Groups and Teams →
- 10 Sep 2014
- Research & Ideas
Become a Value Creator
Managers who adopt a mindset to create value hold the key to becoming truly successful leaders, says Brian Hall. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 16 Dec 2013
- HBS Case
D’O: Making a Michelin-Starred Restaurant Affordable
Under the leadership of Chef Davide Oldani, the Italian restaurant D'O balances Michelin-star-level quality with affordable prices. In the following story and video, Professor Gary Pisano explains how Oldani does it. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 02 Jan 2013
- What Do You Think?
Should We Rethink the Promise of Teams?
Summing Up: Teams that are properly structured and managed can support innovative thinking that depends on contributions from both extroverts and introverts, according to Professor Jim Heskett's readers. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 17 Dec 2012
- Research & Ideas
Teaming in the Twenty-First Century
Today's teams are not well designed for getting work done in the twenty-first century, argues Professor Amy C. Edmondson. One starting point: learn the skill of "teaming." Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 18 Jun 2012
- Research & Ideas
Better by the Bunch: Evaluating Job Candidates in Groups
The key to avoiding gender stereotyping in the hiring process lies in evaluating job candidates as a group, rather than one at a time. So says new research by Iris Bohnet, Alexandra van Geen, and Max H. Bazerman. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 25 Apr 2012
- Research & Ideas
The Importance of Teaming
Managers need to stop thinking of teams as static groups of individuals who have ample time to practice interacting successfully and efficiently, says Amy Edmondson in her new book, Teaming: How Organizations Learn, Innovate, and Compete in the Knowledge Economy. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 04 Oct 2010
- Research & Ideas
Introverts: The Best Leaders for Proactive Employees
Think effective leadership requires gregariousness and charisma? Think again. Introverts can actually be better leaders than extraverts, especially when their employees are naturally proactive, according to Francesca Gino. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 27 Sep 2010
- Research & Ideas
Customer Experts Lose Influence When Teams are Pressured
Group dynamics can take a bad turn when a team feels heightened pressure from stakeholders. In this Q&A, HBS professor Heidi K. Gardner explains why performance pressure makes team members do what seems irrational: defer to high-status "generalist" experts while ignoring colleagues close to the client. Key concepts include: Despite mutual respect initially, team dynamics can take a counterproductive turn when the group feels heightened pressure from external and internal stakeholders. When teams experience performance pressure, they usually listen more to high-status "generalist" experts in the group and unintentionally ignore members who know the client organization best. As team members privilege general expertise over customer-specific expertise, they miss out on key information that would improve how they customize and adapt the work for clients—a significant aspect of maintaining ongoing client relationships. Although it is tempting to blame certain individuals when this happens, Gardner's evidence shows that these processes are the responsibility of every team member. Managers can recognize the problem and take concrete steps to avoid it. Ultimately, soliciting everyone's contribution means little unless it is incorporated into the final deliverable for clients. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 03 Jul 2008
- What Do You Think?
Are Followers About to Get Their Due?
Online forum now closed. Leadership may be much-discussed, but followership merits equal attention, suggests HBS professor Jim Heskett. As a follower, what advice would you give other followers who want to have an impact on their jobs and organizations? As a leader, what do you do to foster good followership? Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 01 Oct 2007
- Research & Ideas
Encouraging Dissent in Decision-Making
Our natural tendency to maintain silence and not rock the boat, a flaw at once personal and organizational, results in bad—sometimes deadly—decisions. Think New Coke, The Bay of Pigs, and the Columbia space shuttle disaster, for starters. Here's how leaders can encourage all points of view. Key concepts include: All organized human groups are susceptible to suppression of views deemed contentious or disruptive to an organization's foundational beliefs. Decisions are seldom better for silence, and overcoming that is a key task for the leader of any organization. Candor should be rewarded and incentives designed to encourage opposing points of view. An aware, open, and inquiring senior team is critical to sound decision-making. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 31 Aug 2007
- Working Paper Summaries
Innovation through Global Collaboration: A New Source of Competitive Advantage
Collaboration is becoming a new and important source of competitive advantage. No longer is the creation and pursuit of new ideas the bastion of large, central R&D departments within vertically integrated organizations. Instead, innovations are increasingly brought to the market by networks of firms, selected according to their comparative advantages, and operating in a coordinated manner. This paper reports on a study of the strategies and practices used by firms that achieve greater success in terms of business value in their collaborative innovation efforts. Key concepts include: Consider the strategic role of collaboration, organize effectively for collaboration, and make long-term investments to develop collaborative capabilities. Successful firms found that attention to these 3 critical areas generated new options to create value that competitors could not replicate. Successful firms went beyond simple wage arbitrage, asking global partners to contribute knowledge and skills to projects, with a focus on improving their top line. They redesigned their organizations to increase the effectiveness of these efforts. Managing collaboration the same way a firm handles the outsourcing of production is a flawed approach. Production and innovation are fundamentally different activities and have different objectives. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 14 May 2007
- Research & Ideas
The Key to Managing Stars? Think Team
Stars don't shine alone. As Harvard Business School's Boris Groysberg and Linda-Eling Lee reveal in new research, it is imperative that top performers as well as their managers take into account the quality of colleagues. Groysberg and Lee explain the implications for star mobility and retention in this Q&A. Key concepts include: It takes a team. Despite a star's talent, knowledge, experience, and reputation, his or her colleagues make the difference for sustaining top performance. Before considering a career move, carefully evaluate the support you would receive from colleagues even in other parts of the firm. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 31 Jan 2007
- HBS Case
When Good Teams Go Bad
Jeff Polzer and Scott Snook teach "The Army Crew Team" case and the dilemma faced by a rowing coach who has great individual parts but can't get them to synchronize. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 25 Jul 2005
- Research & Ideas
Fool vs. Jerk: Whom Would You Hire?
You are the hiring manager with a nasty decision to make. Would you hire the lovable fool or the competent jerk? This Harvard Business Review excerpt suggests that the decision is complicated. By HBS professor Tiziana Casciaro and Duke University’s Miguel Sousa Lobo. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 31 May 2004
- Research & Ideas
How Team Leaders Show Support–or Not
What does a team leader do so that employees know they are being supported? A Q&A with HBS professor and creativity expert Teresa Amabile about new research. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 14 Jul 2003
- Research & Ideas
Understaffed and Overworked: What Now?
When resources are scarce, you need a plan for managing your career, your team, and even your boss. Here's what works: balance, focus, and effective communication. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
The Problem with Productivity of Multi-Ethnic Teams
Ethnically diverse teams can be less productive than more homogenous teams, according to research in Kenya by Vincent Pons. Open for comment; 0 Comments.