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TED Business

TED Business

TED 317 Episodes Jul 20, 2026

TED Business is a weekly podcast that applies TED Talks to business challenges, from career advancement to innovation. Host Modupe Akinola of Columbia Business School introduces a talk and then offers a mini-lesson on how to apply its ideas in your own professional life. The show aims to provide actionable insights for navigating the evolving business world.

Episodes

A simple solution to fix workplace miscommunication | Melissa M. Mikus
A simple solution to fix workplace miscommunication | Melissa M. Mikus Jul 20, 2026 13:11 Leadership expert Melissa M. Mikus breaks down why most workplace friction isn't about personality clashes or bad intentions — it's about not knowing how to effectively communicate. Her solution? A small, visible and easy tweak that anyone can implement right away. Then after the talk, Modupe shares some questions to get you started. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The counterintuitive secret of leadership | Jessica Kriegel
The counterintuitive secret of leadership | Jessica Kriegel Jul 13, 2026 15:47 Control is an illusion — and the leaders who chase it are holding their teams back. Workplace culture expert Jessica Kriegel explores the tactic that leaders who want to achieve extraordinary results should try instead. After, Modupe challenges listeners to reflect on what's something they can surrender in their lives? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How to give feedback that lands | Renee St Jacques
How to give feedback that lands | Renee St Jacques Jul 6, 2026 16:04 Most managers give feedback. Few give feedback that actually works. Drawing on her background in psychology and executive coaching, Renee St Jacques breaks down what so many well-intentioned leaders get wrong — and introduces a three-part framework to help teams rebuild trust and perform at their best. After the talk, Modupe shares her best practices for giving feedback. Hosted on Acast. See acast
Why the smartest person in the room is asking the “dumb” questions with Molly Graham
Why the smartest person in the room is asking the “dumb” questions with Molly Graham Jun 29, 2026 31:30 One of our favorite TED talks on TED Business is from company builder Molly Graham. She’s also the new host of WorkLife with Molly Graham, another podcast from TED. Modupe sits down with Molly at TED2026 to talk about her journey from Facebook to giving her first TED Talk to now joining TED as a podcaster. Molly shares how she quietens her inner critic whom she affectionately calls “Bob the Monste
Why you should stop chasing your “dream job” (w/ Emily the Recruiter) | from Fixable
Why you should stop chasing your “dream job” (w/ Emily the Recruiter) | from Fixable Jun 22, 2026 44:30 Does your “dream job” really exist? You may know Emily Durham as Emily the Recruiter on social media, where she shares practical, refreshingly honest career advice and coaches people through the biggest professional decisions of their lives. Emily doesn’t believe in the idea of a dream job. In this episode, she joins Anne to make the case for the “awake job” that actively fits into your purpose, l
Is inviting everyone to the meeting holding back global cooperation? | Qahir Dhanani
Is inviting everyone to the meeting holding back global cooperation? | Qahir Dhanani Jun 15, 2026 13:55 International collaboration expert Qahir Dhanani makes the case for rebuilding public trust in broken institutions by embracing small, focused coalitions that can move faster and act bolder — offering a hopeful, practical vision for updating diplomacy to meet the world’s toughest challenges. Then, Modupe shares why it's useful to identify "coalitions of the willing,” in your own workplace. Hosted
Why the world is still not built for women | Virginia Santy
Why the world is still not built for women | Virginia Santy Jun 8, 2026 16:42 Design consultant Virginia Santy set out to create an office space built specifically for women, flipping the script on the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways that workplaces and cities still fail them. The results were striking: greater productivity, deeper collaboration and an environment where women felt genuinely valued, leading her to ask a simple question: What would the world look like if we d
The surprising origins of Southwest Airlines with Jacob Goldstein
The surprising origins of Southwest Airlines with Jacob Goldstein Jun 1, 2026 25:41 In this special TED Business episode, Modupe is in conversation with Jacob Goldstein, reporter and co-host of the Business History podcast, to dig into the origin story ofSouthwest Airlines. From debunking the airline's founding myth, about a triangular route sketched on a napkin to discussing why Southwest chose to only fly Boeing 737s, Jacob shares the decisions that made Southwest stand ou
The secret to making the right career decisions with Patty Stonesifer | from WorkLife with Molly Graham
The secret to making the right career decisions with Patty Stonesifer | from WorkLife with Molly Graham May 25, 2026 39:16 You might think the biggest, most prestigious job is always the right career move. Patty Stonesifer — founding CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and an early Amazon board member — says that’s exactly the wrong way to decide what to do next. So what should guide your career? In this episode, Patty joins Molly to share the nine-word personal mission statement she’s used for decades to f
3 things I wish I knew when I was broke | Vivian Tu
3 things I wish I knew when I was broke | Vivian Tu May 18, 2026 27:27 Finance doesn't have to feel like a foreign language. Wall Street trader-turned-financial educator Vivian Tu helps millions of people make sense of money, breaking down complex concepts into everyday terms you can understand. She shares how she broke free from the stress of living paycheck to paycheck — and explores how we can shift power structures to give everyone a real shot at building wealth.
How displaced people are driving local economies | Julienne Oyler
How displaced people are driving local economies | Julienne Oyler May 11, 2026 12:04 The number of forcibly displaced people across the world is on the rise. While aid systems often focus on providing basic necessities like food and shelter, Julienne Oyler and her team at the nonprofit Inkomoko have a more ambitious plan: invest in refugee entrepreneurs in order to help them build their businesses, uplift their communities and gain access to financial services. She describes how d
4 relationship traps that lead to burnout | Eric Quintane
4 relationship traps that lead to burnout | Eric Quintane May 4, 2026 20:35 Are your workplace relationships quietly burning you out? Drawing on large-scale research across industries, organizational behavior researcher Eric Quintane reveals four hidden relational traps woven into the fabric of work — and explores how connection shapes resilience, vulnerability and burnout. After, Modupe shares her trick for finding new people to talk to and how she strikes up the convers

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