Joe Davis, BCG’s former regional chair for North America, says you can make tough decisions without being a “tough guy.” In the executive suite, empathy and authenticity are in, according to Davis, the author of the new business book, The Generous Leader.  Even as tech skills dominate the headlines, Davis celebrates the enduring value of mastering people skills.  Learn More:  The Generous Leader: A Leadership Book by Joe Davis | The Generous Leader  Joe Davis: https://on.bcg.com/3Q9pMlw  Do Not Stop Asking Questions and Listening Carefully to the Answers: https://on.bcg.com/3Jx5LBy   Turning Superheroes into a Super Leadership Team: https://on.bcg.com/4d2fnlk 

Responsible investing goes back decades or even longer if pronouncements in the Old Testament and Qur’an are considered. Environment, social, and governance goals have become embedded in corporate strategy, even if the acronym ESG has become polarizing. Tim Mohin, director of climate and sustainability at BCG, discusses this evolution and what the next iteration might look like. One thing is clear: these goals aren’t going away even if companies stop talking about them.   Learn More:  Tim Mohin: https://on.bcg.com/3TK47kE  Climate Change and Sustainability: https://on.bcg.com/3xl1QoG 

The original BRIC acronym came to life in 2001 to describe the untapped economic potential of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. This informal grouping of nations has since coalesced into a rising economic force, especially since the entry of South Africa in 2010 and Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates at the start of this year. Daniel Azevedo—leader of BCG’s global advantage practice in Europe, the Middle East, South America, and Africa —explains how global companies can navigate a world in which economic power is heading south.  Learn More:  Daniel Azevedo: https://on.bcg.com/3vli2Wc  Jobs, National Security, and the Future of Trade: https://on.bcg.com/3TLkE9o  These 9 Forces Are Reshaping the Global Business Landscape: https://on.bcg.com/3VrSwJr 

What would you have done differently if you had anticipated the likelihood of a global pandemic or the explosion of generative AI? In BCG’s newest podcast Imagine This..., BCG’s editor in chief Paul Michelman, and his AI co-host GENE delve into disruptive scenarios that could define the coming decades. BCG experts join the conversation, probing the possibilities and implications for leaders. Human and machine work together to explore the very real actions CEOs could take today to prepare.   By 2030, the best CIO might be a CIB: a chief intelligence bot. And the human CEO might be bolstered by a swarm of CEO bots, able to harness a vast diversity of perspectives. Can you imagine? In this episode, BCG’s Mickey McManus envisions a future where top leaders share the corner office with AI—blending the logical with human intuition. Mickey, a BCG senior advisor and a pioneer in human-centered design, considers how a company like this would function. Hint: he recommends an approach much like jazz improvisation.  Learn More  You’ll find more of what BCG has to say about generative AI here:   https://on.bcg.com/3UuWtNd  GenAI on GenAI: https://link.chtbl.com/bcg-genai-on-genai?sid=IT  Also, in this episode, Mickey recommends an entirely new reading list for the C-suite, including:   Iain M. Banks’s Culture series: https://www.amazon.com/The-Culture-9-book-series/dp/B07WLZZ9WV  Joy Buolamwini’s Unmasking AI [https://www.amazon.com/Unmasking-AI-Mission-Protect-Machines/dp/0593241835]  Safiya Umoja Noble’s Algorithms of Oppression [https://www.amazon.com/Algorithms-Oppression-Search-Engines-Reinforce/dp/1479837245] 

From 2010 to 2016, Africa was closing the gender gap faster than any region in the world. Challenges such as plunging commodity prices and the pandemic have set that progress back a generation. BCG’s Zineb Sqalli and Phillipa Osakwe-Okoye explain that domestic violence as well as unsafe public places are barriers in southern Africa. Traditional roles of women in families stand in the way of progress everywhere. Both public and private sectors must change the narrative to create inclusive work environments. Besides being the right thing to do, gender equity could boost Africa’s GDP by $300 billion a year.  Learn More:  Reframing the Narrative on Women’s Roles in African Societies: on.bcg.com/3UQd3Hx  Zineb Sqalli: on.bcg.com/3wqCoO7  Phillipa Osakwe-Okoye: on.bcg.com/3UOVhnO 

