McKinsey Talks Talent

McKinsey People & Organizational Performance

Listen in to learn how to navigate a fast-changing business landscape and prepare for the future of work by turning talent into competitive advantage. McKinsey talent experts Brooke Weddle and Bryan Hancock lead discussions with globally recognized experts and thought leaders on talent, transformational change, and leadership development.

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20 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes20

Newest first

Friday · 30 min
Is the AI productivity story at a turning point?
"Is my generation doomed?" That’s what one Stanford graduating senior asked Professor Erik Brynjolfsson, economist and director of the Stanford Digital Economy Lab. The professor had seen the data, so he didn’t dismiss the question. But as productivity gains begin to emerge, Brynjolfsson argues that the biggest opportunity lies not in replacing workers but in redesigning work. In this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, Brynjolfsson joins McKinsey leaders Brooke Weddle and Bryan Hancock, as well as Global Editorial Director Lucia Rahilly, to discuss what’s changing, who’s most susceptible to displacement, and what leaders need to know to create value while managing new risks. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
April 29 · 17 min
What it takes to build “genius at scale”
That elusive Eureka moment: Every leader strives for it—but it can’t be forced. And as Harvard Business School Professor Linda Hill argues in her new book Genius at Scale: How Great Leaders Drive Innovation (Harvard Business Publishing, March 2026), innovation is less about a flash of insight than about creating the conditions for breakthrough ideas to take hold and scale. In this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, Hill speaks with McKinsey leaders and talent experts Brooke Weddle and Bryan Hancock, along with Global Editorial Director Lucia Rahilly, about the roles and capabilities that successful innovators share—and about how to create a culture that encourages everyone to undertake the hard, risky work of innovation to drive organizational performance. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
March 25 · 24 min
The problem with ‘bringing your whole self to work’
Being yourself at work has become a corporate mantra—and it certainly started in a well-meaning way. But it can also have significant downsides, according to Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, author of Don’t Be Yourself: Why Authenticity Is Overrated (and What to Do Instead). In this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, Chamorro-Premuzic joins McKinsey leaders and talent experts Brooke Weddle and Bryan Hancock, as well as Global Editorial Director Lucia Rahilly, to explore what authenticity really means in the workplace, when it helps and hurts, and what may matter more for employees looking to accelerate their leadership trajectory in the age of AI. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
February 27 · 21 min
US manufacturing’s next test: Building a workforce for a new era
Manufacturing is back at the center of the US economic agenda. Yet the sector faces a persistent talent shortage—and to bridge it, leaders will need to rethink how they attract, train, and retain a new generation of manufacturing employees. “Manufacturers need to be driving the conversation, not waiting for the workforce ecosystem to arrive at their door,” says Carolyn Lee, President and Executive Director of the Manufacturing Institute (MI). On this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, Lee joins McKinsey leaders Brooke Weddle, Bryan Hancock, and Tyler Freeman, along with Global Editorial Director Lucia Rahilly, to talk about what needs to change, as automation advances and employees’ expectations evolve, to enable US manufacturing to thrive in the age of AI. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
January 29 · 24 min
How smart people end up in the wrong careers
Many high performers think they’re doing everything right—yet still feel somehow wrong about their day-to-day. And the advent of AI means work-related decision-making is more complex than ever. As job uncertainty ups the ante, more employees might be tempted to settle for the “B+ life,” in the words of Suzy Welch, author of Becoming You: The Proven Method for Crafting Your Authentic Life and Career (HarperCollins, May 2025). In this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, Welch talks to McKinsey leaders and talent experts Brooke Weddle and Bryan Hancock, as well as Global Editorial Director Lucia Rahilly, about where so many successful people go awry—and more important, about how to discover work that you value, that’s economically viable, and that you’re genuinely wired to do. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
Dec 10, 2025 · 11 min
What leaders can learn from Homeboy Industries
In the US, many companies still struggle to fill essential roles. What if part of the solution involves talent that has traditionally been overlooked? Take Johanna Carbajal, who spent her adolescence shuttling between juvenile hall, foster care, and the streets before landing in prison at 18. After her release, Johanna made her way to Homeboy Industries, the Los Angeles–based organization founded by Father Greg Boyle to help formerly incarcerated and gang-involved individuals heal, find stability, and build meaningful careers. For Johanna, finding Homeboy was a watershed moment. On this special holiday episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, you’ll hear her—as well as Father Greg, in conversation with McKinsey talent experts Brooke Weddle and Bryan Hancock, and Global Editorial Director Lucia Rahilly—talking about what leaders can learn from the Homeboy philosophy, including the impact of thinking differently about hiring, developing skills, and creating a culture where employees feel not just safe but seen. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
