"This is a self-inflicted wound on our economy," says former Congressman Ron Klein.

In this episode of C-Suite Perspectives, Steve Odland, CEO of The Conference Board, sits down with Klein to unpack the ongoing US government shutdown: what it really means, who it affects, and how it might end. Together, they explore the technical mechanics behind a shutdown, the political dynamics fueling it, and the ripple effects across the economy and private sector.

Executives should monitor the shutdown's downstream effects on consumer confidence, supply chains, and federal partnerships. Klein underscores that resolution will come—but the longer the impasse, the broader the economic and social toll.

For more from The Conference Board:

• US Consumer Confidence

• Navigating Washington