For many business leaders, cost efficiency took a backseat to the polycrisis caused by the pandemic, supply chain disruptions, and employee attrition. But today, earnings pressures and economic uncertainty place cost solidly front and center at most companies. Paul Goydan, global leader of BCG’s Accelerated Cost Advantage program, arms these leaders with insights and approaches, exploring everything from how AI can uncover waste to finding promising places to reinvest the savings.   Learn More:  Cost Management: On.bcg.com/49xIABZ  What Leaders Are Saying About Costs and Growth in 2024: On.bcg.com/3OCEDDV  Imagine This...:https://link.chtbl.com/imagine-this-show-link 

Most companies have no idea how many of their employees live with a disability. Most organizations report 4-7%, but BCG research says it’s much higher—25%. And that percentage is only going to climb as the workforce ages. Brad Loftus and Hillary Wool are both high-performing consultants who live with disabilities. They discuss why companies are so misinformed and explore how leaders can provide reasonable and cost-effective accommodations—and increase inclusion and retention.     Learn More:  Your Workforce Includes People with Disabilities. Does Your People Strategy?:https://on.bcg.com/3vQm7Sb 

In implementing generative AI, companies are paying too much attention to the algorithms and not enough to the human element. How well are workers equipped to use it—and use it responsibly? Allison Bailey, global leader for BCG’s people and organization practice, discusses the need for upskilling and reskilling in not just technology, but also being adaptive, creative, and collaborative. Businesses must also train their employees to incorporate AI into their daily routine—and learn when the risks are not worth it.   Learn More:  From Potential to Profit with GenAI: https://on.bcg.com/4b1Bp6A 

In this special episode of The So What from BCG, human and AI intelligence come together. Join BCG’s Global Chair Rich Lesser, and GENE, BCG’s new GenAI conversational agent, for a wide-ranging exploration of the CEO agenda as world leaders gather at Davos. Rich and GENE discuss the transformative power of generative AI technology, the urgency of climate action, and the critical need for trust in an era of innovation. If you’re invested in the future of business and society, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. To learn more about BCG at Davos, visit https://www.bcg.com/about/partner-ecosystem/world-economic-forum/davos. To hear more of GENE, listen at https://link.chtbl.com/bcg-genai-on-genai?sid=tsw.

Time is a finite resource. What is the best way to spend it? Bob Sulentic, CEO of the multibillion-dollar company CBRE explains why he deliberately leaves hours of his workday open for thinking, reading, and being available to his direct reports. That approach may not work for all CEOs. What’s important, explains BCG’s Jeff Hill, is that CEOs spend time thinking about time. An unexamined calendar is a missed opportunity to become a more effective leader.    Learn More:  For CEOs, It’s About Time: https://on.bcg.com/41ICUTf  Jeff Hill: https://on.bcg.com/4anotrx  Bob Sulentic: https://www.cbre.com/people/bob-sulentic 

As 2023 ends, people look to the new year to become the best version of themselves. Sreyssha George, an expert in technology and people for BCG, explains how to build your personal brand by choosing a role model, asking for feedback, and being open to change.  Learn More:  Sreyssha George: https://on.bcg.com/472Hqgn  This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

The human brain is constantly making associations between events, objects, and memories. David Ratajczak, global leader of BCG’s marketing practice, says companies can rely on this deep psychology to create positive associations with their brand. Campaigns no longer exist solely in big media where only large, established companies could afford them. Startups and small businesses can win mindshare against industry giants by investing in precision digital technology that takes advantage of these associations.       Learn More: Digital Marketing: https://on.bcg.com/3GzAe04 Capturing Mind Share with Precision Branding: https://on.bcg.com/3T6jMw0 This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

