Stuck on a Problem? Try Switching Up Your Approach

Stuck on a Problem? Try Switching Up Your Approach

Author: Harvard Business Review February 6, 2024 Duration: 25:54
Many leaders confidently go about tackling challenges. After all, relying on their experience got them to where they are. But taking the same approach over and over again can actually hold you back. Sometimes you need to switch up your tactics to break through to the next level. Decision-making expert Cheryl Strauss Einhorn says the first step is to understand your personal problem-solving style. Then she explains a framework to assess the situation and select the best approach. Einhorn is founder and CEO of Decisive. She also wrote the book Problem Solver: Maximizing Your Strengths to Make Better Decisions and the HBR article “When Your Go-To Problem-Solving Approach Fails.”

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
Advice for Entrepreneurs from a Leading Venture Capitalist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:21
Scott Kupor, managing partner at Andreessen Horowitz, says there's a lot about navigating the venture capital world that entrepreneurs don't understand. Some can't figure out how to get in the door. Others fail to delive…
Understanding the Space Economy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:57
Sinéad O'Sullivan, entrepreneurship fellow at Harvard Business School, discusses how space is much more important to modern business than most people realize. It plays a role in making food, pricing insurance, and steeri…
Why It’s Time to Finally Worry about ESG [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:33
Robert Eccles, a visiting professor of management practice at Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford, says that the global investment community's interest in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues h…
How Having a Rival Improves Performance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:25
Adam Grant, organizational psychologist at The Wharton School, argues that individuals and companies alike can benefit from having rivals. He has studied sports and business rivalries and believes they often add up to mo…
Global Workers Are Ready for Retraining [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:53
Joseph Fuller, professor at Harvard Business School, says that the story we hear about workers being afraid for the future of their jobs might not be right. In surveying 11,000 people in lower-income and middle-skills jo…
HBR Presents: Cold Call [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:55
Harvard Business School's Brian Kenny is joined by professors to distill the school's legendary case studies into podcast form, giving listeners important takeaways they can use in their own businesses and careers. In th…
How China Is Upending Western Marketing Practices [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:45
Kimberly Whitler, assistant professor at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, believes the days of transplanting well-worn Western marketing practices into national markets may be numbered. She has resea…
What Managers Get Wrong About Feedback [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:17
Marcus Buckingham, head of people and performance research at the ADP Research Institute, and Ashley Goodall, senior vice president of leadership and team intelligence at Cisco Systems, say that managers and organization…
HBR Presents: Exponential View with Azeem Azhar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:50
Entrepreneur, investor, and podcast host Azeem Azhar looks at some of the biggest issues at the intersection of technology and society, with a focus this season on artificial intelligence. In this episode, he speaks with…
Avoiding the Expertise Trap [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:41
Sydney Finkelstein, professor at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, says that being the most knowledgeable and experienced person on your team isn't always a good thing. Expertise can steer you wrong in tw…