NBA Star Chris Paul on Mentorship and Taking a Stand

NBA Star Chris Paul on Mentorship and Taking a Stand

Author: Harvard Business Review June 20, 2023 Duration: 32:29
Most of us can point to a few key people who have made a real difference in our lives and careers - a family member, a coach, a boss. And many who get that kind of mentoring build on the lessons they learn to become leaders and role models themselves. Basketball star Chris Paul is a prime example. He had the support of a tight-knit family growing up, was mentored by a great coach in college, and as an NBA rookie looked to league veterans for guidance. Now, at age 38, he's the seasoned vet, a perennial All-Star across multiple teams who led the National Basketball Players Association from 2013 through the 2020 Covid-19 crisis and racial reckoning in the United States and is widely regarded as one of the best point guards of all time. Paul's new book is "Sixty-One: Life Lessons from Papa, On and Off the Court." Note: This episode was taped before the start of the 2023 NBA playoffs.

Each week, the HBR IdeaCast from Harvard Business Review sits down with experts whose ideas are shaping the world of work. This isn't about abstract theory; it's a conversation focused on practical insights for leaders, managers, and entrepreneurs navigating real challenges. You'll hear from scholars, CEOs, and innovators dissecting topics across management, marketing, and organizational strategy, translating complex research into actionable advice. The discussions get into the nuances of building effective teams, driving growth, making strategic decisions, and understanding the forces transforming industries. By tuning into this podcast, you gain access to the forefront of business thinking, a resource for anyone looking to sharpen their skills and lead more effectively. The consistent, in-depth dialogue provides a valuable perspective that goes beyond headlines, offering a deeper understanding of how to succeed in a competitive landscape. It's a direct line to the ideas that matter, presented through thoughtful conversation designed to provoke reflection and inspire change in your own professional approach.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

HBR IdeaCast
Podcast Episodes
How Those With Power and Privilege Can Help Others Advance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:24
Tsedale Melaku, sociologist at The Graduate Center, City University of New York, and David Smith, professor at the U.S. Naval War College, have been looking at the ways people with the most power in society and organizat…
Why Work-From-Anywhere Is Here to Stay [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:32
Prithwiraj (Raj) Choudhury, associate professor at Harvard Business School, was studying the growing work-from-anywhere movement long before the Covid-19 pandemic forced many more of us into virtual work. He says that mo…
The Fundamental Human Relationship with Work [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:55
James Suzman, an anthropologist and former executive, says one way to better understand the future of work is to learn from the history of it. He has studied an ancient hunter-gatherer society in Namibia and says our mod…
How to Build Workplaces That Protect Employee Health [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:49
John Macomber, senior lecturer at Harvard Business School and a veteran of the real estate industry, was studying ways to make workplaces safer for employees long before the Covid-19 crisis hit. Now that issues like air…
When Efficiency Goes Too Far [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:59
Roger Martin, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, says that for decades the U.S. corporate system has been obsessed with eliminating inefficiencies. There's a point, his researc…
The Subtle Art of Saying No [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:33
Bruce Tulgan, founder of the management training firm RainmakerThinking, says that the key to career success isn't only embracing opportunities; it's also declining projects, tasks, and requests for help so you create ti…
Cultivate a Trans-Inclusive Workplace [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:42
Katina Sawyer, assistant professor at the George Washington University, says transgender workers continue to be overlooked even as organizational diversity initiatives become more widespread. Her research shows that many…
Creating More Resilient Supply Chains [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:54
Willy Shih, professor at Harvard Business School, says that the complex, global, and just-in-time manufacturing processes we've developed in recent decades are highly susceptible to breakdowns, especially during a global…
To Build Grit, Go Back to Basics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:59
Shannon Huffman Polson, a consultant and former military pilot, experienced early on how to build grit. At 19, she was the youngest woman to summit Denali, North America’s highest peak. Then she overcame many obstacles t…
Why Work Friends are Worth It [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:40
Shasta Nelson, relationship expert and author, says that work friendships are critical to individual and organizational success but acknowledges that it's not always easy to build these personal -- but still professional…