A promising $19 trillion has been put toward the energy transition. The bad news? We need $18 trillion more—and that’s just to reach 2030 goals. As the world gears up for COP28, the UN’s climate conference, Maurice Berns, chair of BCG’s Center for Energy Impact, explores how to close this gap.     Learn More:  Climate Vision 2050: Climate Vision 2050 (chtbl.com) Energy Transition: https://on.bcg.com/3RkyP40  Bridging the $18 Trillion Gap in Net Zero Capital: https://on.bcg.com/3R0Ki7b  A Blueprint for the Energy Transition: https://on.bcg.com/46uEvg4  This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Ahead of COP28, the UN’s climate conference, we explore the unique ways public-private partnerships help achieve sustainability goals. Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, CEO of Novo Nordisk; Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca; and Christine O’Brien, lead for BCG’s climate and sustainability practice in health care, discuss the projects and success of the Sustainable Markets Initiative Health Systems Task Force. The Task Force brings together global health leaders to enhance individual, societal, and planetary health. Together, they have launched sector-first commitments, actions, and recommendations to accelerate the delivery of net zero, patient-centric health systems.  Learn More:  https://www.sustainable-markets.org/taskforces/health-systems-taskforce/   For more about Pascal: https://www.astrazeneca.com/our-company/leadership.html# For more about Lars: https://www.novonordisk.com/about/executive-management/lars-fruergaard-jorgensen.html For more about Christine: https://on.bcg.com/3R9xbSJ) https://on.bcg.com/47KDWQp This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

It’s 2050 and we’re exploring how the world radically reduced carbon emissions and saved itself from climate catastrophe. What have our cities done to accommodate massive population growth? And how do businesses, governments, researchers and everyday people work together to build sustainable supply chains, agricultural practices and transportation infrastructure? This is Climate Vision 2050, a podcast series from BCG. In this episode, Nairobi’s green tech and innovation boom make it a 2050 powerhouse. That success comes with climate challenges that the city is addressing. Urban planner Bailey Muthoni lives in housing built from plastic waste and gets around on an electric motorbike. She stages a tactical urbanism intervention advocating for improved walkability around the city's parliament. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

We are closing in on the first anniversary of the public release of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and GPT-4. And yet the ever-changing field of human-machine collaboration remains poorly understood. François Candelon, global director of the BCG Henderson Institute, explains the findings of recent research that explores where AI work is more effective than people and where it isn’t.   Learn More:   https://on.bcg.com/3Sszzos  https://on.bcg.com/3u3jUBV  This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Downtowns were built for a 9-5 world that no longer exists. Santiago Ferrer, BCG’s North American lead for cities, real estate, and infrastructure development, says civic leaders have an opportunity and responsibility to rethink the best use of buildings, transportation systems, and other infrastructure.   Learn More:   https://on.bcg.com/46FFo6s  https://on.bcg.com/471A6lj  This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

A price is an expression of value and part of a conversation with customers. Jean-Manuel Izaret, BCG’s global leader of pricing, discusses the importance of designing a pricing strategy that creates value for customers and companies alike. Businesses must know when to leave money on the table and be careful to avoid prices so high they actually hamper sales. Jean-Manuel highlights seven pricing games companies should consider playing and other lessons to build pricing strategy from his new book, Game Changer. Learn More: https://on.bcg.com/3RT5A8Z This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Should the workplace of the future consist of a mostly in-office, remote, or hybrid model? Deborah Lovich, leader of BCG’s work on people strategy, argues we’re asking the wrong question entirely. Organizations should focus on creating productivity for themselves and joy for their employees. It will take more than a memo from the top to create this new working model. Time, resources, and strong managers are all necessary.    This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In 2015, the UN established Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030. In 2023, we are halfway there and have achieved only about 12% of those goals. Rich Hutchinson, global leader of BCG’s Social Impact practice, suggests that companies both can help achieve those goals and boost their bottom line. Organizations need to set ambitious goals. Leaders need to do more than treat ESG as a checklist. And governments can also provide incentives that encourage private sector innovation.   This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy