Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Melinda Hsu has spent her career navigating some of Hollywood’s most demanding creative environments. A veteran television writer, producer, and showrunner, she has worked on acclaimed series including Lost, The Vampire Diaries, The Gifted, Nancy Drew, and Tom Swift.
In her new book, Lead with Kindness: How to Change the Culture of the Workplace and the World (Post Hill Press, June 2026), Hsu argues that kindness is not a soft skill or a sign of weakness—it is a powerful leadership tool that drives accountability, trust, performance, and resilience.
In this edition of Author Talks, Hsu chats with McKinsey Global Publishing’s Roberta Fusaro and discusses why toxic workplace cultures persist, how leaders can build trust in times of uncertainty, and the measurable business benefits of leading with kindness.
*Chapters:*
00:00 – Intro
00:12 – Inside the Writer’s Guild strike
02:09 – Kindness with a backbone
03:38 – Can kindness be viewed as weakness in women?
04:35 – The top 3 benefits of leading with kindness
06:48 – Measuring investment in kindness
09:12 – Building trust in chaotic environments
11:18 – Kindness and accountability in practice
13:16 – Building the writers’ room with kindness
15:25 – Giving feedback with kindness
12:35 – The key takeaway
Read the interview: mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/author-talks-in-hollywood-and-in-business-its-cool-to-be-kind
Watch more author talks: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhvMIsPbo0GAG-8cHzQSKJkO0hBJyWQe3
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Subscribe to our newsletters: mck.co/Subscribe
*Find us on:*
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Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey & Company or have its endorsement.
Melinda Hsu has spent her career navigating some of Hollywood’s most demanding creative environments. A veteran television writer, producer, and showrunner, she has worked on acclaimed series including Lost, The Vampire Diaries, The Gifted, Nancy Drew, and Tom Swift.
In her new book, Lead with Kindness: How to Change the Culture of the Workplace and the World (Post Hill Press, June 2026), Hsu argues that kindness is not a soft skill or a sign of weakness—it is a powerful leadership tool that drives accountability, trust, performance, and resilience.
In this edition of Author Talks, Hsu chats with McKinsey Global Publishing’s Roberta Fusaro and discusses why toxic workplace cultures persist, how leaders can build trust in times of uncertainty, and the measurable business benefits of leading with kindness.
*Chapters:*
00:00 – Intro
00:12 – Inside the Writer’s Guild strike
02:09 – Kindness with a backbone
03:38 – Can kindness be viewed as weakness in women?
04:35 – The top 3 benefits of leading with kindness
06:48 – Measuring investment in kindness
09:12 – Building trust in chaotic environments
11:18 – Kindness and accountability in practice
13:16 – Building the writers’ room with kindness
15:25 – Giving feedback with kindness
12:35 – The key takeaway
Read the interview: mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/author-talks-in-hollywood-and-in-business-its-cool-to-be-kind
Watch more author talks: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhvMIsPbo0GAG-8cHzQSKJkO0hBJyWQe3
Subscribe to our channel: mck.co/YouTube
Subscribe to our newsletters: mck.co/Subscribe
*Find us on:*
Facebook: mck.co/Facebook
Twitter: mck.co/Twitter
LinkedIn: mck.co/LinkedIn
Instagram: mck.co/Instagram
Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey & Company or have its endorsement.
