Intersections Podcast

di Dr. Hitendra Wadhwa

Intersections podcast advocates the idea of activating our best self by dissolving boundaries – between profit and purpose, theory and practice, east and west, science and spirituality, inner and outer, and more. I'm Hitendra Wadhwa, Adjunct Professor of Business at Columbia Business School and Founder of Mentora Institute and Mentora Foundation. I strive to bring a mathematician’s rigor and a truth-seeker’s spirit to some o ... 

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Episodi del podcast

  • Asra Nomani on Moving from Blind Faith to True Faith

    Asra Nomani on Moving from Blind Faith to True Faith

    What is the true purpose of religion? How can we find peace within our own faith when some of what has been institutionalized appears to be incongruent with 21st century values? How do we engage with and reform rigid cultural boundaries that prevent us from living a life of our choosing? And what habits can we cultivate that help bring congruence to our own beliefs, emotions, intellect, and faith? Find out from former Wall Street Journal reporter, Asra Nomani, as she recounts her struggle-filled yet inspiring journey of finding hope in the midst of tragedy, in conversation with Dr. Hitendra Wadhwa on Intersections Podcast. Asra Nomani is an acclaimed journalist, researcher, author, speaker, civil rights leader and an award-winning educator in journalism. She has taught journalism at Georgetown University, reported for the Wall Street Journal, and currently serves as Senior Contributor for The Federalist, and as Senior Fellow in the Practice of Journalism for the Independent Women's Network. An expert in investigative reporting, writing, editing and storytelling, Asra has written several books including Standing Alone: An American Woman's Struggle for the Soul of Islam, Tantrika: Traveling the Road of Divine Love, and Woke Army, the Red-Green Alliance that is Destroying America's Freedom. She is the co-founder of the Muslim Reform Movement, a global coalition of Muslim reformers, dedicated to peace, human rights and secular governance. Her work has been featured on both national and international media outlets including The Washington Post, New York Times, TIME, PBS, CNN, BBC and Fox. In this episode, Asra reveals: The true purpose of religion A habit that can help bring congruence in our own beliefs, emotions, intellect, and faith How to address and reform rigid cultural boundaries that prevent us from living a life of our own choosing

  • Niren Chaudhary on Transforming Pain into Purpose and Creating a Virtuous Cycle of Excellence

    Niren Chaudhary on Transforming Pain into Purpose and Creating a Virtuous Cycle of Excellence

    How can we nurture hope in the face of deep loss and convert our pain into meaningful purpose? What wisdom can we gain about our own lives, purpose and happiness when we perform an audit of our own values? How can leaders light a fire in the hearts of people across the enterprise, and create a virtuous cycle of excellence, both at the individual and collective level? Find out from Niren Chaudhary, Chairman of Panera Brands, exclusively in conversation with Dr. Hitendra Wadhwa on Intersections Podcast. Niren Chaudhary is the Chairman of the Board of Panera Brands, one of the world’s largest fast casual restaurant companies with nearly 4,000 locations in 10 countries. In his previous roles, Niren has served as CEO of Panera Brands and Panera Bread, COO and President of Krispy Kreme, and spent 23 years at Yum! Brands serving in global leadership positions including Global President of KFC and President of Yum! India. Niren is guided by his deep passion for serving others and building future leaders. He spends his personal time sharing his personal and professional journey with students and professionals, often wielding a guitar to sing about his life or even a new Panera menu item; serves on the Tufts Medical Centre Board and as an advocate for DKMS, a leading non-profit with the world’s largest stem cell donor registry. Niren also holds a black belt in Shotokan karate and is an avid golfer, tennis player and musician with his own rock band. In this episode, Niren reveals: - The wisdom we can gain about our own lives, purpose and happiness when we perform an audit of our own values - How to create a virtuous cycle of excellence at the individual and collective level - Three values that can inspire us to live fully and meaningfully, even through our most difficult times

