Thought Sparks Podcast

Insightful ideas, actionable suggestions, strategic thinking, Innovation and more with Rita Gunther McGrath, Columbia Business School Professor, Thinkers50 Top 10, #1 in Strategy. Join Rita and Listen to Thought Sparks!

Rita McGrath interviews Sangeet Choudary

Mar 17, 2026

Sangeet Choudary explores how AI transforms competitive strategy through systems thinking rather than traditional frameworks. Using the Maginot Line metaphor, he argues companies often build elegant solutions to obsolete problems. […]

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Rita McGrath interviews Christian Marcolli

Mar 10, 2026

Christian Marcolli shares insights from his book “Winning Match,” exploring how high-performance athletic coaching translates to business leadership. Drawing from his career-ending soccer injury and subsequent work with elite athletes […]

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Rita McGrath interviews Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic

Mar 3, 2026

Psychologist Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic challenges the authenticity movement, arguing that being yourself can be career-limiting. Success requires adapting behavior strategically. His book “Don’t Be Yourself” uses psychological research to show that […]

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Rita McGrath interviews Jose Marcilla

Feb 24, 2026

Jose Marcilla, Novartis executive and author of “Unlimited Leadership,” shares insights from 25 years leading teams across five countries. He advocates for humanistic leadership grounded in empathy, authenticity, and continuous […]

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Rita McGrath interviews Geoff Tuff & Steven Goldbach

Feb 17, 2026

Geoff Tuff and Steven Goldbach argue organizations must “detonate” legacy playbooks before inflection points force obsolescence. Their framework challenges conventional strategy—advocating for proactive self-disruption, treating change as continuous rather than […]

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Get to know Rita McGrath—professor at Columbia Business School, keynote speaker, best-selling author, and thought leader in strategy, innovation, and digital transformation.