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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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Scrap the Big New Year's Resolutions. Make 6 Simple Changes Instead.

by Kristen Senz

Self-improvement doesn't need to be painful, especially during a pandemic. Rather than set yet another gym goal, look inward, retrain your brain, and get outside, says Hirotaka Takeuchi. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Want to Build Better Leaders? Focus on Mindset, Skills, Knowledge

by Hise Gibson and Shawnette Rochelle

Too many companies fail to see the potential of their best middle managers—and lose them to other firms. Hise Gibson and Shawnette Rochelle offer a framework for helping these promising leaders grow. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Can Our Parenting Struggles Make Us Better Leaders?

by Ranjay Gulati

Like parents, leaders must know when to impose control and when to step back. Ranjay Gulati reflects on the benefits of authoritative leadership, and what it takes to achieve it. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Is the Business World Finally Ready for the Wisdom of Shibusawa?

by Geoffrey Jones and Rei Morimoto

Legendary financier Eiichi Shibusawa advocated for business prosperity that would also benefit society. One hundred years after his death, his message is resonating with a new generation of leaders, say Geoffrey Jones and Rei Morimoto. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Team Success Starts with the Individual—and with Love

by Ranjay Gulati

Many leaders see teams as collective units, but helping individual members reach their potential—personally and professionally—can open new opportunities. Ranjay Gulati looks at the philosophy of famed football coach Pete Carroll. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

What Companies Want Most in a CEO: A Good Listener

by Jay Fitzgerald

Financial expertise and operational experience will only take executives so far. More than ever, companies want senior leaders with strong social skills and emotional intelligence, says research by Raffaella Sadun and Joseph Fuller. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

How Do We Make Sure the Right People End Up with Power in Organizations?

by James Heskett

A new book argues that companies need to reward humility and empathy—antidotes to the hubris and self-focus of excess power. But is that easier said than done? asks James Heskett. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Readers Ask: How Can I Gain Power and Influence?

by Kristen Senz

Who has the real power in an organization? Julie Battilana says it comes down to two questions. She discusses power and more on Working Knowledge’s “Office Hours” series. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Can We Train for Trust?

by James Heskett

A culture of trust can improve employee—and company—performance. But can leaders be trained to foster trust among those they lead? asks James Heskett. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Feeling Powerless at Work? Time to Agitate, Innovate, and Orchestrate

by Jay Fitzgerald

Employees lower down the organizational ladder have far more power than they realize. If they worked together, they could effect significant change within their workplaces, says Julie Battilana. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Steve Jobs and the Rise of the Celebrity CEO

by Dina Gerdeman

A new book by Richard Tedlow digs into the careers of Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, and Oprah Winfrey to understand how CEOs went from nameless suits to acclaimed gurus. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

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

Re: Emily Truelove

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

Re: Juan AlcacerRe: Cynthia A. Montgomery

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?

Re: William W. George

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.