, Kellogg professor Bobby Calder looks at how great brands define themselves, how stale brands revitalize themselves, and why you should use all your senses when creating a brand image. Channel your inner artist, because it’s design time! We discuss clever multimedia campaigns and ...

Insight Unpacked S1E2 | What Should You Name Your Brand?

In episode 2 of our 5-episode series, “Extraordinary Brands and How to Build Them,” we dig into the importance of finding the right name for your brand. With apologies to Shakespeare, a rose by any other name wouldn’t smell as sweet. On this episode, Kellogg professors Paul Earle and Tim Calkins offer advice on where you might look for naming inspiration, what great names convey, and when you should go with something fun and funky versus simple and straightforward. Plus: an NFL franchise w...

Insight Unpacked S1E1 | Why Does Your Brand Need to Exist?

In episode 1 of our 5-episode series, “Extraordinary Brands and How to Build Them,” we reveal the key questions you should answer before you start to craft your brand. Because if you can’t articulate your brand’s value to yourself, you won’t stand a chance of convincing customers. On this episode, Kellogg professors Tim Calkins and Alice Tybout discuss brand purpose, point of difference, and the McDonald’s McLean burger. Visit the episode page for supplementary materials.

Ask Insight | How Can Entrepreneurs Develop a Stellar Sales Pitch?

On this episode of The Insightful Leader podcast, two seasoned entrepreneurs share wisdom from the trenches.

Ask Insight | Managing Up, Managing Across, and Retaining Your Best Employees

On this episode of The Insightful Leader podcast: you asked and our faculty answered. We dig into a mailbox of listener questions on leadership and management.

What One School District’s Fiasco Says About the Strengths and Limits of AI

On this episode of The Insightful Leader: When Boston Public Schools looked to algorithms to solve equity issues and save money, it ran into a roadblock—the complicated lives of parents and students.

Executive Presence—Do You Have It?

This week, an episode from the archives: It’s not enough to be good at your job. On this episode of The Insightful Leader, learn how to develop the gravitas that commands attention and respect.

What People Get Wrong about Setting Goals

In this episode of The Insightful Leader, we hear how leaders can help their teams—and themselves—turn ambitious goals into reality.

Ask Insight | What Should DEI Work Actually Look Like?

On our first episode of Ask Insight, we learn that changing the status quo will take self-reflection and time.

How to Design Incentives That Motivate Employees

On this episode of The Insightful Leader, we learn why it’s not always as simple as handing out a performance bonus.

Cybersecurity, Part 2 | How to Respond to a Breach

Podcast: Cybersecurity, Part 2 | How to Respond to a Breach

In the second episode of our two-part series, former NSA director Mike Rogers discusses what to do if your defensive tactics have failed and your network is exposed.