How to Be Bold: The Surprising Science of Everyday Courage

Disruption is the new normal: shifting tech, volatile markets, climate pressure, social divides. The weight can leave us frozen. But courage isn’t exclusive—it’s a practice every entrepreneur and leader can learn.

That’s why we’re bringing you a timely conversation with Ranjay Gulati, Professor at Harvard Business School and author of the forthcoming How to Be Bold: The Surprising Science of Everyday Courage, on how to lead, act, and grow boldly in the face of fear and ambiguity.

Drawing from over a decade of research and hundreds of real-world examples, Gulati offers a science-backed playbook for building individual and collective courage. You’ll learn the 9 C’s that strengthen boldness, how to train your “courage muscle,” and what it really takes to act even when you feel afraid.

You’ll walk away with science-backed tools to build courage in yourself, your team, and your company: 

• Learn the 9 C’s (confidence, coping, connection, and more) that anyone can cultivate to lead with courage. 

• Discover why fear isn’t weakness—and how to turn uncertainty into momentum using stories, self-efficacy, and sensemaking. 

• Explore how to build courageous teams and cultures that act with clarity and purpose when it matters most. 

OUR SPECIAL GUEST

RANJAY GULATI is the Paul R. Lawrence MBA Class of 1942 Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. His pioneering work focuses on unlocking organizational and individual potential—embracing courage, nurturing purpose-driven leaders, driving growth, and transforming businesses. He is the recipient of the 2024 CK Prahalad Award for Scholarly Impact on Practice and was ranked as one of the top ten most cited scholars in Economics and Business over a decade by ISI-Incite. The Economist, Financial Times, and the Economist Intelligence Unit have listed him as among the top handful of business school scholars whose work is most relevant to management practice. He is a Thinkers50 top management scholar, speaks regularly to executive audiences, and serves on the board of several entrepreneurial ventures. He holds a PhD from Harvard University and a Master's degree from MIT. He is the author of Deep Purpose (2022) and How to be Bold (2025), both published by Harper Collins. He lives in Newton, Massachusetts with his wife and two children.

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All Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least 48 hours in advance of this event; please send an email to webinarhost@thecenter.nasdaq.org with the subject header ACCOMMODATION REQUEST. For assistance with registration or other technical difficulties, please contact anna.vanmaanen@thecenter.nasdaq.org