Leadership

Overcommunication may be seen as annoying and a nuisance, but it’s not seen as a damning flaw for a leader... —Francis Flynn, professor of organizational behavior
When It Comes to Communication from the Top, Less Isn’t More
Faculty Book
Faculty Book
Audio
Brian Chesky on Managing Through Crisis and Uncertainty
Brian Chesky, founder and CEO of AirBnB
Audio
Cynt Marshall: Workplace Culture as a Measure of Success
Black and white portrait of Cynt Marshall smiling at the camera wearing glasses and business attire.
See All View From the Top Episodes
Audio
It’s Not About You: Why Effective Communicators Put Others First
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See All Think Fast Talk Smart Episodes
Video
Class Takeaways: Essentials of Strategic Communication
Five lessons in five minutes: lecturer Matt Abrahams offers frameworks for successfully crafting your message.
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Leadership in Focus

Leadership in Focus

Leadership in Focus is a large collection of case vignettes, teaching, and learning resources that bring real-world business challenges to life and spark lively discussions aimed at improving executive skills. Each short video is accompanied by teaching notes for added context, suggested discussion questions and role-playing ideas to help engage groups of managers in learning experiences of their own. Leaders may also experience the cases online with opportunities to calibrate their thinking for actionable insights.

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Latest Stories in Leadership

March 21, 2023
Audio
It’s Not About You: Why Effective Communicators Put Others First
In this episode, Nancy Duarte explains why the audience is the real hero of your presentation.
Career & Success
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March 17, 2023
Audio
Brian Chesky on Managing Through Crisis and Uncertainty
In this podcast episode, the co-founder and CEO of AirBnB discusses how to gain customer loyalty and offers lessons in crisis management.
Leadership
Brian Chesky, founder and CEO of AirBnB
March 14, 2023
Audio
Fact or Fiction? How to Communicate When We Hold Different Beliefs
In this episode, Seema Yasmin explains what to do when we disagree about our deepest-held beliefs.
Career & Success
TFTS logo
March 14, 2023
Audio
Short Takes: Sweet Success — Can You Build an Ice Cream Unicorn in India?
The keys to sweet success for an ice cream business in India? Day-to-day discipline and execution.
Entrepreneurship
Grit & Growth logo
March 07, 2023
Written
How Consumers Reacted to 2020’s Flood of Corporate “Confessions”
Flipping the PR playbook by admitting wrongdoing can improve a firm’s image and mobilize support for social causes, according to new research.
Organizational Behavior
An apple store in Downtown Portland with boarded up signs that have been painted with Black Lives Matter. iStock/hapabapa
February 23, 2023
Audio
Cynt Marshall: Workplace Culture as a Measure of Success
In this View From The Top episode, the CEO of the Dallas Mavericks shares why it takes a diverse and inclusive workplace culture to get things done.
Leadership
Black and white portrait of Cynt Marshall smiling at the camera wearing glasses and business attire.
February 21, 2023
Audio
Short Takes: From Farms to Forks
For this entrepreneur, moving from Kenyan farms to forks can be a delicious — and profitable — journey.
Entrepreneurship
Grit & Growth: The Podcast
February 15, 2023
Audio
Three Guiding Principles for Successful Communication
In this episode, Matt Abrahams shares top takeaways from 75 episodes and answers listeners’ questions.
Career & Success
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February 09, 2023
Audio
Tristan Walker, MBA ’10,“Values Are Universal”
The founder and CEO of Walker & Company shares lessons from the most challenging, and most rewarding, years of his career.
Leadership
Black and white portrait of Tristan Walker in front of a white background, looking toward the camera with a thoughtful expression.
January 24, 2023
Audio
Change My Mind: Using “Pre-suasion” to Influence Others
In this episode, psychology expert Bob Cialdini reveals the inner workings of social influence and persuasion.
Leadership
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January 12, 2023
Audio
Love & Money: How to Talk About Big Decisions Together
In this podcast episode, Myra Strober and Abby Davisson share a framework to help us communicate professional goals with those we care about most.
Career & Success
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December 16, 2022
Video
Class Takeaways: Essentials of Strategic Communication
Five lessons in five minutes: lecturer Matt Abrahams offers frameworks for successfully crafting your message.
Career & Success
Graphic that reads: Essentials of Strategic Communications, Key Takeaways, with a line art illustration of a man in the fetal position being overwhelmed by notifications.
December 12, 2022
Written
A Dozen of Our Favorite Research Stories of 2022
A sampling of the big ideas and timely research produced by Stanford GSB faculty this year.
Leadership
Illustration of young woman balancing on a tightrope with a coin in one hand and a globe in the other hand. Credit: iStock/treety
December 12, 2022
Written
Our Favorite Stories About Careers and Success in 2022
Eleven articles to help you work, lead, and collaborate better.
Career & Success
An illustration of a fierce-looking t-rex standing on a board room table. Credit: Alvaro Dominguez
December 07, 2022
Written
Blazing Questions: As Wildfires Intensify, Who Bears the Cost and Manages the Danger?
GSB conference highlights the difficulty of allocating risk and assigning responsibility.
Sustainability
Panelists shown left to right: Anat Admati, Mary Batjer, and Michael Wara speaking at the event. Credit: Saul Bromberger
December 06, 2022
Audio
Listen Up: Why It’s Better to Be Interested than Interesting
In this episode, Alison Wood Brooks reveals the secret to having better conversations.
Career & Success
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December 05, 2022
Written
Why “Copycat” Layoffs Won’t Help Tech Companies — Or Their Employees
“Layoffs kill people,” says Jeffrey Pfeffer. And they don’t cut costs or improve productivity.
Management
A worried young woman with her head in her hands in the hallway of a modern looking office. Credit: iStock/FG Trade
December 02, 2022
Audio
Andy Dunn on Entrepreneurship, Bipolar Disorder, and Cofounder Divorce
The CEO of Bonobos shares stories of the company’s creation at the GSB and his journey through a mental health diagnosis.
Leadership
Black and white portrait of Andy Dunn smiling at the camera. Courtesy of Andy Dunn
November 29, 2022
Audio
Eric Yuan on Keeping Customers and Employees Happy
In this podcast episode, the CEO of Zoom and SEP graduate reflects on his leadership two years after the outbreak of COVID-19.
Leadership
Black and white portrait of Eric Yuan smiling at the camera. Courtesy of Eric Yuan
November 22, 2022
Audio
Navigating Corruption: A Case Study from India
In the face of corruption in India, wise business leaders must decide what is negotiable — and what isn’t.
Management
Grit & Growth: The Podcast