What CEOs Are Thinking Today with Alan Murray

In a moment defined by disruption and accelerating change, Carol Cone sits down with one of the world’s most seasoned CEO observers to decode what’s really keeping leaders up at night. Alan Murray, journalist, former CEO of Fortune, and now Founding President of the WSJ Leadership Institute, has spent decades in candid conversation with the heads of the world’s largest organizations. What emerges from this exchange is a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how today’s CEOs are navigating geopolitical instability, AI transformation, cultural division, and fragile trust. Drawing on insights from hundreds of top executives, Murray makes a compelling case: the greatest challenges facing CEOs are no longer purely strategic or technological but are profoundly human.At the heart of the discussion is a powerful tension shaping the C-suite: while AI dominates boardroom agendas, the real work lies in culture, trust, and human alignment. Murray also shares why empathy has emerged as a defining leadership competency, how purpose and moral clarity are becoming competitive differentiators, and why organizations that successfully engage and inspire their people will outpace those that rely solely on technological advantage. This is a deeply strategic dialogue about leading through volatility, humanizing organizations in an AI-driven era, and building cultures resilient enough to thrive amid constant change.Listen for insights on:Turning AI ambition into measurable valueDifferentiating through talent and not just techReframing empathy as strategic leadershipPreparing young leaders for human-centered workResources + Links:Watch the full conversation on YouTubeAlan Murray’s LinkedInThe WSJ Leadership InstitutePodcast: WSJ Leadership Institute Presents: Leaders (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360 (00:13) - Alan Murray (02:10) - Alan’s CEO Leadership Title (04:26) - Leadership Institute Backstory (05:14) - Shape of the Institute (08:02) - Conversation with CEOs Today (09:37) - The AI Revolution (11:23) - Balancing This New World (14:29) - Empathy (17:47) - Balancing Humanity with Technology (18:57) - Moral Leadership (20:46) - Becoming More Human and Humanized (21:55) - Reinforcing the People Part (23:45) - Evolving the Culture (24:27) - Most Presing Social Issues (26:34) - Advice for Young People (28:34) - Last Word (29:22) - Wrap Up