Timothy Henry and Raj Sisodia interview Harvard professor and author Rebecca Henderson about her book Reimagining Capitalism in a World on Fire and why purpose-driven, multi-stakeholder firms can outperform yet remain hard to implement because they require deep investments in strategy, structure, and human systems.
Henderson connects climate change, inequality, and democratic erosion to shareholder primacy, arguing for stronger democratic institutions, reducing money in politics, and grassroots rebuilding of trust. She emphasizes leaders’ inner work, “kindness and math,” and the ability to disagree respectfully as foundations for high-trust, innovative organizations—especially important in an AI era. Henderson recounts her shift from engineering to organizational change and climate work, lessons from board service, and her teaching evolution from “Reimagining Capitalism” to “Reweaving Ourselves,” including the role of retreats in sustaining courageous leadership.
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- Timothy & Raj
- 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
- 01:25 Why Purpose Is Hard
- 06:06 Democracy and Money
- 11:57 Imagining a Better Future
- 16:18 Kindness and Math
- 20:49 Rebecca Academic Journey
- 24:10 Reforming Capitalism Rules
- 29:54 Boardroom Lessons
- 35:26 Win Win Mindset
- 36:22 Inner Work for Leaders
- 38:26 Trust as AI Advantage
- 40:43 Teaching Hope and Urgency
- 44:22 Silent Retreats and Renewal
- 48:46 Reweaving Ourselves Course
- 50:42 Changing the System from Within
- 55:50 Next Breakthrough for Conscious Capitalism
- 59:14 Rapid Fire Personal Questions
- 01:04:28 Closing Reflections and Farewell