HBR IdeaCast

Leading an organization is a serious job, but Adam Christing argues that humor is a shortcut to building trust at an organization - and without it, you might be missing out on an important leadership tool. Christing is a comedian, speaker and author and he walks through five main kinds of humor that are most effective at work. It's not about knock-knock jokes, he says, but finding a style that's authentic to you. Christing is author of the book The Laughter Factor: The 5 Humor Tactics to Link, Lift, and Lead.

Amid great economic, political, and technological change, it can feel impossible to predict what might happen next. Nick Foster, a futurist and designer who has worked at Google X, Sony, and elsewhere, says that most of us struggle because we tend to fall into one pattern of thinking about the future. A better approach -- for leaders, teams, and entire organizations -- is to consider the long-term view through multiple lenses, understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each. He explains how more deep and rigorous thinking and discussion on these issues can yield better outcomes for businesses of all kinds. Foster is the author of the book Could, Should, Might, Don't: How We Think About the Future.

AI ecosystems are moving fast, and smart leaders are considering all options when it comes to staying competitive. Amit Joshi is a professor at IMD Business School, and he argues that leaders should be looking to Chinese technology as a possible way to power up their strategies and growth. The adoption comes with some risks that leaders must be aware of, Joshi explains, but a careful combination of multiple AI tools could be the answer. He also explains just how far Chinese AI platforms have come since the arrival of DeepSeek, what makes them different, and examples of how companies are integrating them into their tech stacks the right way. Joshi is coauthor of the HBR article "How Savvy Companies are Using Chinese AI."

Whether your organization encourages working from home or the office, much of your business is no doubt conducted virtually — over email, on Slack, or via Zoom meetings. But few of us think very carefully about how to most effectively use these tools or which to employ when. And few teams and companies have established best practices for virtual communication, which can hurt collaboration, sales, engagement, and performance. Andrew Brodsky, a professor at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin who has researched these issues, outlines practical ways to be more conscientious and intentional about our communication choices and patterns. Brodsky wrote the book Ping: The Secrets of Successful Virtual Communication.

It might seem risky to base decisions as a leader on your gut feeling or intuition. But Laura Huang's research has found that intuition isn't just an arbitrary thought or emotion; that it’s the culmination of years of data and observation, and that it is worth listening to. The Northeastern University professor shares what she's learned about intuition, how we can recognize it and tap into it, and why it is a strength for business leaders. She's the author of the book You Already Know: The Science of Mastering Your Intuition. She also wrote the HBR article "How CEOs Hone and Harness Their Intuition."

It might seem that high-achievers with important jobs don't need — or even have time for — activities that bring them joy. But it turns out that finding joy at all stages of life (along with achievement and meaningfulness) is essential to feeling satisfied and being a more effective leader. Harvard Business School professor Leslie Perlow has studied busy executives who do - or do not - find joy and explains the main ways that we can all make the most limited free time, including avoiding passive pursuits and diversifying our activities. Perlow is founder of the Crafting Your Life Project, which created the Life Matrix tool, and coauthor, along with Sari Menster and Salvatore Affinito, of the HBR article "How the Busiest People Find Joy."

Conflict has always been a big part of the business world, whether in the board room, between startup cofounders, or when employees start to disagree with the C suite. But it seems even more pronounced at work today, as political and economic issues seep into the office. Leaders must have the muscles to handle conflict big and small, argues Peter T. Coleman, a professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he directs the Morton Deutsch International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution. He explains essential ingredients to conflict-intelligence, like adaptability and creativity - and how they can help you run a better organization. Coleman is the author of the HBR article "The Conflict-Intelligent Leader."

You might have your teams and organization implementing new AI tools, but how much have you experimented with them yourself? Alexandra Samuel is a tech speaker and journalist, and she says many leaders are still just scratching the surface of AI by using things like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot as supercharged search engines. Instead, she recommends managers at all levels start playing with AI at the next level, building assistants to help in all sorts of functions to not just find efficiencies, but help in decision-making and strategy as well. She explains the ways she uses AI tools for everything from training to project management to coaching and strategic advice - and how you can build your own assistants to do the same. Samuel is the author of the HBR article "How to Build Your Own AI Assistant."

Lawrence H. Summers, former U.S. Treasury Secretary and President Emeritus of Harvard University, has seen the ups and downs of the American economy throughout the decades. As leaders today contend with fears of economic downturn, the growth of artificial intelligence, tariffs, inflation and more, he shares what he thinks we should—and shouldn’t—be worried about. He also discusses how he believes businesses can create stability through macroeconomic uncertainty, and how coming technological and economic forces will shift the labor market, policy agendas, and more.