Influencer Marketing
Expand your reach and engage with your target audience using this trending technique that blends celebrity endorsements with social media marketing.
Leading High Performing Remote Teams
How can leaders ensure that performance remains high in remote or hybrid-work environments?
Design Thinking
Learn the 5 phases of this problem-solving methodology and switch from technology-centered to user-centered thinking.
Gantt Chart
Invented in the early 20th century, the Gantt Chart is one of the building blocks of modern project management. In this online course, you'll learn how this tool can be used effectively to monitor progress and achieve your team's goals.
Navigating Change Successfully
The working landscape is continually shifting and being disrupted, so how to employees maintain a sense of stability? Listen to CEO and president of Carl ZEISS Japan Stefan Sacre share his expertise on dealing with change in organizations and entire industries.
Halo Effect
The halo effect is often leveraged for marketing and promotion. But as a type of cognitive bias, it can also have a subconscious impact on decision-making in the workplace. Learn why and (how to overcome it) in this online course.
Anchoring and Framing
Want to increase your confidence during negotiations? Master the principles of anchoring and framing to take your negotiation skills to the next level.
ZOPA and BATNA
Understanding ZOPA and BATNA will help you become a better negotiator, create more value, and feel more confident at the table.
Content Marketing
In this course, youโll learn how compelling blogs, videos, podcasts, and other media can reach customers and drive sales. Youโll also learn steps for creating an effective content marketing plan, and some important ways to measure its impact and success.
Content marketing is a essential digital marketing strategy for companies looking to provide relevant and useful information to support your community and attract new customers.
Get started on your content marketing journey today.
Sustainable Innovation in Times of Disruption: Choices for a Better Society
There are opportunities for progress all around us. The key is to innovate on these opportunities sustainably.
To help identify most effective path forward, you'll need to gain a global perspective to these challenges in an open discussion. How can Japan and the world take action to create a more sustainable, innovative world? Where do you fit in?
It's time to find out.
Social Media & Digital Communications: Impact on Global Public Opinion
Social and digital media have dominated the communications industry for decades. But it's no secret that social media has the power to sway public opinion, and the way in which many companies use these platforms could be seen as manipulative.
What do companies need to be aware of when utilizing social and digital media? How can these mediums be used to better communicate strategically with the world?
Discover what top media and communications experts have to say.
Blockchain
Blockchain is one of the most captivating technologies out there. Learn what it is and how to make use of its opportunities in this short online course.
Mehrabianโs Rule
The 7-38-55 Rule, developed by Albert Mehrabian, suggests that effective communication relies less on the words we choose than on our tone of our voice, appearance, and body language. Learn how to put this theory to use for better communication in business.
Pareto Principle
Your time and resources are limited. Efficiency means learning to prioritize. The Pareto principle (also called the 80-20 rule) can help you identify the best way to use your time for maximum results.
Country Analysis Framework
Overseas expansion requires careful planning. The Country Analysis Framework can help you look beyond an industry-level analysis and reframe your view based on performance, strategy, and context. Try this short course to learn how it works.
SECI Model
The SECI model illustrates how knowledge is created and shared. Learn how to put it to use for best practices, and how the Japanese concept of โbaโ fits in to broaden your perspective.
Johari Window Model
The Johari Window Model is a self-awareness framework that helps you better understand . . . you. Learn how its four quadrants can help you identify gaps between how you see yourself, and how others see you.
Sunk Costs
Wondering if you should continue an investment or look for something new? Sunk costs can have a powerful psychological impact on decision-making. Learn how to recognize them to ensure rational decisions.
CAGE Distance Framework
Want to expand overseas? The CAGE distance framework can help ensure you're constructing a solid global strategy in four areas: cultural, administrative, economic, and geographic. Learn how to leverage useful differences between countries, identify potential obstacles, and achieve global business success.
Groupthink
Groupthink refers to group pressure and the perception of consensus which together lead to ill-formed decisionsโor even unnecessary risks. Learn to identify the warning signs of groupthink and apply countermeasures in this online course.
Deductive and Inductive Reasoning
Solving problems with the best results means using two types of thinking: deductive and inductive reasoning. In this online course, learn to form a broad premise, make observations, and form conclusions from different perspectives.
Critical Thinking: Hypothesis-Driven Thinking
Anyone can come up with a good idea. The real challenge is putting that idea into action. In this online course, explore how to form compelling, testable hypotheses and bring ideas to life in your own organization.
Critical Thinking: Structured Reasoning
Even a few simple techniques for logical decision making and persuasion can vastly improve your skills as a leader. Explore how critical thinking can help you evaluate complex business problems, reduce bias, and devise effective solutions.
Critical Thinking: Problem-Solving
Problem-solving is a central business skill, and yet it's the one many people struggle with most. This course will show you how to apply critical thinking techniques to common business examples, avoid misunderstandings, and get at the root of any problem.
How to Dream
Join globally renowned author and Columbia Business School professor Dr. Sheena Iyengar as she explains how to approach your dreams with a new perspective. Learn to reflect on what you long to accomplish and what stands in your way.
Logical Thinking
Logical thinking is at the heart of confident, persuasive decisions. This course will equip you with a five-point approach to more becoming a more logical thinker. Learn to classify ideas and distinguish fact from opinion.
Investing & Diversity: The Changing Faces of Venture Capitalists
Is the venture capital industry embracing diversity in investors? Watch global venture capitalists from around the world discuss the state of things and what needs to be done for a more inclusive future.
Servant Leadership
There's more to leadership than driving a team to profit. In fact, there's a word for looking beyond self-interest to prioritize individual growth: servant leadership. Try this course for a quick breakdown of what that is, how it works, and how it can lead to organizational success.
Organizational Behavior and Leadership
Ever wonder what makes a great leader? Whether your role requires leadership or not, understanding organizational behavior is useful for your career. This course from GLOBIS Unlimited can set you on your way.
Leadership vs. Management
Leadership and management are different skills, but todayโs leaders must have both. Try out this course from GLOBIS Unlimited to understand the difference, as well as when and why each skill is necessary for motivation, communication, and value.
Strategy: Creating Value Inside Your Company
Have you ever wondered why certain companies are more successful than others? The answer is strategy: internal processes that control costs, allocate resources, and create value. This course from GLOBIS Unlimited can give you the tools you need for that strategic edge.
Strategy: Understanding the External Environment
To plan strategy on any level, you need to understand your company's external environment. In fact, your level of understanding can impact hiring, budgeting, marketing, or nearly any other part of the business world. Want to learn how to do all that? This course from GLOBIS Unlimited is the perfect first step!
Using Japanese Values to Thrive in Global Business
Japanese companies have unique cultural, communication, and operational challenges. But they also have values that have led to remarkable longevity. Check out this seminar to hear how these values help earn trust from overseas head offices and develop employees.
Turnaround Leadership: The Differences Between Japan and the West
What's the best way for leaders to communicate a shift in corporate strategy? How do you even know when it's time for such a change? This course explains how Japan might have one answer, Western companies another.
Conflict Management
Conflicts in the workplace are inevitable. But they can lead to positive outcomes if theyโre managed well. Check out this online course for a two-step process that can help you manage conflict successfully.
Evernote Founder: How Tech Startups Can Break through in Japan
Can startup models from Hollywood and Silicon Valley succeed anywhere? Phil Libin, cofounder and CEO of startup incubator All Turtles, explains how AI can solve everyday problems to bring products to market.
Women Empowerment: Lessons from Cartier
How can women overcome gender inequality and reach their leadership goals? Cartier Japan CEO June Miyachi shares her secret in this special course from GLOBIS Unlimited.
Marketing: Reaching Your Target
Every company works hard to get its products into the hands of customers. Are you doing everything you can to compete? In this course, youโll find a winning formula to turn a product idea into real sales. Follow along through the fundamentals of the marketing mix and see how companies successfully bring products to market.
Marketing Mix
Seeing good products into the hands of customers is no easy task. The marketing mix can help. It's a collection of strategies and tactics companies utilize to get customers to purchase their products or services, and is an essential part of the overall marketing process.
The Principles of Negotiation
With the proper skills and attitude, anyone can become a successful negotiator. But first, you'll need to learn the basics to prepare for, assess, and respond to offers for the best results. GLOBIS Unlimited can help.
Negotiation: Creating Value
Want to create more shared value between yourself and your negotiation opponent? Discover how cognitive bias affects the judgment of others. Try this course from GLOBIS Unlimited to master the value of negotiation.
