As a former McKinsey senior partner in charge of the Strategy practice and as Professor at HEC in Paris, Olivier is Sibony is both an Academic and practitioner of Strategy and Decision making. In his book “Noise”, co-authored with the Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman, Olivier explains how "noise", random variability in human judgment, causes significant decision-making errors alongside bias. He explores noise types, its organizational impact, and reduction strategies. Our conversation also examines AI's limitations in eliminating noise, the importance of human accountability, and leadership qualities needed in an increasingly automated world.

Show notes:

• Olivier Sibony – Personal website
• Book „Noise“, by Daniel Kahneman, Oliver Sibony and Cass Sunstein
• Book “Thinking, Fast and Slow“ by Daniel Kahneman
• Book “Leadership Intelligence” by Caroline Webb
• Book “Faut-il encore decider?” by Oliver Sibony and Eric Hazan

sylvainnewton.com/podcast

Paul Saunders is a global leadership expert and adjunct professor at INSEAD. We discuss how cultural diversity in teams can drive high performance when managed deliberately through inclusion. Paul distinguishes between organizational culture (a stable "house") and climate (adjustable "rooms" shaped by leaders), emphasizing that leaders influence 60-80% of team climate, which directly impacts performance. The conversation also covers innovation, virtual team dynamics, and the importance of building trust and community.

Show notes:

• Paul Saunders LinkedIn profile
• Paul Saunders Insead Faculty profile
• Book “The Happiness Advantage” by Shawn Achor
• Book “Design Love In” by Marcus Buckingham
• The Nancy Adler curve about effectiveness in multicultural teams
• Team questionnaire “View”
• Innovation questionnaire “SOQ”

sylvainnewton.com/podcast

Impression (mis)management: the mistakes we make when we want to impress others. This is the topic of Övül Sezer’s research. She is an assistant professor of management and organizations at the Cornell School of Business. We explore why everyone engages in impression management, common mistakes like humblebragging and hiding success, and the balance between appearing warm versus competent. Övül explains how social media amplifies these challenges and how cultural differences shape self-promotion norms. And beyond her work in research, Övül shares an unexpected passion for stand-up comedy. This might be why she is able to read human beings so acutely!

Show notes:

• Övül Sezer - Cornell SC Johnson College of Business
• Article “Impression (mis)management: When what you say is not what they hear” by Övül Sezer
• Article “Humblebragging: A distinct—and ineffective—self-presentation strategy.” by Övül Sezer
• Book “Thinking, Fast and Slow“ by Daniel Kahneman
• Book “The Odyssey” by Homer
• Book “Humblebrag: The Art of False Modesty” by Harris Wittels

sylvainnewton.com/podcast