Oct 29, 2025 · 24 min
Building a talent pipeline for the AI era
AI is ushering in a new era of work, and smart employers are staying ahead of the curve by rethinking how to cultivate the skills their organizations need to thrive. The best leaders realize they won’t be able to do it alone, according to Beth Cobert, president of affiliates and strategic partnerships at Strada Education Foundation. On this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, Cobert joins McKinsey talent experts Brooke Weddle and Bryan Hancock, along with Global Editorial Director Lucia Rahilly, to discuss the kinds of cross-sector collaborations that help businesses and workers develop skills for the future—and connect education more directly to high-quality jobs. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
Sep 23, 2025 · 18 min
Talent wins: the growing business of women’s sports
On this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, McKinsey talent experts Brooke Weddle and Bryan Hancock join Global Editorial Director Lucia Rahilly for a conversation with Jason Wright, managing partner and head of investments at Project Level and former president of the NFL’s Washington Commanders. Together, they explore how women’s sports is scaling rapidly—and what it takes to build an industry with lasting economic and social impact. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
Jul 29, 2025 · 24 min
How the right operating model can close your performance gap
A smart strategy is vital—but in today’s fast-changing world, it isn’t enough. Our research suggests that even high-performing companies fail to deliver on the potential of their strategy, to the tune of about 30 percent. But the right operating model can change all that. “The opportunity that comes from closing the 30 percent gap between strategy and performance is real,” according to McKinsey Partner Dickie Steele. On this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, Dickie joins McKinsey Senior Partner Brooke Weddle, Partner Bryan Hancock, and Global Editorial Director and Deputy Publisher Lucia Rahilly to share a new system for reexamining your operating model to create unique competitive advantage. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
Jun 25, 2025 · 26 min
What the labor market isn’t telling you—yet
AI is fast transforming work as we’ve known it—and the latest data on jobs doesn’t always reflect the changes underway. “One word sums it up best: ‘uncertainty,’” says Svenja Gudell, chief economist of global employment platform Indeed. In this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, Svenja joins McKinsey talent leaders Brooke Weddle and Bryan Hancock, along with Global Editorial Director Lucia Rahilly, to help leaders make sense of the current collision of labor market trends: generative AI, agentic AI, an aging workforce, shifting priorities, and more. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
Jun 3, 2025 · 34 min
The future of work is agentic
Think about your org chart. Now imagine it features both your current colleagues—humans, if you’re like most of us—and AI agents. That’s not science fiction; it’s happening—and it’s happening relatively quickly, according to McKinsey Senior Partner Jorge Amar. In this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, Jorge joins McKinsey talent leaders Brooke Weddle and Bryan Hancock and Global Editorial Director Lucia Rahilly to talk about what these AI agents are, how they’re being used, and how leaders can prepare now for the workforce of the not-too-distant future. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
Mar 26, 2025 · 24 min
The surprising state of employee health
Leaders have long recognized the importance of a healthy workforce to driving economic productivity. But they might be surprised at the value at stake—and at the size of the employee population in less-than-fine fettle. In this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, McKinsey talent leaders and Global Leader of the McKinsey Health Institute Lucy Pérez speak with Global Editorial Director Lucia Rahilly about new research on employee health: what it means, its vital link to value, and the steps leaders can take to create workplaces where employees thrive—and competitive advantage rises. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
Feb 6, 2025 · 23 min
How to get return to office right
Return to office (RTO) is on the rise. But in the words of McKinsey partner and talent expert Bryan Hancock, “It doesn’t matter where you ask someone to be. What matters is what you do with them once they’re there.” On this episode of , Hancock and McKinsey senior partner Brooke Weddle speak with global editorial director Lucia Rahilly about surprising soon-to-be-published research on the opportunities and challenges of RTO—and about how leaders can make the most of this transition to drive productivity, collaboration, and innovation successfully. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
Dec 18, 2024 · 20 min
The value of generosity in leadership
