Impression (mis)management: the mistakes we make when we want to impress others. This is the topic of Övül Sezer’s research. She is an assistant professor of management and organizations at the Cornell School of Business. We explore why everyone engages in impression management, common mistakes like humblebragging and hiding success, and the balance between appearing warm versus competent. Övül explains how social media amplifies these challenges and how cultural differences shape self-promotion norms. And beyond her work in research, Övül shares an unexpected passion for stand-up comedy. This might be why she is able to read human beings so acutely!

Show notes:

• Övül Sezer - Cornell SC Johnson College of Business
• Article “Impression (mis)management: When what you say is not what they hear” by Övül Sezer
• Article “Humblebragging: A distinct—and ineffective—self-presentation strategy.” by Övül Sezer
• Book “Thinking, Fast and Slow“ by Daniel Kahneman
• Book “The Odyssey” by Homer
• Book “Humblebrag: The Art of False Modesty” by Harris Wittels

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Bernie Jaworski holds the Drucker Chair at Claremont's Drucker School and recently wrote “The Soul of Strategy”. Inspired by Peter Drucker's principle that organizations exist to create customers, Bernie critiques traditional strategy frameworks for neglecting customer centricity. He explores how companies lose customer focus as they scale, how AI accelerates insights generation, and why abandoning outdated practices is critical. The conversation also covers the risk of being overly customer-centric and concludes with a rapid-fire round highlighting Drucker's enduring management philosophy.

Show notes:

• Bernie Jaworski - Drucker School of Management
• Book “The Soul of Strategy” by Bernie Jaworski
• The “Organic Growth Playbook” by Bernie Jaworski
• Book “Why we buy” by Paco Underhill
• Video “Shopping cart Design process” by Ideo
• Joseph Schumpeter in Wikipedia

sylvainnewton.com/podcast

George Kohlrieser is a renowned IMD Leadership professor and former hostage negotiator. In this episode he shares compelling stories from his career, illustrating how principles from hostage negotiation, such as emotional bonding, managing grief, and honest communication, can transform leadership. The conversation explores the psychology behind high-performance leadership, the importance of secure relationships, and the need for empathy in today’s rapidly changing world. You will gain practical insights on handling conflict, organizational change, and the emotional challenges leaders face.

Show notes:

• George Kohlrieser – IMD Business school
• Book “Care to Dare” by George Kohlrieser
• Book “Hostage at the table” by George Kohlrieser
• Book “On becoming a leader” by Warren Bennis
• Gallup research on Hope
• High-Performance Leadership program at IMD

sylvainnewton.com/podcast