  • Jen Fisher on Scaling Well-being at Work

    Jen Fisher on Scaling Well-being at Work

    How can leaders better track their people's well-being, and foster a culture that supports open discussions about mental health? As the cultivation of their people’s well-being emerges as a crucial requirement for organizations, how can we equip managers to support their teams’ well-being? What scientific methods can we adopt to transcend our personal circumstances and become stewards of our own well-being? And how can we become agents of inspiration and support those around us on their well-being journey? Find out from Jen Fisher, a leading voice on the intersection of work, well-being, and purpose, exclusively in conversation with Dr. Hitendra Wadhwa on Intersections Podcast. Jen Fisher is a sought-after speaker, bestselling author, podcast host, and serves as Human Sustainability Leader for Deloitte US. She has previously served as the first-ever Chief Well-being Officer for Deloitte, and has built and led the creation and execution of a pioneering holistic and inclusive well-being strategy that has received wide acclaim. Jen frequently writes on issues impacting the workplace today, including mental health, social connection, resilience, happiness and productivity, and has been featured in leading media including CNN, CNBC, Fast Company, Fortune and HBR. She’s the co-author of the bestselling book, Work Better Together: How to Cultivate Strong Relationships to Maximize Well-Being and Boost Bottom Lines, a TEDx speaker, Editor-at-large for Thrive Global, Host of the “WorkWell” podcast series, and has just started a brand new Substack Newsletter called Thoughts on Being Well. In this episode, Jen reveals: - Three tangible ways to scale well-being in the workplace - Science-proven methods we can adopt to become stewards of our own well-being - How leaders can learn to better evaluate their people's well-being, and foster a culture that supports open discussions about mental health

  • Irshad Manji on Turning Polarizing Issues into Productive Conversations

    Irshad Manji on Turning Polarizing Issues into Productive Conversations

    How can we turn polarizing conversations into beautiful moments of self-discovery, mutual kinship and deep connection? What changes in us and in our relationships when we stop labeling others? Can our ego manipulate and stop us from being open to new perspectives, and how do we overcome it? What are the five skills of moral courage, and how can we use them to win hearts and minds? Find out from the recipient of Oprah’s “Chutzpah Award” for boldness, Irshad Manji, in conversation with Dr. Hitendra Wadhwa on Intersections Podcast. Irshad Manji is the founder of Moral Courage College, which equips people to turn polarizing issues into productive conversations and solutions-driven teamwork. The recipient of Oprah’s "Chutzpah Award" for boldness, Irshad is also a New York Times bestselling author. Her first book, an international blockbuster, is The Trouble with Islam Today: A Muslim’s Call for Reform in Her Faith. Irshad’s latest is Don't Label Me: How to Do Diversity Without Inflaming the Culture Wars. (Fun fact: the entertainer Chris Rock calls this book “genius.”) A professor of leadership at New York University for many years, Irshad now teaches with the Oxford Initiative for Global Ethics and Human Rights. In this episode, Irshad reveals: - The five skills of moral courage, and how we can use them to win hearts and minds - The opportunities we miss when we label others and put them into buckets - The truth about human nature, how our ego can stop us from gaining new perspectives and how to overcome it

  • Father Gregory Boyle SJ on Transforming Gang Members into Loving Human Beings

    Father Gregory Boyle SJ on Transforming Gang Members into Loving Human Beings

    Is it possible to reform those that fell wayward? Can gang members, if treated with dignity and tenderness over punishment and incarceration, be transformed into loving human beings? And what fundamental principles can we adopt to move society, from a culture of judgment and denunciation, to mutual kinship and appreciation? Find out from Father Gregory Boyle SJ, a Jesuit priest and founder of Homeboy Industries, as he reveals his extraordinary journey of mass human transformation and why serving at the margins is powerful and replenishing, exclusively in conversation with Dr. Hitendra Wadhwa on Intersections Podcast. Father Gregory Boyle SJ is a Jesuit priest and the founder of Homeboy Industries, the largest and most successful gang rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world, offering an “exit ramp” for those stuck in a cycle of violence and incarceration. In the early 1990s, Father Boyle served as the pastor of Dolores Mission Church in Boyle Heights, then the poorest Catholic parish in Los Angeles that also had the highest concentration of gang activity in the city. Having witnessed the devastating impact of gang violence on his community, Father Boyle and parish and community members adopted what was a radical approach at the time: treat gang members as human beings. For his service to humanity, Father Boyle has received the California Peace Prize and has been inducted into the California Hall of Fame. In 2014, President Obama named Father Boyle a Champion of Change. Father Boyle is also the author of several books including Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship, and the New York Times-bestseller Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion. In this episode, Father Boyle reveals: - Why our quest for morality only fuels division and polarization - A radical approach to transforming anyone, even gang members, into loving human beings - Two fundamental principles for moving society from a culture of judgment and denunciation to mutual kinship and appreciation