In Good Company• May 7, 2025• 42:34Interview

Geoffrey Garrett | Podcast | In Good Company | Norges Bank Investment Management

From In Good Company

Geoffrey Garrett•Dean, USC Marshall School of Business

Executive Summary

Modern leadership is shifting from a 'hero' model to a 'human' one, emphasizing agility, curiosity, context, and self-awareness as critical skills for navigating complexity.
Business education is evolving to meet these demands by integrating technical fluency (like data science) with experiential leadership training and real-world problem-solving.
The rise of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers like BYD represents a transformative force in the global economy, creating significant competitive pressure on Western auto industries.
The EV transition is a focal point for major geopolitical and economic challenges, including US-China tariff policies, potential job displacement due to simpler manufacturing, and China's dominance of the green energy supply chain.

12 quotes

Concerns Raised

The disruptive competitive threat of Chinese EVs to established Western automakers like Volkswagen.
Potential for a US-China trade war centered on EV tariffs, with significant economic consequences.
China's strategic dominance over the entire green energy supply chain, creating dependencies for the West.
The risk of significant job displacement in the auto manufacturing sector due to the simpler assembly of EVs.

Opportunities Identified

Developing a new generation of agile and 'human-centric' leaders better equipped for modern challenges.
Adapting higher education to create interdisciplinary programs that combine technical, business, and creative skills.
The transformative potential for the EV revolution to reshape the global economy and transportation.
Resource-rich nations like Indonesia positioning themselves as key players in the green energy supply chain.

Key Themes

The Evolution of Leadership

The conversation posits a fundamental shift in leadership from a top-down, 'heroic' archetype to a more 'human' model. This new paradigm values curiosity, contextual understanding, and self-awareness, arguing that agility and the ability to learn are more important than static expertise in a rapidly changing world.

This theme is critical for organizations seeking to develop effective leaders who can manage complexity, foster innovation, and build resilient teams in an unpredictable environment.

Modernizing Business Education

Business schools are adapting their curricula to address the pressure for a clear return on investment and the changing needs of the modern workplace. This involves a triangular focus on technical fluency (e.g., data science), human leadership skills, and real-world, experiential learning to produce graduates who are both job-ready and capable of long-term growth.

Understanding this shift helps employers know what skills to expect from new graduates and informs how companies should approach their own internal leadership development programs.

The Geopolitics of Electric Vehicles

The global auto industry's transition to EVs is framed as a major geopolitical event, not just a technological one. The rise of Chinese EV giants like BYD creates a strategic dilemma for Western nations, pitting protectionist impulses (e.g., US tariffs) against the realities of global market access, particularly for countries like Germany.

This highlights the interconnectedness of trade policy, national security, and industrial strategy, which is crucial for investors and corporations navigating the energy transition.

Complexities of the Green Energy Transition

The discussion moves beyond the benefits of green technology to explore its complex and often 'dirty' supply chain, which is dominated by China. It highlights the environmental impact of resource extraction (e.g., nickel in Indonesia) and the significant labor market disruption caused by the shift from complex combustion engines to simpler EV assembly.

This provides a nuanced perspective on ESG, reminding analysts and policymakers to consider the entire value chain, including labor, environmental, and geopolitical factors, when evaluating the green transition.

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Topics

Leadership Business Education Geopolitics Electric Vehicles (EVs)US-China Relations Automotive Industry Tariffs Protectionism Green Energy Supply Chain Management Higher Education Career Development Globalization Data Science Organizational Culture

Processed Apr 5, 2026 yt-dlp + mlx-whisper + Gemini