By Cosmic Centaurs
The podcast currently has 69 episodes available.
In the closing session of The Cosmic Conference, Marilyn Zakhour is joined by Jose Santos, Affiliated Professor of Practice in Global Management at INSEAD, to explore the intricate art of managing polarities in leadership.
Jose challenges conventional wisdom, shedding light on the importance of distinguishing true polarities—those interdependent tensions that sustain systems—from false dichotomies or oversimplified trade-offs. Through rich examples, he delves into situations where polarity thinking fails, such as contexts demanding radical decisions or cases where the interplay of whole systems and their parts is misunderstood.
The conversation also addresses how leaders can integrate systemic and multilevel thinking into their strategies to avoid oversimplification and foster long-term resilience. Jose reflects on the global implications of polarity thinking, offering insights into governance, innovation, and managing cultural diversity in multinational enterprises.
Jose Santos is an Affiliated Professor of Practice in Global Management.
After spending 20 years in the managerial world, Joe moved from Italy to INSEAD and devoted himself to scholarly work, a dream from his youth.
Joe’s research and teaching focuses on the management of multinational enterprise, particularly on the management of global integration, and global innovation.
In this episode of the Cosmic Conference series, Marilyn Zakhour unpacks how organizations can thrive by mastering the inherent polarities that define modern leadership. Drawing lessons from iconic case studies, such as Fujifilm and Kodak, Marilyn explores how strategy, structure, and culture can be aligned to build resilient, ambidextrous organizations that navigate complexity with grace.
Tune in to learn:
🎧 Dive deeper into the stories of Fujifilm and Kodak on previous episodes of Centaur Stage:
Join us for a keynote with #Burnout Research & Coach Matt Bartlett-Bond MSc GMBPsS who shares his insights and research about burnout with CEO & Founder, Marilyn Zakhour.
Matt is a key contributor to a global research initiative focused on understanding workplace burnout and promoting healthier behaviors to drive sustainable growth.
With nearly 30 years of experience in the IT sector, he offers a unique perspective on how management practices impact individual well-being and organizational outcomes.
In 2019, he pursued an MSc in Occupational and Organisational Psychology at the University of Surrey, studying the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on workplace dynamics, highlighting the importance of communication, empathy, and self-care in preventing burnout and fostering resilience.
Matt's expertise and research-backed insights make him a valuable resource for organizations aiming to improve employee well-being and long-term success.
Join us for a keynote and discussion with Executive Coach and Partner at Cultivating Leadership Gayle Karen Young Whyte as she explores the essential polarities organizations face in shaping their strategies and culture. Discover how to effectively leverage these tensions to foster an organization that thrives.
Gayle Karen Young is a cultural architect and a catalyst for human and organizational development. She comes from a rich organizational consulting background with both corporate and nonprofit clients.
She was in the process of becoming a Zen monk when she became an executive instead, taking on the role of Chief Culture and Talent Officer at the Wikimedia Foundation (CHRO for Wikipedia and its sister free-knowledge projects) until early 2015 when she joined Cultivating Leadership.
Our guests Ayoub Semaan and Janine Weber-el Meouchy offer a new approach to leading organizational change in today's complex and unpredictable world, moving beyond traditional change management tools to leverage relational skills, systemic thinking, and facilitation techniques.
Janine is the Executive Director of Teach For Lebanon, where she leads efforts to drive educational impact in the region. With degrees in Politics and Sociology and Education for Sustainable Development, Janine has extensive experience in NGO leadership, human rights, and strategic development regionally and internationally. Her passion for development extends to co-founding youth and environmental initiatives and chairing an NGO for children with disabilities.
Ayoub is an Executive Coach and Partner at Cultivating Leadership, where he designs development programs for executives and boards across the GCC, Europe, the US, and South Asia. Ayoub holds an MBA from Stanford, a Master’s in Energy Economics, and an Engineering degree from Ecole Polytechnique. Ayoub is also Chairing the board of Teach For Lebanon and an Executive Director at Shumuly
Join Marilyn Zakhour for the opening keynote of the 2024 #CosmicConference, as she explores how exceptional leaders navigate the complexities of today's landscape by embracing polarities at the individual, team, and organizational levels.
In this episode, we delve into Nokia's incredible rise and dramatic fall. Once a global leader with 40% of the market share, Nokia connected 1.5 billion people and led the mobile industry. But what caused this giant to crumble?
Join Marilyn as she explores the pivotal moments that defined Nokia's journey, from groundbreaking innovations to missed opportunities in the smartphone era. Discover how internal conflicts, poor strategic decisions, and a stifling culture of fear led to Nokia's downfall.
Learn valuable lessons from Nokia's story and gain insights into the deeper organizational issues that can make or break a company. Whether you're a tech enthusiast or a business professional, this episode offers a profound exploration of Nokia's legacy.
Tune in for an engaging narrative on the rise and fall of Nokia. Visit www.CosmicCentaurs.com for more content on leadership and organizational development, and subscribe to our newsletters for the latest updates.
In Episode 7 of Centaur Stage Season 3, "Taking the Film Out of Fujifilm," host Marilyn Zakhour delves into the captivating story of Fujifilm's transformation under the visionary leadership of Shigetaka Komori.
As the digital era threatened to render traditional photographic film obsolete, Komori spearheaded a radical overhaul of Fujifilm's business model, shifting focus from its core film products to new markets in healthcare, cosmetics, and more. This episode explores how strategic foresight, innovation, and a strong corporate culture enabled Fujifilm to not only survive but thrive amidst industry upheaval.
Join us for this deep dive into Fujifilm’s inspiring journey from crisis to innovation, and learn how bold leadership can steer a company through turbulent times.
Sandra Salame is the founder of Siira, a mental wellbeing platform that provides emotional support through harnessing the power of communities to overcome day to day struggles. Siira aims to educate and empower individuals, businesses and governments by providing them with the tools and knowledge needed to effectively solve wellbeing challenges and achieve personal and professional goals.
Sandra joined us as part of our Make it Count campaign to discuss nurturing well-being during uncertain times. Along with Marilyn Zakhour, she explored common emotions & behaviors during times of crisis, strategies to cope with uncertainty, and how to create a safe space for employees.
Jose Santos joined us for the 4th year in a row for our closing session to talk about the role that time plays in leading organizations that deliver in our closing session.
Jose is an Affiliated Professor of Practice in Global Management. After spending 20 years in the managerial world, Joe moved from Italy to INSEAD and devoted himself to scholarly work, a dream from his youth. Jo’s research and teaching focuses on the management of multinational enterprise, particularly on the management of global integration, and global innovation.
The podcast currently has 69 episodes available.