Bob Iger: Power, Succession, and Leading Disney Through Upheaval

Few executives have had to make as many high-stakes calls, over as many years, as former Disney CEO Bob Iger. In this conversation with former HBS dean Nitin Nohria, Iger shares what he’s learned about the decisions that really belong to the CEO: where to spend your time, when to step into a problem, when to get out of the way, how to shape culture, and how to lead when crisis becomes a constant.Drawing on ideas from his new book, The CEO: The Role, the Reality, the Responsibility (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GD87T42Z), Nohria presses Iger on the realities of leading at the very top—including what Disney got wrong in its previous succession process and what Iger learned from having to return as CEO. They also discuss transforming Disney’s creative engine and using the power of the CEO role without letting that power distort your judgment.00:00 How Iger Reinvented Disney Animation02:12 Respecting the Past Without Being Trapped by It05:01 How a CEO Shapes Company Culture06:57 How CEOs Should Spend Their Time09:38 What Disney Got Wrong About Succession13:09 Returning to Disney as CEO14:51 How Leaders Should Manage Creative Decisions16:13 When—and How—to Intervene18:46 When CEOs Should Speak Out21:19 Staying Grounded When You Have Power23:28 Who Tells the CEO the Truth?25:01 The Responsibility CEOs Shouldn’t UnderestimateBooks, tools, and more: store.hbr.orgFollow us:https://hbr.org/https://www.linkedin.com/company/harvard-business-review/https://www.facebook.com/HBR/https://twitter.com/HarvardBizhttps://www.instagram.com/harvard_business_reviewSign up for Newsletters: https://hbr.org/email-newsletters#HarvardBusinessReview #YourCareer #Career #Job #Work #Business #Harvard #HarvardBusinessSchool Copyright © 2026 Harvard Business School Publishing. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices