Alexander (Alex) Lyon is a professor of communication at the State University of New York, an author and a YouTube content creator.

Also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRKNGF95rN0

CHAT OUTLINE [03:38] To what extent interventions on leaders’ communication can actually change their mindset?

[08:29] What’s the biggest challenge that prevents leaders from changing their communication style?

[11:23] How long does it take for a leader to see substantial change in their communication style?

[13:03] Is letting others know that you are working on your communication style any useful?

[15:23] Tips for facilitation

[19:20] Tips for situations where the person we talk to is in fight mode

[22:30] Is leaving difficult conversations an option?

[25:05] Why communication is often not in the business school curriculum

[29:04] Advice for educators who are considering to start using YouTube

[35:15] Success as an educator-YouTuber

MENTIONED SOURCES

Mirivel, J. C., & Lyon, A. (2023). Positive Communication for Leaders. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers: https://www.amazon.com/Positive-Communication-Leaders-Strategies-Inspiring/dp/1538167611

Communication Coach Alexander Lyon (YouTube channel): https://www.youtube.com/@alexanderlyon

Alex Lyon's Linkedin page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexlyoncommunicationcoach/

Communication Coach Academy: https://www.alexanderlyon.com/ Supports Alex's videos: https://www.patreon.com/alexfergnani

Henry Mintzberg is a management educator and writer. He is currently Cleghorn Professor of Management Studies at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He authored 20 books and received 21 honorary doctorate degrees. He is one of the most influential management thinkers of all times.

Also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1_GjzfOkKqA

CHAT OUTLINE

[02:38] Henry's latest book "Understanding Organizations...Finally!"

[07:06] The value of lumps (organizational archetypes) for the practitioners who do not see it

[10:36] What has changed in Henry's ideas about strategy over the past few decades

[13:08] Strategy & serendipity

[15:29] Can scenarios help us to determine/improve strategy from the futures in the same way synthesis of experience helps us to determine/improve strategy from the past?

[20:02] Isn't scenario planning a prediction of several possibilities?

[22:58] Henry's ideas about the “obsession with theory” in management research and the detachment of PhD programs in management from management practice

[30:00] Advice for business schools' deans on ways out of the problems in management education

[34:43] Henry's work on rebalancing society: guidelines for policymakers

[41:13] Canoeing and the view of the lake out of Henry's house

MENTIONED SOURCES

Mintzberg, H. (2023). Understanding Organizations...Finally!: Structure in Sevens: https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Organizations-Finally-Structure-Sevens/dp/1523000058

Mintzberg, H. (2023). Is serendipity serendipitous?: upcoming

Mintzberg, H. (2015). Rebalancing Society: Radical Renewal Beyond Left, Right, and Center: https://www.amazon.com/Rebalancing-Society-Radical-Renewal-Beyond-ebook/dp/B00NJ2HIO2?ref_=ast_author_dp

Rebalancing society website: https://rebalancingsociety.org/

Henry's personal website: https://mintzberg.org/

Henry’s YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@Mintzberg141?si=4bDiEgXxgMn2LXIb

Henry's LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrymintzberg/

Supports Alex's videos: https://www.patreon.com/alexfergnani

Nicolai J. Foss is a professor of strategy at the Copenhagen Business School. He is a prolific contributor to the research literature in management and is one of the world's most cited management scholars. He is mainly interested in the organizational and individual-level aspects of processes of creating and capturing value.

Also available in video format on YouTube: https://youtu.be/QgKJOuJ1uNM

CHAT OUTLINE

[02:58] Can you give us a quick introduction to your recent book “Why Managers Matter: The perils of the Bossless Company”, with Peter Klein?

[10:21] Mark 1 and Mark 2 authority and how the bossless company narrative confuses them

[15:14] The bossless company narrative in in high power distance contexts and its psychological costs

[17:15] When does the bossless company actually work?

[23:23] The bossless company narrative in highly turbulent/highly uncertain environments

[25:14] The deeper epistemological and political values behind the bossless company narrative

[31:20] The bossless company narrative and postmodernism

[34:03] Why do companies go woke?

[36:16] The public response to Nicolai's work on bossless company and wokeness

[40:10] Why do business schools do so little research on sensitive themes such as wokeness and capitalism?

[44:52] What are the biggest problems in management research?

[54:52] Lighthearted closing question: What is your experience as a business school professor in Bocconi (Italy)?

MENTIONED SOURCES

Foss, N. J., & Klein, P. G. (2022). Why Managers Matter: The Perils of the Bossless Company: https://www.amazon.com/Why-Managers-Matter-Bossless-Company/dp/1541751043

Wulf, J. (2012). The Flattened Firm—Not as Advertised: https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/the-flattened-firmnot-as-advertised

Hamel, G. & Zanini, M. (2016). Excess Management Is Costing the U.S. $3 Trillion Per Year: https://hbr.org/2016/09/excess-management-is-costing-the-us-3-trillion-per-year

Foss, N. J., & Klein, P. G. (2022). Why Do Companies Go Woke? Academy of Management Perspectives: https://journals.aom.org/doi/10.5465/amp.2021.0201

Commentaries (and rejoinder) to the book on the Journal of Organizational Design: https://link.springer.com/journal/41469/volumes-and-issues/12-1

Heterodox Academy: https://heterodoxacademy.org

Audio by Bensound

Affiliated with the journal Futures & Foresight Science: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/25735152

Support Alex's videos: https://www.patreon.com/alexfergnani