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Shana Novak/Getty Images Companies have been trying to adopt customer centricity for nearly 20 years now. But the CMO Council reports that “only 14 percent of marketers say that customer centricity is a hallmark of their companies, and only 11 percent believe their customers would agree with that characterization.” Why do so many companies struggle […]

Laura Leyshon/Getty Images Female physicians continue to face myriad challenges in medicine ranging from implicit bias to gaps in payment and promotion to sexual harassment. So it is not surprising (though it’s still appalling) that although equal numbers of men and women now graduate from medical school, only a small fraction of female physicians become […]

Laura Leyshon/Getty Images Female physicians continue to face myriad challenges in medicine ranging from implicit bias to gaps in payment and promotion to sexual harassment. So it is not surprising (though it’s still appalling) that although equal numbers of men and women now graduate from medical school, only a small fraction of female physicians become […]

RyanJLane/Getty Images Blockchain has important implications for marketing and advertising. But according to The CMO Survey, only 8% of firms rate the use of blockchain in marketing as moderately or very important. Blockchain technology is not well understood and subject to a lot of hype. This combination creates a natural barrier to entry and has […]

From the Women at Work podcast: Listen and subscribe to our podcast via Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS Download the discussion guide for this episode Join our online community Download this podcast There’s a lot that goes into making a good decision at work: figuring out priorities, coming up with options, analyzing those — and several […]

PATRIK STOLLARZ/Getty Images Many managers want to be more inclusive.  They recognize the value of inclusion and diversity and believe it’s the right thing to aspire to. But they don’t know how to get there. For the most part, managers are not given the right tools to overcome the challenges posed by implicit biases. The […]

Dual Dual/Getty Images In the spirit of becoming more adaptive, organizations have rushed to implement Agile software development. But many have done so in a way that actually makes them less agile. These companies have become agile in name only, as the process they’ve put in place often ends up hurting engineering motivation and productivity. […]

Dual Dual/Getty Images In the spirit of becoming more adaptive, organizations have rushed to implement Agile software development. But many have done so in a way that actually makes them less agile. These companies have become agile in name only, as the process they’ve put in place often ends up hurting engineering motivation and productivity. […]

Dual Dual/Getty Images In the spirit of becoming more adaptive, organizations have rushed to implement Agile software development. But many have done so in a way that actually makes them less agile. These companies have become agile in name only, as the process they’ve put in place often ends up hurting engineering motivation and productivity. […]

Peter Dazeley/Getty Images In the spirit of becoming more adaptive, organizations have rushed to implement Agile software development. But many have done so in a way that actually makes them less agile. These companies have become agile in name only, as the process they’ve put in place often ends up hurting engineering motivation and productivity. […]

Peter Dazeley/Getty Images In the spirit of becoming more adaptive, organizations have rushed to implement Agile software development. But many have done so in a way that actually makes them less agile. These companies have become agile in name only, as the process they’ve put in place often ends up hurting engineering motivation and productivity. […]

Colin McConnell/Getty Images We all know how important it is for an organization’s leaders and employees to empathize with its customers. Evidence shows that when people understand and care about those they serve, they solve problems more creatively and provide better service. What’s the best way to cultivate empathy? The standard answer is to spend more […]

Thomas Janisch/Getty Images This month marks the 10-year anniversary of the Lehman Brothers collapse, the prelude to the worst global financial crisis since 1929. As we pass that mark, we are also approaching the 20-year anniversary of the launch of the Euro. And when the retrospective assessments of the Euro’s first two decades are written, […]

INTI OCON/Getty Images When Vontae Davis walked off the field at halftime, the Buffalo Bills were down 28-6 to the Los Angeles Chargers. But instead of huddling with teammates, the Bills cornerback quit football entirely, right then and there. Later that evening, Davis announced his retirement on social media, saying “today on the field, reality […]

INTI OCON/Getty Images When Vontae Davis walked off the field at halftime, the Buffalo Bills were down 28-6 to the Los Angeles Chargers. But instead of huddling with teammates, the Bills cornerback quit football entirely, right then and there. Later that evening, Davis announced his retirement on social media, saying “today on the field, reality […]

