How Great Leaders Are Made: Insights from The Economist’s "Boss Class"

Episode notes

Guest: Andrew Palmer, The Economist columnist & Boss Class host What makes a great boss, and why do so many managers get it wrong? The Economist columnist and Boss Class host Andrew Palmer joins Maureen Metcalf to break down what actually works in leadership today. From radical autonomy at Supercell to intentional culture-building at Toyota, this episode explores real-world strategies for creating high-performance teams and organizations. Learn how qualities like self-awareness, transparency, and systems-thinking separate mediocre managers from truly effective leaders. Whether you’re new to management or shaping culture as a CEO, these stories and insights will elevate your leadership practice. Here's what Andrew and Maureen cover: Why most managers never receive formal training (and what to do about it); How exceptional leaders optimize their impact; and Radical autonomy and other ways Supercell, Stryker, Toyota, Novo Nordisk, and others create the world’s top workplaces.