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Thinkers & Ideas

BCG Institute

Inspiring and thought-provoking conversations with leading thinkers about influential ideas on business, technology, economics, and science. Hosted by Nikolaus Lang and Adam Job.

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  • 23 episodes
  • fortnightly
  • Avg 31 min
  • English

Episodes 23

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  • Dec 9, 2025 · 35 min

    How to Be Bold with Ranjay Gulati

    In How to Be Bold: The Surprising Science of Everyday Courage, Ranjay Gulati argues that being bold is something you can learn—not a trait you have to be born with. Gulati, a professor at Harvard Business School, is a leading organizational sociologist and management scholar. In his new book, he explores the science and psychology of courage—showing that bravery is not the absence of fear, but the mastery of it. In his conversation with Adam Job, senior director at the BCG Henderson Institute, he discusses the difference between uncertainty and risk, strategies for building courage at the individual and corporate level, and why we shouldn’t be worried about boldness leading to excessive risk-taking. Key topics discussed: 00:58 | The definition of courage 05:11 | Boldness and excessive risk-taking 06:34 | Strategies for building courage as an individual 14:51 | The power of sense-making 18:16 | Risk management systems 21:13 | How to build a culture of courage 31:40 | One thing executives should do differently Additional inspirations from Ranjay Gulati: Deep Purpose: The Heart and Soul of High-Performance Companies (Harper Business, 2022)

  • Nov 25, 2025 · 29 min

    The Land Trap with Mike Bird

    In The Land Trap: A New History of the World’s Oldest Asset, Mike Bird shows why land remains the ultimate currency of power. Bird is the Wall Street editor at The Economist, where he leads coverage across the American financial industry and cohosts the magazine’s flagship podcast Money Talks. In his new book, he presents a bold new framework explaining how land exerts influence over the modern world, shaping housing, banking, and geopolitics. In his conversation with Nikolaus Lang, global leader of the BCG Henderson Institute, Bird discusses the history of land usage and ownership, how land is related to modern economic crises, and different governance models for land. Key topics discussed: 01:01 | What makes land unique, and why is it a trap? 04:58 | The history of land ownership 11:38 | The relation between land and economic crises 16:00 | The role of “superstar cities” 19:08 | How land could be governed 23:36 | Business implications of land

  • Nov 11, 2025 · 33 min

    SuperAdaptability with Max McKeown

    In SuperAdaptability: How to Transcend in an Age of Overwhelm, Max McKeown argues that the key to thriving under uncertainty is adaptability—being able to change with your environment, again and again, getting better each time. McKeown is a leading strategy thinker, coach to Fortune 100 companies, and an award-winning author. In his new book, he reveals how figures as different as Frida Kahlo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Simone Biles all relied on the same pattern of thinking to adapt to radically changing circumstances. In his conversation with Adam Job, senior director at the BCG Henderson Institute, he discusses the difference between adaptability and resilience, and how to scale adaptability from one person to a team to an entire organization. Key topics discussed: 01:14 | The power of adaptive intelligence 03:03 | Adaptability vs. resilience 05:15 | The RUN loop: Recognize, understand, necessary action 09:08 | How to help others become more adaptable 11:57 | How to make your company more adaptable 16:19 | Applying the loop logic to innovation 23:56 | Real life stories of adaptability 29:23 | Bringing adaptability to life with illustrations Additional inspirations from Max McKeown: The Strategy Book: How to Think and Act Strategically to Deliver Outstanding Results (FT Publishing International, 2024)

Showing 21–23 of 23 episodes