Finding Your Life Purpose with Ikigai
Ikigai can guide you in your quest for self-discovery. Listen to Japanese brain scientist Ken Mogi explain why and how.
Maslowโs Hierarchy of Needs
Want to leverage Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs as a leader? Try this short course to see how the theory can be applied in practical work scenarios.
Confirmation Bias
We all subconsciously collect information that reinforces our preconceptions. It's natural . . . but it does lead to a kind of flawed decision-making called confirmation bias. To become more objective and impartial, check out this course from GLOBIS Unlimited!
An Investor's Lesson to Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurs have the power to transform societies for the better. But how do you attract investors to start or grow a business? Or to sell one? Check out this seminar for the answers to these and more, straight from a master venture capitalist!
Managerial Accounting
Managerial accounting is a powerful way to measure progress, identify problems, and meet your goals. Check out this course to learn how data-backed decisions can help you run your business.
Finance Basics: 1
For a healthy mix of quantitative planning, evaluation, and management, you need solid decision-making. And finance is the secret sauce! Get the essentials of finance in this two-part course from GLOBIS Unlimited.
Basic Accounting: Financial Analysis
Want to compare your performance vs. a competitor? Or evaluate a potential vendor? Then you'll need to conduct a financial analysis. This course will teach you how to use three financial statements and evaluate financial performance in terms of profitability, efficiency, soundness, growth, and overall strength.
Career Anchors
What drives you to be good at your job?
Career anchors are based on your values, desires, motivations, and abilities. They are the immovable parts of your professional self-image that guide you throughout your career journey.
Try this short GLOBIS Unlimited course to identify which of the eight career anchors is yours!
Digital Marketing Psychology to Transform Your Business
How does digital marketing really differ from traditional marketing? How is social media changing things really? And what's going on in Asia?
Pyramid Structure
Having the pyramid structure in your communication toolkit can not only help you approach a problem, but convince others that your solution is valid. Break away from linear thinking and test your logical thinking with this course from GLOBIS Unlimited!
Leadership with Passion through Kokorozashi
The key ingredient to success? Passion.
Finding your kokorozashi will unify your passions and skills to create positive change in society. This GLOBIS Unlimited course will help you develop the values and lifelong goals you need to become a strong, passion-driven leader.
AI First Companies โ Implementation and Impact
AI is changing the way companies operate. How do you structure teams to increase efficiency?
Technovate in the Era of Industry 4.0
Is Industry 4.0 is the next step of human evolution human civilization? Dr. Jorge Calvo seems to think so. Join him to learn how the past can help you set goals for an exciting future of digital innovation.
Technovate Thinking
Business leaders of tomorrow need to harness the power of technology and innovation. That means understanding algorithms and how they drive business results. Discover opportunities to make technology work for your competitive edge.
Product Life Cycle
Every product takes a natural course through the marketโthere's a how, when, and why customers adopt products at different stages. Check out this course from GLOBIS Unlimited to find out how a product you use every day is part of this cycle.
Logic Tree
Logical thinking is the most valuable asset any business professional can have. That's why logic trees are such a valuable toolโthey can help you identify a problem, break it down, and build it back up to a solution.
MECE Principle
Using the MECE principle can help ensure you categorize without gaps or overlaps. Check out this course from GLOBIS Unlimited for a practical demonstration of how it works!
In an era defined by rapid digital transformation and geopolitical volatility, global organizations are shifting their perspective on employee wellness. Moving beyond the concept of “perks,” visionary leaders now view wellbeing as a fundamental component of operational resilience and strategic performance.
In this interview, GLOBIS Partner Faculty Cristian Vlad speaks with Cristina Ionescu about the neurological and organizational benefits of prioritizing the human element in business. From safeguarding cognitive capacity to fostering high-performance cultures, these insights provide a roadmap for leaders and MBA graduates aiming to thrive in the complex “future of work.”
The Business Case for Wellbeing and Cognitive Performance
Cristian Vlad: Why is commitment to wellbeing a strategic imperative for global organizations?
