Hack The Future

Most of us believe inclusion is both the right thing to do and good for business. Then why are we so lousy at it? What steps will you take as a new year unfold to scale inclusion on purpose? Ruchika Tulshyan is the best-selling author of Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work which has been described as ’transformative’ by Dr Brené Brown. I met with Ruchika for a research-backed conversation at Hack Future Lab to learn more about her must-read new book. She explains why “leaning in” doesn't work—and dismantling structural bias does; warns against hiring for “culture fit,” arguing for “culture add” instead; and emphasizes the power of reading fiction books to build empathy. She says: “We’ll see more leaders being held accountable to diversity, equity and inclusion outcomes, with progress affecting bonuses and advancement opportunities for leaders. And new hires will evaluate work opportunities based on whether a company culture is inclusive or not.” Without inclusion, great ideas are lost, cultures decay and talent is wasted. My #1 takeaway is that leadership is inclusion. With this actionable book, Ruchika shows us how we can make progress toward inclusion and diversity - and why we must start now. 

To change the game you need to make game-changing moves. Yannick Theler is the CEO of games pioneer Savvy Games Studios (SGS) and the founder of Ubisoft UAE.Yannick is on a bold mission to create a world-leading games studio in Saudi Arabia, developing pioneering and inclusive games for global audiences. I met with Yannick in London to discuss his personal leadership philosophy from being a talent magnet and empowering others to scale to going big on learning, culture, thriving and teamwork. 

How do you turn leadership into a platform for trust, talent and innovation? Jens Holtinger is the EVP of Volvo Group Trucks Operations and a Group Executive Board member. Volvo Group is on a mission to lead the transition to decarbonised transport systems and has a long-term ambition to offer customer solutions that are 100% fossil free. Building this future requires the strategic courage of everyone at Volvo Group to turn volatility into a tailwind for widespread agility and bold transformation. I met with Jens to explore how he uniquely brings leadership, culture, and strategy to life by going big on trust over control, courage over conformity and learning over knowing. 

How do we make the most of the greatest global shift in the world of work for a century and radically redesign the way we work—forever? Professor Lynda Gratton is one of the foremost global thought-leaders on the future of work, named by ‘Business Thinkers 50’ as one of the top fifteen business thinkers and described as a ‘rock star’ author, teacher and writer. I met with Lynda to discuss what’s new and trending in the future of work from quiet quitting and burnout to jobs to care and friendships in her must-read new book Redesigning Work: How to Transform Your Organisation and Make Hybrid Work for Everyone What I learned is that we should not waste one of the biggest reframing moments of our lifetime because today’s work challenges can’t be solved with yesterday’s thinking. 

When it comes to social impact and social entrepreneurship should you Agitate, Innovate or Orchestrate? People from all walks of life yearn to do something that adds value to others and to be someone who makes a difference in their community and the world. As the founding Executive Director of Solve, an initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Alex Amouyel has built and oversees a fast-growing team whose mission is to drive innovation to solve our our most urgent challenges. I sat down with Alex to learn more about her and her game-changing new book The Answer Is You: A Guidebook to Creating a Life Full of Impact (Leadership Book, Change the Way You Think) The Answer is You inspires every person to BE the change and become part of Generation Solve: a new generation of bold thinkers and courageous doers.

In the last 2-years, everything changed. People changed. Technology changed. The office changed. Priorities changed. And the way we lead and work changed. Today, I’m thrilled to meet Jeff Schwartz, Founding Partner of Deloitte’s Future of Work Practice, VP of Insights and Impact at Gloat, the talent marketplace pioneers and co-author of Work Disrupted: Opportunity, Resilience, and Growth in the Accelerated Future of Work. During our conversation, we unpack new ways to adapt pace and mindset to the new world of work and discover why leaders should not waste the biggest reframing moment of their lifetimes. As Jeff says: "In order to change the game, you need to make game changing moves."

Einstein said that you can’t explore a new world with an old map. New contexts demand new conversations. So - what are the bravest conversations you will have this year? Today, I’m thrilled to meet Steve Hamilton-Clark. Steve is the Chief Coaching Officer at The Henka Institute and co-author of a great new book Conversation Secrets For Tomorrow’s Leaders: 21 Obvious Secrets Leaders Do Not Use Enough. Steve shows us that most of today’s leadership challenges are not because of technology. They’re because of sociology. And that’s why we need to stretch our conversations and make them count.

As another turbulent year starts, what better time for business leaders to step back from the noise and create some ‘white space’ to reflect on their wellbeing and what it might mean for leadership, resilience and future success. Wellbeing is a journey. We might not find the right path the first time. In fact, it’s something that is always changing, evolving as we adapt to the way our life journey throws us surprises, setbacks and fortune, pleasure and pain. Today, I’m delighted to meet Dr. Steven P. MacGregor who is the author of a must-read new book The Daily Reset: 366 Nudges To Move Your Life Forward. Dr. Macgregor shows us that to embrace a better future leaders can integrate wellbeing into their daily lives through the power of simple nudges and daily resets.. And if you don’t get it right today, simply reset. And go again tomorrow.

Where do great management ideas come from? From Reimagining Capitalism and Calling out Arrogant Leaders to Speak Up and Ecosystems Thinking, ideas with purpose have the power to change the world. Today, I’m delighted to join Stuart Crainer and Des Dearlove who are the co-founders of Thinkers50, a global platform and thriving community for recognising the very best in management thinking. In this exclusive recording to mark the twin milestones of the 20th anniversary of the first ever Thinkers50 ranking and this year’s Gala Awards on 15-16th November, Des and Stuart reflect on the Thinkers50 journey, its future plans and why today’s management challenges can’t be solved with yesterday’s thinking.