Building Bridges Podcast


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Building Bridges is a podcast that asks important questions about the future of business. Using a lively, group discussion format,  guests go beyond the ‘what’ of an issue to also explore why, so what, and what if.

The podcast is hosted by SkyBridge founder and managing partner James Millar.

Ep 28 – Why is it important for professionals to write well? Part 2
Ep 28 – Why is it important for professionals to write well? Part 2

Good writing is not complicated. As one guest notes, ‘it’s about injecting personality, making it engage and entertaining for your audience. But most importantly, it’s about structure. ‘¦ How is one paragraph leading to the next, how are they connected? The worst kind of writing, and we all see it all the time, is just rambling. It’s not at all…

Ep 27 – Why is it important for professionals to write well? Part 1
Ep 27 – Why is it important for professionals to write well? Part 1

As one of our guests asserts, ‘it’s very, very difficult to get to the top in any organization without being able to communicate in writing.’ But how to become a better writer? Consider these two suggestions from another guest: ‘One is just simply read more and read better stuff. And secondly, write a lot. The more you write, the better…

Ep 26 – Why is it so hard to be an ethical leader? Part 2
Ep 26 – Why is it so hard to be an ethical leader? Part 2

Fictional 1980s corporate raider Gordon Gekko famously proclaimed that ‘Greed is good,’ seeking to justify why one of the seven deadly sins is, in fact, ethically virtuous. Leaders should think deeply about the ethical dimensions of their actions. However, too many fail to recognize the moral complexity inherent in their decisions. As one guest argues, ‘Just like some people are…

Ep 25 – Why is it so hard to be an ethical leader? Part 1
Ep 25 – Why is it so hard to be an ethical leader? Part 1

Warren Buffett has described integrity as ‘a reputational advantage that others will weigh in subsequent dealings.’ His partner, Charlie Munger, agrees, noting that ‘You’ll make more money in the end with good ethics than bad.’ So, why are many leaders often tempted to take ethical short-cuts–or worse? This is the first part of our two-episode conversation in which we explore…

Ep 24 – What is the future of money? Part 2
Ep 24 – What is the future of money? Part 2

One of our guests argues that, ‘cash has historically been seen as a friend of the poor, [because] banks have never been seen as friends of the poor. Banks historically have been seen as institutions of elite control. They’ve been seen as run by social elites in the interests of social elites.’ But much is changing. This is the second…

Ep 23 – What is the future of money? Part 1
Ep 23 – What is the future of money? Part 1

As one of our guests observed, we’re soon ‘going to have lots of different kinds of money. And the technological limitation of the past– which is, I only had five slots in my wallet, and I couldn’t carry around 30 million different currencies– is about to vanish. My mobile phone is perfectly capable of managing 30 million different currencies.’ This…

Ep 22 – How well does our current system of corporate governance address the big challenges of the future? Pt 2
Ep 22 – How well does our current system of corporate governance address the big challenges of the future? Pt 2

According to one corporate director, ‘there are two places [in the United States]–the boardroom and the Supreme Court– where a lot of people go on them and think it’s for a lifetime.’ But this mindset is starting to change. This is the second part of our two-episode conversation about the evolution of corporate governance as climate change and other societal…

Ep 21 – How well does our current system of corporate governance address the big challenges of the future? Pt 1
Ep 21 – How well does our current system of corporate governance address the big challenges of the future? Pt 1

As one of our guests observed, corporate governance ‘used to be a sleepy backwater. Now, it’s on the front pages of the papers all the time.’ This is the first part of our two-episode conversation in which we explore how corporate boards are evolving to address new challenges. In this episode, George Anderson, Amy Borrus, and Megan Shattuck join us…

Ep 20 – Why do some new ideas gain traction—while others fail to catch on? Pt 2
Ep 20 – Why do some new ideas gain traction—while others fail to catch on? Pt 2

As comedian Robin Williams once observed, ‘No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.’ This is the second part of our two-episode conversation in which we explore why some ideas gain traction, while others fail to catch on. In this episode, Ethan Beute, Mark Bonchek, Dara Treseder, and Sangram Vajre join us to discuss: Ideas…

Ep 19 – Why do some new ideas gain traction—while others fail to catch on? Pt 1
Ep 19 – Why do some new ideas gain traction—while others fail to catch on? Pt 1

Victor Hugo once wrote that ‘There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an idea whose time has come.’ This is the first part of our two-episode conversation in which we explore why some ideas gain traction, while others fail to catch on. In this episode, Ethan Beute, Mark Bonchek, Dara Treseder, and…

Ep 18 – The Collective Wisdom of High‑Performing Women : Pt 2
Ep 18 – The Collective Wisdom of High‑Performing Women : Pt 2

This is the second part of our two-episode conversation with three leaders whose stories were featured in The Collective Wisdom of High Performing Women: Leadership Lessons from the Judy Project.  Last time, we discussed the origin and objectives of the Judy Project and Collective Wisdom. We also explored how others perceive success and ambition in both men and women, the…

Ep 17 – The Collective Wisdom of High‑Performing Women : Pt 1
Ep 17 – The Collective Wisdom of High‑Performing Women : Pt 1

Women make up nearly half the workforce but still represent only 5% of Fortune 500 CEOs. However, the number of women in senior leadership roles is increasing each year. What lessons can we learn from those who reach the executive ranks? In this episode of the Building Bridges Podcast, we are joined by three accomplished guests to discuss a terrific…

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At SkyBridge, we believe that big challenges can only be addressed successfully by building trust and asking great questions. We are passionate about designing and leading distinctive executive communities, where members identify and discuss powerful questions that shape their organizations, their industries, and their careers.

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