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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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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; Comment(s) posted.

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; Comment(s) posted.

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; Comment(s) posted.

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; Comment(s) posted.

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; Comment(s) posted.

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; Comment(s) posted.

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; Comment(s) posted.

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; Comment(s) posted.

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; Comment(s) posted.

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; Comment(s) posted.

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; Comment(s) posted.

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; Comment(s) posted.

Why Don’t More Organizations Understand the Power of Diversity and Inclusion?

by James Heskett

SUMMING UP: Diversity in business leadership is certainly an enviable social goal, but does it improve company performance? James Heskett's readers look for the research evidence. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

What the Stockdale Paradox Tells Us About Crisis Leadership

by Boris Groysberg and Robin Abrahams

The Stockdale Paradox and survival psychology contain wisdom for how leaders can manage the coronavirus crisis, according to Boris Groysberg and Robin Abrahams. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

6 Ways to Support COVID-Weary Employees

by Dina Gerdeman

Ashley Whillans and colleagues offer managers solutions to ease the stress many employees are experiencing in the new workplace. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Reflection: The Pause That Brings Peace and Productivity

by Dina Gerdeman

Joseph Badaracco studied classic works and interviewed 100 managers in 15 countries to learn how busy men and women find time for reflection. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Merck CEO Ken Frazier Discusses a COVID Cure, Racism, and Why Leaders Need to Walk the Talk

by Staff

VIDEO: Ken Frazier, one of only four Black CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, speaks with Professor Tsedal Neeley about the search for a coronavirus vaccine, how racism at the workplace holds back America’s progress, and his own upbringing just one generation from slavery. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

It’s Time to Reset Decision-Making in Your Organization

by Boris Groysberg and Sarah Abbott

Clear decision-making in a crisis depends on sound methodology and gathering information from a variety of sources. Advice from Boris Groysberg and Sarah Abbott. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

It’s Not About You: Why Leaders Need to Look Outward

by Kristen Senz

By unleashing the full potential of their teams, leaders increase safety and inclusion in the workplace. Co-author Frances Frei discusses her new book, "Unleashed." Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

We’ve Now Been Asking “What Do You Think?” for 20 Years

by James Heskett

James Heskett reflects on 20 years of writing his monthly business management column for HBS Working Knowledge. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.