Mohanbir Sawhney is the McCormick Foundation Professor of Technology and Clinical Professor of Marketing at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, and Director of the Center for Research in Technology & Innovation. A globally recognized authority on business innovation, digital marketing, product strategy, and AI, he has authored seven management books and more than 50 case studies, including The Sentient Enterprise, a Wall Street Journal bestseller. His work has appeared in Harvard Business Review, California Management Review, and Marketing Science, and he regularly contributes to Forbes, Fortune, and the Financial Times.
A pioneer in online executive education, Prof. Sawhney has created flagship programs such as Digital Marketing Strategies, Product Strategy, AI Strategies for Business Transformation, and the Kellogg Chief Product Officer Program, reaching over 36,000 executives in 120 countries. He advises Global 2000 companies and governments on innovation and digital transformation, with clients including Microsoft, Google, Salesforce, Adobe, Meta, SAP, Dell, Merck, and Vanguard. He holds a Ph.D. from the Wharton School, an MBA from IIM Calcutta, and a B.Tech. from IIT Delhi, and has received multiple teaching and alumni awards.
In this episode, Philip and co-host, Vera Gavrilovich, with guest Mohanbir Sawhney, discuss:
- Integrating values and mindfulness into professional life
- Transforming leadership through humility and learning
- Practicing mindful and human-led use of AI
- Staying relevant through curiosity and continuous learning
Lightbulb Moments:
- Mindfulness, values, and inner development belong in business and education because personal and professional life are inseparable. Performance is shaped by mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness, not productivity alone. Organizations that acknowledge the whole human create healthier cultures and more sustainable results.
- Lasting change comes from changing leaders and mindsets, not just tools, processes, or technology. The shift from “know-it-all” to “learn-it-all” leadership enables adaptability in fast-changing environments. Humility fuels growth, while arrogance blocks learning and innovation.
- AI should augment human judgment, not replace thinking or dictate decisions. Leaders must remain in charge of AI workflows by defining purpose, questioning outputs, and applying discernment. The strongest outcomes come from complementarity: human empathy and wisdom paired with machine scale and speed.
- Sustainable change is driven by small, consistent course corrections that compound over time. Because technology evolves faster than organizations can adapt, individuals must own their learning agenda. In an age flooded with answers, intellectual curiosity and asking better questions become the true advantage.
“In a world full of answers, what matters are the questions.” - Mohanbir Sawhney
Connect with Mohanbir Sawhney:
Website: https://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/academics-research/faculty/sawhney_mohanbir/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohansawhney/
Connect with Philip:
Website: https://www.fornarolaw.com/
Podcast Website: https://lbmpodcast.com/
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Connect with Vera Gavrilovich:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/veragavrilovich
Previous Episode: https://lbmpodcast.com/igniting-growth-through-energy-innovation-and-leadership-with-vera-gavrilovich/
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