Leading Transformational Change with Tobias Sturesson

"We need to invite in the critics. We need to open our doors. We need to listen to them." Join your host, Tobias Sturesson, and his guest, Bob Langert, for this episode on The Leading Transformational Change podcast. In this fascinating and helpful conversation, you will learn how Bob Langert, former VP of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability at McDonald's, shifted from fighting the company's critics to a posture of listening and even collaborating with organizations like Greenpeace and the Environmental Defense Fund to bring change to the company and to the food industry at large. A practice that could be vital to building a culture of trust, purpose and integrity, but that Bob believes is seldom utilized. Bob Langert led McDonald's Corporate Social Responsibility & Sustainability efforts for more than twenty-five years before retiring in 2015. Currently, he is a columnist and editor-at-large for the GreenBiz Group and Senior Sustainability Advisor for The Context Network, the premier global and agribusiness consulting firm in advancing agriculture. He has been engaged in social responsibility issues at a global level since the late 1980s, leading environmental affairs, animal welfare, and Ronald McDonald Children's Charities' grants. He was appointed McDonald's first vice president to lead sustainability in 2006. In 2007, Langert was named as one of the 100 Most Influential in Business Ethics by Ethisphere. His first book, The Battle To Do Good: Inside McDonald's Sustainability Journey, was published in January 2019. Duration: 50:02

“The best organizations encourage people to work together in teams and groups of people, promoting benefits that can be conferred on other parties – where the benefits are of considerable significance – to not just the customers and those organizations, but society and the natural world at large. That is what we need to be seeking from the organizations that we are creating, throughout the economies and nation-states in which we're operating, to help us address the problems that we're facing.” What does it take for an organization to deliver its purpose? How can we move from nice-sounding statements to putting our purpose into practice? In this fascinating conversation with Professor Colin Mayer, we explore what the best organizations are doing. We also discuss the role of trust and relationships in business, lessons from the financial crisis, how we can communicate trust – and Colin’s definitions of ‘Sin-integrity’ vs. ‘Saint-tegrity’. Colin Peter Mayer is a Professor of Management Studies at the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford, and is the author of ‘Prosperity’ and ‘Putting Purpose Into Practice’. He is also a Professorial Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and an Honorary Fellow of Oriel College and St Anne's College, Oxford. In 2017, he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to business education and the administration of justice in the economic sphere. Duration: 55:13

Our host Tobias Sturesson greets us with some exciting updates on Season 4, launching August 19. We have a number of wonderful, insightful, inspiring, and challenging conversations lined up. Don't miss it!

"I've seen many examples of management by fear in organizations. People become so much less than they could be. Many managers think they are making things happen, but the opposite actually happens - people become less active and take less initiative." Join your host, Tobias Sturesson, and his guest, Louise Bringselius, for this episode on The Leading Transformational Change podcast. In this informative and engaging conversation, you will learn how trust can be an organizational operating system that can transform the way we operate. This episode discusses how organizations often approach values and corporate culture in a way that diminishes trust in organizations, and practical examples of restoring trust within organizational culture. Louise Bringselius is a researcher, lecturer, and author. She heads the Institute for Public Affairs within the Department of Business Adminstration at Lund University, Sweden. Previously, Louise has been the Head of Research at the Swedish Government Commission for Trust-Based Public Management, specializing in the role of trust within the public sector. She is the author of multiple books on trust, culture, and values. Duration: 41:50

"As much as you feel you're trying to do the right thing, the unforseen implications just knock you from every side." Join your host, Tobias Sturesson, and his guests, Bianca Goodson and Mary Inman, for this episode on The Leading Transformational Change podcast. In this vulnerable and compelling conversation, you will learn how most whistleblowers report internally first, without being heard, before choosing to blow the whistle. This episode discusses how organizations can create environments where red flags are addressed instead of hidden. Bianca Goodson served as the CEO of Trillian Management, a South-African consulting firm and a subsidiary of Trillian Capital. In 2017, she blew the whistle on Trillian, which uncovered vast corruption in both government and private sectors. Mary Inman is a lawyer and partner in Constantine Cannon’s London Office. She launched the firm's international whistleblower practice and specializes in representing whistleblowers worldwide under American reward programs. Mary is a recognized expert and frequent author and speaker on areas related to the application of the American whistleblower laws internationally and the use of whistleblower laws worldwide. Duration: 46.09