Time is finite and leadership pressures are legion, particularly in the throes of change. Nevertheless, the best leaders persist in cultivating generosity with their teams—and they see a range of advantages as a result. On this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, McKinsey leaders and talent experts Brooke Weddle, Bryan Hancock, and Dana Maor speak with global editorial director Lucia Rahilly about why—and how—to invest in generosity at work, as well as about the overarching benefits of shifting to a mindset of abundance, versus one of scarcity, for aspiring leaders. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
Nov 19, 2024 · 21 min
What works—and doesn’t—in performance management
New research reveals what employees find fair, what motivates them to perform, and where many organizations go wrong when it comes to feedback, compensation, and annual ratings and reviews. On this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, talent experts Bryan Hancock and Brooke Weddle speak with global editorial director Lucia Rahilly about new research on what drives performance: what motivates employees most, what matters less than you think, and the changes organizations need to make to ensure their feedback, ratings, and review processes are on track. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
Oct 30, 2024 · 23 min
Why being in HR is getting tougher—and how to break through
Everybody hurts sometimes, R.E.M. once famously sang. And if you’re in human resources, your job is to help. On this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, McKinsey leaders and talent experts Brooke Weddle and Bryan Hancock join Wendy Miller, McKinsey’s chief people officer for North America, as well as global editorial director Lucia Rahilly, to discuss the dynamics that are making HR tougher than ever—as well as what leaders can do differently to begin turning morale around. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
Sep 13, 2024 · 20 min
Understanding what neurodivergent employees need to succeed
Neurodivergent people make up a substantial percentage of the global population. How can companies best put their distinctive capabilities to work? On this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, McKinsey senior partner Brooke Weddle, partner Bryan Hancock, and global editorial director Lucia Rahilly speak with Dr. Lawrence Fung, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University and the director of the Stanford Neurodiversity Project, about the productivity and creativity that neurodivergent employees can bring to organizations—and how employers can support them. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
Jul 26, 2024 · 24 min
Managing in the era of gen AI
Middle management was already a tough gig. Then generative AI (gen AI) entered the fray. A year after the publication of their book Power to the Middle: Why Managers Hold the Keys to the Future of Work (Harvard Business Review Press, July 2023), McKinsey partners Bryan Hancock and Emily Field join global editorial director Lucia Rahilly to revisit whether and why middle managers matter, what leaders could do differently to make more of the managers on their team, and how gen AI could change middle managers’ jobs—for the better. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
May 31, 2024 · 25 min
Workers wanted: How to fill the skilled-trade shortage
Plumbers, carpenters, builders, and engineers are in short supply. What will it take to meet the demand for these skills in the United States and globally? In this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, Brooke Weddle and Bryan Hancock join host Lucia Rahilly to discuss how to attract—and keep—people in these roles and drive productivity. The following is an edited transcript of their conversation. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information
May 1, 2024 · 26 min
Why so many bad bosses still rise to the top
Narcissism. Overconfidence. Low EQ. Why do we persist in selecting for leadership traits that hamper organizational progress—and leave the right potential leaders in the wrong roles? In this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, author of Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders?: (And How to Fix It) (Harvard Business Review Press, March 2019), joins McKinsey talent leaders Bryan Hancock and Brooke Weddle, as well as global editorial director Lucia Rahilly, to discuss why the traits that propel us to the top seem to diverge so widely from those that make us great leaders—as well as how to choose stronger, more successful, and more diverse candidates for leadership roles. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

McKinsey Talks Talent

Is the AI productivity story at a turning point?

What it takes to build “genius at scale”

The problem with ‘bringing your whole self to work’

US manufacturing’s next test: Building a workforce for a new era

How smart people end up in the wrong careers

What leaders can learn from Homeboy Industries

Building a talent pipeline for the AI era

Talent wins: the growing business of women’s sports

How the right operating model can close your performance gap

What the labor market isn’t telling you—yet

The future of work is agentic

The surprising state of employee health

How to get return to office right

The value of generosity in leadership

What works—and doesn’t—in performance management

Why being in HR is getting tougher—and how to break through

Understanding what neurodivergent employees need to succeed

Managing in the era of gen AI

Workers wanted: How to fill the skilled-trade shortage

Why so many bad bosses still rise to the top