GLG Launches New Video Series, Anatomy of a Decision: How Some of the World’s Smartest People Make Tough Decisions

GLG Talks with Jill Abramson, Former Editor of NYT; Jake Sullivan, Former Director of Policy Planning at State Dept.; And Jeffrey Brenzel, Former Dean of Admissions at Yale

New York, New York; February 22, 2017 — GLG (Gerson Lehrman Group, Inc.) today launched its latest video series, Anatomy of a Decision, featuring key leaders discussing how they have made some of their toughest decisions over the course of their careers. The series’ first edition showcases interviews with Jill Abramson, former Executive Editor of The New York Times; Jeffrey Brenzel, former Dean of Undergraduate Admissions at Yale University; and Jake Sullivan, former Director of Policy Planning at the U.S. State Department.

“High-stakes decision-making requires careful strategy and cost-benefit analysis,” said Eric Jaffe, Head of Research for NAFS at GLG, who conducts the first three interviews in the series. “Our mission at GLG is to help professionals make their most important decisions and learn from other leaders who have navigated significant challenges in their own fields.”

In these videos:

• Jill Abramson explains how she weighed competing considerations in deciding to publish stories with national security implications. More specifically, she discusses how The New York Times reported intercepted conversations with an Al-Qaeda leader despite warnings from top U.S. officials that doing so could put people at risk. “I’ve faced editorial decisions where we were under enormous political pressure to handle a story in a certain way,” said Abramson. “Being able to successfully navigate that terrain is as crucial today as ever.”
• Jeffrey Brenzel, former Dean of Undergraduate Admissions at Yale University, explains the elusive process by which admissions committees admit undergraduate applicants at exclusive universities. “What [we’re] trying to do is assemble the most interesting collection of people from the widest possible set of backgrounds and with the widest range of talents and aspirations.”
• Jake Sullivan, former Director of Policy Planning at the U.S. State Department, (and a senior policy advisor to President Obama, Vice President Biden, and Secretary Clinton) discusses the delicacy of the policy-making process, including his own involvement in the Iran Nuclear Deal and the often hard-to-discern, real-world consequences of implementing new public policies across the globe. “Real life is lived in the specifics,’ says Sullivan. “There has to be some amount of care and credibility, and solidity behind decision-making.”

Future Anatomy of a Decision videos feature interviews with, among others, Jeff Kindler, former Chairman and CEO of Pfizer and co-chair of GLG Institute; Robby Mook, campaign manager for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign; Pamela Thomas-Graham, former Chief Marketing and Talent Officer at Credit Suisse and the first female African American Partner at McKinsey & Co; and Michael Vickers, former Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence.

GLG was founded to serve professionals who needed perspective they couldn’t find in one-size-fits-all industry reports, courses, or conferences. Today GLG facilitates thousands of connections a week between the world’s leading investors, entrepreneurs, corporations, consulting firms, nonprofits, and startups and its membership of 500,000 policy specialists, academics, engineers, former C-level managers, professional leaders, and other subject matter experts.

Other GLG video series include: GLG Applied, a selection of GLG Members and other experts sharing their unique insight into the hottest and most timely business topics; Expertise at GLG, featuring GLG Members discussing what they know and how they learn; and Leading Learners, featuring GLG clients on how they use GLG to learn and innovate. All videos are free to watch on GLG’s website at GLG.it/videos.

About GLG / Gerson Lehrman Group

GLG is the world’s leading membership for professional learning. Business leaders, investors, consultants, social entrepreneurs, and other top professionals rely on GLG to learn in short- and long-term engagements from more than 500,000 members and other experts. Clients partner with GLG to address their most complex strategic challenges, make better business decisions, and advance their careers through conversations, mentorships, small group meetings, surveys, and other interactions—all within a rigorous compliance framework. Headquartered in New York City, GLG’s 1,300+ employees work from offices in 12 countries. For more information visit www.GLG.it.