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He explores how companies lose customer focus as they scale, how AI accelerates insights generation, and why abandoning outdated practices is critical.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

Summary:

In this episode of the Leadership Spark Podcast, Sylvain interviews Harvard professor Rakesh Khurana. Together they discuss about leadership, humility, and organizational culture. Drawing on personal stories and academic insights, Khurana explores the role of serendipity, the importance of adaptive and humble leadership, and the challenges facing modern institutions. He reflects on bureaucracy, the need for community and belonging, and the evolution of business education. The conversation highlights the value of courage, deep listening, and embracing discomfort as essential leadership qualities for navigating today’s complex world.

Show notes:

• Rakesh Khurana’s Faculty profile
• Book “Searching for a Corporate Savior: The Irrational Quest For Charismatic Ceos” by Rakesh Khurana
• Book “From Higher Aims to Hired Hands” by Rakesh Khurana
• Book “Inequality" by Christopher Jencks
• Book “The Strength of Weak Ties" by Mark Granovetter
• Book “Politics and Vision" by Sheldon Wolin
• The MBA Oath Initiative

sylvainnewton.com/podcast