Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Stanford Executive Program (SEP) Faculty Director Bill Barnett and Stanford GSB Professor Wes Hartmann share how the program equips senior leaders to navigate complexity, drive innovation, and create lasting impact. You'll also hear directly from four accomplished executives who reflect on their SEP experience, from the powerful insights gained in the classroom to the enduring relationships built with peers from around the world.
Discover how the program challenges leaders to broaden their perspective, sharpen their strategic thinking, and return to their organizations prepared to lead with greater confidence, purpose, and effectiveness. Through faculty insights and participant stories, this video offers a firsthand look at the transformative experience and far-reaching impact of the Stanford Executive Program.
Stanford Executive Program (SEP) Faculty Director Bill Barnett and Stanford GSB Professor Wes Hartmann share how the program equips senior leaders to navigate complexity, drive innovation, and create lasting impact. You'll also hear directly from four accomplished executives who reflect on their SEP experience, from the powerful insights gained in the classroom to the enduring relationships built with peers from around the world.
Discover how the program challenges leaders to broaden their perspective, sharpen their strategic thinking, and return to their organizations prepared to lead with greater confidence, purpose, and effectiveness. Through faculty insights and participant stories, this video offers a firsthand look at the transformative experience and far-reaching impact of the Stanford Executive Program.


![Unconventional Wisdom
“I don’t see things like anybody else,” says Jonathan Berk, a professor of finance at Stanford Graduate School of Business. “And so I can see things people dont see.”
On this episode, Berk explores recent research that pushes against conventional wisdom, from questioning the utility of the debt-to-GDP ratio to asking whether regulation is actually in the best interests of the consumer.
“If you disagree with me… You have to write down a convincing theoretical model and analyze [it].”
Berk admits his unique lens doesn’t always make life easy. But on the other hand, “it confers an enormous advantage” — and he believes that organizations which are able to harness the power of unconventional thinking can gain a competitive edge.
“It’s allowed me to solve problems that other people couldnt solve,” he says.
Has seeing the world differently helped you resolve a conundrum? Tell us more at ifthenpod@stanford.edu.
Related Content:
- Jonathan Berk faculty profile: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/faculty/jonathan-b-berk
- What If We’re Looking at the National Debt All Wrong? https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/what-if-were-looking-national-debt-all-wrong Unconventional Wisdom](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mhwpMFiIzg0/mqdefault.jpg)







