Longitudes Radio

As people around the world live longer and healthier lives, how will companies adjust their strategies to delight aging customers who carry more purchasing power than ever before?

Not enough business leaders have the answer to that question, argues Joe Coughlin, Director of MIT’s AgeLab, a multidisciplinary research program that works to improve the quality of life for older people and those who care for them.

In a two-part conversation, Coughlin examines the ripple effects of a global society transitioning from a mindset of sickness prevention to the pursuit of daily wellness. 

Chris Cassidy, UPS President of Global Healthcare Logistics Strategy, is spearheading the company’s efforts to innovate across the healthcare and life sciences sector by enhancing specialized end-to-end supply chain services.

He joins the conversation to offer UPS’s perspective on the future of healthcare — including the rise of telemedicine and what this means for the role of the delivery driver — and question Coughlin about the most pressing changes across the industry.

They ponder the definition of “old,” dig into the delivery of a next-level healthcare experience and explore the future of retirement itself.

We’re all getting older. But we’re not settling for age-old solutions. Businesses must adapt to thrive in the longevity economy.

We’re living in uncertain times.

From Brexit to the rise of populism around the world, many are wondering what’s next for global institutions as we know them.

What about the state of free trade and transatlantic cooperation? Where does Asia fit into the equation? And how do we account for technologies like artificial intelligence?

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger knows a thing or two about the consequences of uncertainty. As the top U.S. diplomat under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford (1973-1977), he faced some of the most consequential foreign policy decisions of the 20th Century.

The elder statesman left an undeniable mark on history. But what does he think about where we stand today and the challenges that lie ahead?

For those answers and more, Karl Kaiser, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Center for International Security and Governance and Professor Emeritus at the Harvard Kennedy School, chatted with Secretary Kissinger in honor of the 200th anniversary of the University of Bonn in Germany.

How we do business today isn’t how we’ll do business even a year from now.

As a result of this whirlwind disruption, adaptability has become the most valuable currency in the world of business. Put another way: Successful leaders must think and act like a chameleon.

In this episode of Longitudes Radio, a trio of industry experts chat with the BBC’s Samantha Simmonds about the importance of adaptive leadership and explore the most consequential changes rippling up and down global supply chains.

Holly Tucker, co-founder of online marketplace Not on the High Street, joins business development guru Roger Flynn and UPS’S Richard Currie for an insightful conversation loaded with practical advice for those weighing how best to navigate the breakneck pace of international commerce.

As the experts point out, you can’t simply dump money into the latest technologies – the tech arms race comes with a price.

As Tim Brown sees it, the great problem for organizations today is they struggle to think far enough into the future.

That’s because they don’t have the ecosystem or the people in place to anticipate where the world is heading. But the CEO and President of IDEO is bringing together leaders from different backgrounds, industries and life experiences to tackle our greatest challenges. 

Whether it’s the circular economy, urban mobility or healthcare – or enabling technologies like Artificial Intelligence or blockchain – we need global thinkers to come to the table with actionable solutions.

CoLab, IDEO’s platform for collaborative impact, does just that. It connects organizations to shape technology’s influence, providing a learning laboratory to design a world more responsive to citizens – wherever they reside. 

In part two of this conversation on design thinking (you can listen to part one here), Tim talks about CoLab, as well as the building blocks for effective collaboration. He shares insights on how best to release the power of imagination. He explains why words alone are never enough.

And lastly, he answers the burning question: What is the one problem he most wants to solve? 

Editor’s note: David Lee, Vice President of Innovation and UPS Ventures, joins the podcast to help interview Tim. David is also a design thinking “disciple.” 

When you hear the name Tim Brown (not the football player), the words design thinking are likely to follow.

As a leading influencer of the design thinking movement, Tim encourages companies to solve problems primarily through the lens of what people need. In other words, Tim wants us all to think more like designers.

In this episode of Longitudes Radio, kicking off a two-part series, the CEO and President of IDEO argues that big ideas aren’t the exclusive domain of “creative” types, saying the most effective organizations are those that give their people the permission to be creative – and even fail.

And the best leaders, Tim says, ask questions all the time, always wondering what their teams can do better and how they can unlock the potential in their people.

Given the rate of change and disruption in the world, global solutions require the active engagement and participation of agile team members, those who are willing to learn first and foremost from the customers they serve, Tim says.

He also discusses some common problem-solving pitfalls such as thinking too short term, falling into monotonous routines and giving up as soon as somebody questions your idea.

As Tim points out, a great idea doesn’t mean a whole lot … unless you’re able to put it into action – and meet an actual need. Ultimately, that’s what design thinking is all about.