Cristina Ionescu: A growing number of global organizations now treat wellbeing not as a nice-to-have or โperk,โ but as a core business priority. Why is that? I would mention just a few of the benefits, in our endeavor to shift focus from the performance and the systems towards the way we as humans are built:
Mental clarity, emotional regulation, and focus are essential for high-quality decisions, creativity, and problem-solving. Wellbeing caters for the CEO of our brain, responsible for reasoning, planning, and decision-making. When people are stressed, overwhelmed, or depleted, this system goes offlineโsometimes losing up to 75% of cognitive capacity. To learn how to be on the top of the game is crucial for the individual but as well the corporate success. Organizations that protect wellbeing protect performance-critical brain functions. Cognitive Performance Is a Business Asset.
Global organizations operating in high complexity need teams who can think clearly under pressure. Supporting wellbeing strengthens emotional regulation. The strategic implication? Wellbeing is essential risk management for decision quality, safety, and innovation. Stress directly impairs productivity and decision-making.
Wellbeing Drives Measurable Performance Improvements on areas such as stress management, resilience, emotional regulation, attention, focus, clarity, sustained energy. These are not โsoft skillsโโthey directly affect absenteeism, engagement, decision-making, and leadership presence. Global organizations that understand in depth this perspective and create real impactful Wellbeing programs create quantifiable performance ROI.
Last but not least, Healthy Brains Build Healthy Cultures. It has been measured that Wellbeing initiatives that focus on mindfulness are strongest, as mindfulness is proven to support communication, empathy, reduced conflict and better teamwork in the workplace. Teams with higher emotional awareness and connection make better decisions together and maintain trustโcritical for global, multicultural, hybrid environments. Wellbeing is a cultural multiplierโimproving trust, psychological safety, and team performance.
Human-Centric Strategies for the Future of Work
CV: What can businesses do to best prepare for the future of work?
Ionescu: While all the media is gravitating on the tech agenda, I would strongly highlight that the future of work isnโt defined by technology aloneโitโs shaped by human capabilities. As workplaces become more complex, global, and AI-infused, organizations need teams who can think clearly, adapt quickly, and collaborate with emotional intelligence. Preparing for the future of work means investing in the brain skills, wellbeing, and connection that drive sustainable performance.
As I like to be practical and suggest useful strategies, I emphasize a shortlist of bold ideas that might just define the edge of being different in a world of conformity to norms:
- Treat wellbeing as a performance strategy. Wellbeing is directly linked to focus, creativity, and collaboration. Companies that invest in sleep, mental health practices, movement, and stress recovery not only reduce burnout but unlock higher levels of sustained performance.
- Protect cognitive capacity. Attention has become one of the scarcest resources. Reducing overload, promoting deep work, and integrating mindfulness practices help employees maintain focus, improve decision-making, and avoid the cognitive drain caused by constant multitasking.
- Strengthen emotional regulation. Stress can shut down up to 75% of our higher-order thinking. Teaching employees how to manage emotionsโthrough breathing, labeling, and self-regulation techniquesโbuilds resilience and helps teams think clearly under pressure.
- Build trust and human connection. Hybrid work makes psychological safety and strong communication more important than ever. Teams that practice empathy, deep listening, and constructive conflict resolution innovate faster and work more effectively.
- Promote continuous learning and adaptability. The brainโs neuroplasticity means people can learn throughout lifeโbut only if the environment supports it. Organizations that encourage experimentation, growth mindset, and frequent upskilling remain competitive in fast-changing markets.
- Develop future-ready leadership. Tomorrowโs leaders will need self-awareness, presence, empathy, and the ability to coach teams through uncertaintyโnot just manage tasks. Leadership that protects cognitive and emotional resources sets the tone for the whole organization.
How Leaders Can Operationalize Organizational Wellbeing
CV: How can leaders inspire commitment to wellbeing?
Ionescu: Leaders shape whether wellbeing becomes a strategic advantage or a corporate buzzword. Commitment grows when people see that wellbeing is embedded in how leaders think, act, and make decisionsโnot just in HR-led programs. What I would strongly suggest, from my own experience as a leader navigating the business world with a focus on how to infuse real wellbeing to the teams:
- Model the behavior. Employees take cues from leaders. When leaders manage stress visibly, set boundaries, and take recovery seriously, it signals that wellbeing is both acceptable and expected.
- Build psychological safety. Trust is the foundation of wellbeing. Leaders who listen deeply, show empathy, and respond without judgment create environments where people feel safe, engaged, and able to bring their full cognitive capacity to work.
