Harvard is an iconic, 387 year old institution of higher education. Is it time to reimagine their culture?

The events of the past year – racism, antisemitism, violence on campus, the removal of its president - have thrown their imperfections into stark relief for the world to see.

Today’s guest - Harvard College Dean Rakesh Khurana – is very open and humble about Harvard’s imperfections. But that doesn’t mean he’s sitting still. Far from it. Recognizing he casts a long shadow and embracing a 'beginner's mindset', Khurana is spearheading the Intellectual Vitality effort which he hopes will revitalize the school’s culture.

The lofty goal is to create a safe space environment across the entire campus and community – both physically and psychologically – that encourages tough conversations about divisive problems, in which students can learn from each other, regardless of how uncomfortable it is, at first.

As Dean Khurana says, “let’s be hard on the problem, but easy on each other.”

We should all be keeping an eye on Harvard's progress. Lessons gleaned may help other universities - and other divided institutions and partisan leaders across America in the media, politics, education, and business.

www.imperfectleaders.com, Jefffrey Cohn

U.S. Representative Dean Phillips is an innovative leader. He has drawn praise from modern day business heroes - like hedge fund icon Bill Ackman - for his willingness to shake things up - like staid industries including vodka, gelato, and most recently, U.S. politics. He even threw his hat in the ring and ran for President of the United States, even though everyone knew it was a long shot campaign. Find out what he learned during this intense process.

www.imperfectleaders.com