"We have created contexts where so many everyday behaviors are seen as requiring courage." Join your host, Tobias Sturesson, and his guest, Jim Detert, for this episode on The Leading Transformational Change podcast.    Their informative conversation focuses on how we can learn to be competently courageous in our workplaces, but also why leaders should never encourage courage but instead create an atmosphere where speaking and standing up is the safest thing in the world.   Jim Detert is the John L. Colley Professor of Business Administration in the Leadership and Organizational Behavior area at the University of Virginia's Darden Graduate School of Business Administration and a Professor of Public Policy at the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Jim's research focuses on workplace courage, improvement-oriented voice (why people speak up or stay silent at work), ethical decision-making and behavior, and other leadership-related topics. He is a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review, and the author of the book Choosing Courage: The Everyday Guide to Being Brave at Work, published by Harvard Business Review Press.   Duration: 54.20

"Being curious is a skill, which more people would practice if it was actually referred to as a skill." Join your host, Tobias Sturesson, and his guest, Francesca Gino, for this episode on The Leading Transformational Change podcast. During their fascinating conversation, Francesca shares about ethics, culture, leadership, and authenticity. Be inspired by her insatiable curiosity and passion for creating more human, more diverse, and more ethical workplaces. Francesca Gino is an award-winning researcher who focuses on why people make the decisions they do at work, and how leaders and employees have more productive, creative and fulfilling lives. She is the Tandon Family Professor of Business Administration in the Negotiation, Organizations & Markets Unit at Harvard Business School and the author, most recently, of Rebel Talent: Why it Pays to Break the Rules in Work and Life. Gino is also affiliated with the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, the Mind, Brain, Behavior Initiative at Harvard, and the Behavioral Insight Group at Harvard Kennedy School. She co-chairs HBS Executive Education programs on Behavioral Economics and Driving Profitable Growth. Duration: 51:08

Ed and Peter Schein, experts in culture change and leadership, discuss the importance of humble leadership, building healthy cultures, and understanding subcultures within an organization. They highlight the misconception of culture change and the impact of leaders' actions on shaping organizational culture. Strategies for humility as leaders and the significance of relationships in addressing issues are also explored.

"Instead of trying to solve it yourself, give tasks to duos and tell them to solve it - make it clear what mandate they have!" Join your host, Tobias Sturesson, and his guest, Maria Deckeman, for this episode on The Leading Transformational Change podcast. During their highly informative conversation, Maria discusses what she has learned about facilitating collaboration, creating a shared identity, and developing professional judgment. Be inspired by Maria's insights into the role of leaders and the role of managers, and the concept of dynamic duos. Maria Deckeman is a Leadership and Organisational Development Specialist at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, one of the world’s foremost medical universities with over 5000 employees. Maria is the Process Manager for Core Values and Organisational Culture, Strategy 2030. Maria is currently co-authoring a book on the power of the duo dynamic. Duration: 49:53

"If you assume that no news is good news, then you're dangerous." Join your host Tobias Sturesson and his guest, Ron Carucci, for this episode on The Leading Transformational Change podcast.  During their lively conversation, Ron discusses how the world’s most successful organizations are leading with the Power of Truth, Justice, and Purpose. Be inspired by Ron's insights into how our organizations can and should be a place where people can find purpose, dignity, and belonging.  Ron has a 30-year track record of helping organizations adopt strategies that lead to accelerated growth, and designing programs to execute those strategies. He is also a two-time TED speaker and the best-selling author of eight books, including the recent Amazon #1 Rising to Power.  Ron's new book To Be Honest: Lead with the Power of Truth, Justice and Purpose is available for pre-order on Amazon. Duration: 36:30