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New research on business leadership from Harvard Business School faculty on issues including skills development, authentic leadership, and creating value.
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What Pirates Can Teach Us About Leadership

by Francesca Gino

Despite his reputation for ruthlessness, Blackbeard ran a surprisingly progressive and equitable ship. Francesca Gino highlights three lessons for today's leaders from the golden age of piracy. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Procter & Gamble’s Lean Innovation Transformation

When Kathy Fish became Procter & Gamble’s Chief Research, Development & Innovation Officer in 2014, she was concerned that the world’s leading consumer packaged goods company had lost its capability to produce a steady stream of disruptive innovations. In addition, intensifying competition from direct-to-consumer companies convinced Fish that P&G needed to renew its value proposition to make all aspects of the consumer experience “irresistibly superior.” But making this change would require wholesale transformation from within. Can Fish bring lean innovation to scale at Procter & Gamble? Harvard Business School Assistant Professor Emily Truelove discusses the challenges of bringing this established company back to an innovative mindset in her case, “Kathy Fish at Procter & Gamble: Navigating Industry Disruption by Disrupting from Within.” Open for comment; 0 Comments.

IKEA Navigates the Future While Staying True to its Culture

After years of success in providing quality furniture at affordable prices, Swedish furniture maker IKEA is challenged by the rise of online shopping and changing consumer behavior, plus the arrival of a new leader. The company's top executives know they had to step out of their comfort zones and embrace new strategic initiatives to stay relevant. But which initiatives will best enable IKEA to evolve while staying true to the company’s core values? Harvard Business School professors Juan Alcacer and Cynthia Montgomery discuss navigating a new future while preserving the company’s culture and identity in their case, “Which IKEA Do We Want?” Open for comment; 0 Comments.

When Your Nerves Get the Best of You, Change the Narrative

by Francesca Gino

Anxiety can hobble even the most confident leaders. Francesca Gino offers three strategies that she uses to turn nerve-wracking situations into meaningful experiences. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

The Hard Truth About Being a CEO

by Michael Blanding

CEOs rarely get the full story from advisers and don't seem to know when to step down, says David Fubini. His book Hidden Truths offers candid wisdom for leaders. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Where Does CEO Activism Go From Here?

by James Heskett

More than 200 CEOs, including Warren Buffett, recently spoke out in support of voting rights. But whom do these CEOs represent? asks James Heskett. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

The Pandemic Conversations That Leaders Need to Have Now

by Boris Groysberg, Robin Abrahams, and Katherine Connolly Baden

It's time for leaders to rebuild the bonds that COVID-19 has shaken. First step: Start talking. Boris Groysberg and colleagues share advice for making these conversations meaningful. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

What Went Wrong with the Boeing 737 Max?

How did the evolution of Boeing’s organization and management lead up to two tragic plane crashes—the crash of Lion Air flight 610 on October 29, 2018, in Indonesia, and the crash of Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 on March 9, 2019, in Ethiopia—in which a total of 346 people died? What role did cost cutting, FAA pressure, and CEO succession play in laying the foundation for this tragedy? Professor Bill George discusses the long roots that ultimately led to two tragic Boeing 737 Max crashes, and examines the response of Boeing executives to the crisis in his case, “What Went Wrong with Boeing's 737 Max?” Open for comment; 0 Comments.

How to Learn from the Big Mistake You Almost Make

by Kristen Senz

A brush with disaster can lead to important innovations, but only if employees have the psychological safety to reflect on these close calls, says research by Amy C. Edmondson, Olivia Jung, and colleagues. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Key to Doing Your Best at Work? Be Yourself

by Christina Pazzanese, Harvard Gazette

Hiding your quirks and opinions won't get you ahead. 'Badass' leaders bring their bold, authentic selves to work, without apology, says Francesca Gino. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

COVID Killed the Traditional Workplace. What Should Companies Do Now?

by Dina Gerdeman

When the pandemic recedes, executives can’t expect office life to be as it was. But they can create a new work world that will keep employees happy and productive, say Harvard Business School faculty members. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

What History's Biggest Wars Teach Us About Leading in Peace

by Lane Lambert

Deepak Malhotra shares how critical moments in the Peloponnesian War, both World Wars, and the Cuban Missile Crisis offer lessons for business—and life. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Pandemic Self-Care for CEOs: Rituals, Running, and Cognitive Restructuring

by Gamze D. Yucaoglu, Robin Abrahams, and Boris Groysberg

Boris Groysberg and colleagues look at the tactics and techniques that business leaders are leaning on to manage stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Fostering Authenticity and Employee Engagement at John Deere

As the first Black female factory manager to lead a John Deere plant, Rosalind Fox must figure out how to build relationships with her staff, who are mostly white men. Harvard Business School senior lecturer Tony Mayo discusses the pressure on Fox to assimilate into the dominant culture, her decision to lean into her authentic self, and the deep connection between employee engagement and authenticity in his case, “Rosalind Fox at John Deere.” Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Developing Resilience on the Path to Becoming a CEO

As a Black female CEO, Shellye Archambeau is no stranger to adversity. Now she faces her most critical leadership decision. The software company she leads, MetricStream, is losing customers, hemorrhaging cash, and struggling to make payroll. Harvard Business School professor Tsedal Neeley discusses Archambeau’s leadership style and the importance of developing resilience, particularly when managing through a crisis, in her case, “Shellye Archambeau: Becoming a CEO.” Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Inside CEOs' Pandemic Worries: Uncertainty, Employees, and Kids

by Gamze D. Yucaoglu, Robin Abrahams, and Boris Groysberg

Boris Groysberg and colleagues peer into the minds of 10 global CEOs trying to steer their businesses through the upheaval of COVID-19. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Cut Payroll Costs with Transparency, Fairness, and Compassion

by Boris Groysberg and Sarah Abbott

As cost-cutting continues across the turbulent economy, companies are challenged to be creative when managing their human capital, say Boris Groysberg and Sarah Abbott. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Transitions of Power Are Difficult. What Joe Biden and Other Incoming Leaders Need to Know.

by Sean Silverthorne

Rosabeth Moss Kanter discusses ways leaders can navigate bumpy transitions and heal divided constituencies. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Good Leadership Is an Act of Kindness

by Boris Groysberg and Susan Seligson

The pandemic has challenged managers as never before, but one powerful leadership strategy is being overlooked, say Boris Groysberg and Susan Seligson: Be kind. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

The COVID Two-Step for Leaders: Protect and Pivot

by Boris Groysberg and Katherine Connolly Baden

Leaders today face two great questions: how to survive, and how to capitalize on new opportunities. Insights from Boris Groysberg and Katherine Connolly Baden. Open for comment; 0 Comments.