- Make wellbeing operational. Integrate healthy practices into daily workflowsโshort resets before meetings, realistic workloads, focus time, and recovery moments. This turns wellbeing from an initiative into a way of working.
- Clarify the strategic โwhy.โ Link wellbeing to performance: clearer thinking, better decisions, improved resilience, and stronger collaboration. When employees understand the business impact, commitment increases.
- Reward sustainable performance, not overwork. Recognizing mindful leadership, thoughtful pace, and emotionally intelligent behavior reinforces that wellbeing supportsโnot competes withโhigh performance.
Practical Habits for Balancing Mind and Body
CV: What can we all do to best balance body and mind in our busy lives?
Ionescu: In modern life, busyness has become a default setting. We move fast, think fast, and often forget that our bodies and minds operate as one integrated system. When one is depleted, the other compensatesโusually at a cost. The real challenge is not finding more time, but learning how to build small, sustainable practices that keep both body and mind in balance.
The science is clear: our physical habits directly shape our cognitive and emotional capacity. Sleep influences decision-making. Movement affects creativity. Stress management determines how much access we have to the prefrontal cortexโthe part of the brain responsible for focus and rational thinking. Balancing body and mind is ultimately about optimizing how we show up in our careers, relationships, and daily lives.
- Start with micro-practices. Moments of deep breathing or brief pauses between tasks activate the bodyโs calming system and reset the mind. These short resets are surprisingly powerful: they counteract stress surges and bring clarity back online. You donโt need long meditation sessionsโconsistency matters more than duration.
- Protect your sleep window. Sleep is the most underused performance enhancer we have. A stable sleep routine improves emotional regulation, strengthens memory, and restores cognitive energy. In busy lives, this is one of the highest-leverage habits we can protect.
- Move throughout the day. Movement increases blood flow to the brain and stimulates growth factors linked to learning and resilience. Whether itโs walking meetings, stretching breaks, or a short workout, regular movement keeps both the body and mind energized.
- Eat with intention. Nourishing foods stabilize energy levels and support mood and attention. You donโt need a strict planโhydration, fresh ingredients, and balanced meals are enough to make a meaningful difference.
- Create boundaries with technology. Our devices are incredible tools, but constant connectivity fragments attention. Even small digital boundariesโno screens at meals, a tech-free hour, or intentional โoffโ momentsโhelp the mind recover from cognitive overload.
- Tune in to your emotions. Noticing and naming what we feel is a powerful act of self-regulation. It shifts the brain away from automatic reactions and toward clarity, compassion, and better decision-making.
- Build rituals of recovery. Connection, nature, gratitude, and rest are not indulgences; they are essential ways the mind resets. These ritualsโsmall but meaningfulโanchor us when life becomes demanding.
Balancing body and mind isnโt about slowing downโitโs about creating the internal conditions that allow us to move through life with clarity, energy, and purpose. When we care for both systems, we unlock the resilience and focus needed not just to manage our busy lives, but to thrive within them.
Advice for MBA Graduates: Navigating Career Transitions
CV: What is your advice to GLOBIS MBA students who are now preparing for the next stage in their careers?
Ionescu: As you step into the world as a fresh MBA graduate, and potentially also in the next chapter of your career, remember that your greatest differentiator will be how you navigate complexityโnot just what you know. I would humbly advise you, from my own life experience, to focus on three areas, your personal TriPod:
- Lead yourself first. Your ability to stay focused, manage stress, and make clear decisions under pressure will define the quality of your leadership. Develop simple habits that keep your mind centered and your energy steady. Bring it to life every day.
- Protect your energy. Your brain is your main performance engine. Prioritize sleep, movement, and emotional balance. Sustainable success depends on how well you manage yourself, not how fast you run.
- Stay anchored in your values. Career steps come with uncertainty, but your values offer direction. Let them guide your choices and help you step into roles that truly align with who you are becoming: a leader who thrives in complexity with clarity, resilience, and purpose.
Good luck, follow your star, and do good to the world, one breath at a time.
The evolution of the workplace demands a parallel evolution in leadership. As Cristina Ionescu illustrates, the “future-ready” professional is one who treats cognitive and emotional health as a vital asset. By integrating micro-practices, protecting sleep, and leading with empathy, organizations can transform wellbeing from a buzzword into a sustainable competitive advantage. For the emerging leader, the message is clear: personal resilience is the foundation upon which global impact is built.
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