Leading Change
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- 06 Oct 2023
- Book
Yes, You Can Radically Change Your Organization in One Week
Skip the committees and the multi-year roadmap. With the right conditions, leaders can confront even complex organizational problems in one week. Frances Frei and Anne Morriss explain how in their book Move Fast and Fix Things.

- 09 May 2023
- Cold Call Podcast
Can Robin Williams’ Son Help Other Families Heal Addiction and Depression?
Zak Pym Williams, son of comedian and actor Robin Williams, had seen how mental health challenges, such as addiction and depression, had affected past generations of his family. Williams was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a young adult and he wanted to break the cycle for his children. Although his children were still quite young, he began considering proactive strategies that could help his family’s mental health, and he wanted to share that knowledge with other families. But how can Williams help people actually take advantage of those mental health strategies and services? Professor Lauren Cohen discusses his case, “Weapons of Self Destruction: Zak Pym Williams and the Cultivation of Mental Wellness.”

- 11 Apr 2023
- Op-Ed
The First 90 Hours: What New CEOs Should—and Shouldn't—Do to Set the Right Tone
New leaders no longer have the luxury of a 90-day listening tour to get to know an organization, says John Quelch. He offers seven steps to prepare CEOs for a successful start, and three missteps to avoid.

- 03 Jan 2023
- Book
Confront Workplace Inequity in 2023: Dig Deep, Build Bridges, Take Collective Action
Power dynamics tied up with race and gender underlie almost every workplace interaction, says Tina Opie. In her book Shared Sisterhood, she offers three practical steps for dismantling workplace inequities that hold back innovation.

- 16 Nov 2020
- Research & Ideas
Transitions of Power Are Difficult. What Joe Biden and Other Incoming Leaders Need to Know.
Rosabeth Moss Kanter discusses ways leaders can navigate bumpy transitions and heal divided constituencies. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

- 06 Aug 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
Field-Level Paradox and the Co-Evolution of an Entrepreneurial Vision
Swiss watchmaking embodies the classic strategic paradox created by the introduction of new technology: the choice between resisting and defending, or embracing and prospecting. This paper offers a model for how fields and organizational leaders experiencing similar paradoxes can adapt to environmental change while still preserving valuable aspects of their past success.

- 07 May 2019
- Cold Call Podcast
Managers, Are You Prepared to Handle Religion in the Workplace?
Managers face growing challenges related to religion in the workplace as religious discrimination claims and monetary settlements increase. Derek van Bever discusses two examples that made their way to the US Supreme Court. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

- 27 Dec 2018
- Working Paper Summaries
Team Learning Capabilities: A Meso Model of Sustained Innovation and Superior Firm Performance
In strategic management research, the dynamic capabilities framework enables a “helicopter view” of how firms achieve sustainable competitive advantage. This paper focuses on the critical role of work teams, arguing that managers must leverage the knowledge generated by teams to support innovation and strategic change. It matches types of team learning to innovation activities.

- 20 Nov 2017
- Research & Ideas
How Independent Bookstores Have Thrived in Spite of Amazon.com
Ryan Raffaelli set out to discover how independent bookstores managed to survive and even thrive in spite of competition from Amazon and other online retailers. His initial findings reveal how much consumers still value community and personal contact. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

- 20 Sep 2017
- Research & Ideas
The Three Types of Leaders Who Create Radical Change
Every successful social movement requires three distinct leadership roles: the agitator, the innovator, and the orchestrator, according to institutional change expert Julie Battilana. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

- 24 Apr 2017
- Op-Ed
Op-Ed: Courage: The Defining Characteristic of Great Leaders
Courageous leaders inspire employees, energize customers, and position their companies on the front lines of societal change. Bill George explains why there aren't more of them. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 03 Jun 2015
- What Do You Think?
Is the Time Right for Self-Management?
SUMMING UP When and where will holacracy, also known as self-management, work best? James Heskett's readers are conflicted as they respond to Zappos.com's radical adoption of the less-is-more management structure. What do YOU think? Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 27 Aug 2014
- Lessons from the Classroom
Learning From Japan’s Remarkable Disaster Recovery
Harvard Business School students make an annual trek to businesses in the Japanese area wrecked by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Their objectives: learn all they can about human resilience and share their own management knowledge. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 23 Jul 2014
- Lessons from the Classroom
Innovation Is Magic. Really
When Stefan Thomke teaches students how to manage innovation and creativity, he turns to an unexpected source: Magician Jason Randal. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 02 Jul 2014
- What Do You Think?
Are Today’s Business Heroes Challenging Our Ideas About Leadership?
SUMMING UP New leadership styles should not cause us to challenge our belief in traditional leadership values, Jim Heskett's readers write. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 10 Apr 2014
- Research & Ideas
Book Excerpt--‘Accelerate: Building Strategic Agility for a Faster-Moving World’
Management and leadership are not the same thing. But which is more important to a growing, innovative organization? An excerpt from John Kotter's new book, Accelerate: Building Strategic Agility for a Faster-Moving World. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 10 Apr 2014
- Research & Ideas
John Kotter’s Plan to Accelerate Your Business
In the fast-paced modern economy, businesses can no longer rely on just one organizational design, argues John Kotter in a new book, Accelerate: Building Strategic Agility for a Faster-Moving World. Why we need two "operating systems." PLUS Book excerpt. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 06 Jan 2014
- Research & Ideas
Technology Re-Emergence: Creating New Value for Old Innovations
Every once in a while, an old technology rises from the ashes and finds new life. Ryan Raffaelli explains how the Swiss watch industry saved itself by reinventing its identity. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 06 Dec 2013
- Op-Ed
HBS Faculty Remember Nelson Mandela
Harvard Business School faculty Nitin Nohria, Linda Hill, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, and Gautam Mukunda remember Nelson Mandela, a leader who truly made a difference in the world. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
From P.T. Barnum to Mary Kay: Lessons From 5 Leaders Who Changed the World
What do Steve Jobs and Sarah Breedlove have in common? Through a series of case studies, Robert Simons explores the unique qualities of visionary leaders and what today's managers can learn from their journeys.