INTI OCON/Getty Images When Vontae Davis walked off the field at halftime, the Buffalo Bills were down 28-6 to the Los Angeles Chargers. But instead of huddling with teammates, the Bills cornerback quit football entirely, right then and there. Later that evening, Davis announced his retirement on social media, saying “today on the field, reality […]

INTI OCON/Getty Images When Vontae Davis walked off the field at halftime, the Buffalo Bills were down 28-6 to the Los Angeles Chargers. But instead of huddling with teammates, the Bills cornerback quit football entirely, right then and there. Later that evening, Davis announced his retirement on social media, saying “today on the field, reality […]

INTI OCON/Getty Images When Vontae Davis walked off the field at halftime, the Buffalo Bills were down 28-6 to the Los Angeles Chargers. But instead of huddling with teammates, the Bills cornerback quit football entirely, right then and there. Later that evening, Davis announced his retirement on social media, saying “today on the field, reality […]

Tim Hawley/Getty Images \ The average lifespan of a U.S. S&P 500 company has fallen by 80% in the last 80 years (from 67 to 15 years), and 76% of UK FTSE 100 companies have disappeared in the last 30 years. In stark contrast, organizations in other sectors celebrate their 100th birthday and look like […]

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI /Getty Images When thinking about how to develop in our careers, most of us tend to focus on promotions, projects, courses, certifications. We seek out expanded roles, more senior titles, extra money. We overlook one very key piece of the learning puzzle:  proactively surrounding ourselves with people who will push us to succeed […]

Peter Mason/Getty Images Fintona Financial (not the company’s real name) had a problem. Interviews with their financial advisors revealed something disturbing: When dealing with Fintona’s Customer Support, many advisors followed a three-call rule saying, “If you really need the right answer from Fintona, you have to call them three times [to ask the same question] […]

emyerson/Getty Images Words matter. And the words we use to describe men versus women differ in significant ways that can affect their careers. This starts early on. Research finds that girls who are described as “bossy” are viewed negatively in ways that boys are not. This discrepancy continues into adulthood where the description of being […]

emyerson/Getty Images Words matter. And the words we use to describe men versus women differ in significant ways that can affect their careers. This starts early on. Research finds that girls who are described as “bossy” are viewed negatively in ways that boys are not. This discrepancy continues into adulthood where the description of being […]

emyerson/Getty Images Words matter. And the words we use to describe men versus women differ in significant ways that can affect their careers. This starts early on. Research finds that girls who are described as “bossy” are viewed negatively in ways that boys are not. This discrepancy continues into adulthood where the description of being […]

emyerson/Getty Images Words matter. And the words we use to describe men versus women differ in significant ways that can affect their careers. This starts early on. Research finds that girls who are described as “bossy” are viewed negatively in ways that boys are not. This discrepancy continues into adulthood where the description of being […]

emyerson/Getty Images Words matter. And the words we use to describe men versus women differ in significant ways that can affect their careers. This starts early on. Research finds that girls who are described as “bossy” are viewed negatively in ways that boys are not. This discrepancy continues into adulthood where the description of being […]

Kelly Bowdon/Getty Images Two news stories speak to how companies are facing criticism for the ways they shape their workforces. First, former IBM employees have initiated a class action suit against the company for age discrimination. The suit accuses IBM of systematically laying off older employees in an effort to cultivate a younger, and presumably […]

Charlie Cordier/Getty Images If you’re like most people working in an organization today, you’re probably on multiple teams at the same time. Most employees have multiple assignments and projects that they must constantly juggle and prioritize. In fact, research estimates that between 81% and 95% of employees around the world actively serve on multiple teams […]

Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images “I’d like to work for a manager I can learn from.” This phrase has come up again and again in interviews I’ve conducted for my team at the World Economic Forum and from more junior folks who I’ve met through various mentoring programs. These people aren’t looking for someone to lecture them, […]

Daniel Grizelj/Getty Images According to popular stereotypes, women are better multitaskers. In fact, a quick Google search leads to many press articles claiming a female advantage. For example, women came out as better multitaskers when researchers used fMRI scans to measure brain activity, computer tests to measure response times, and an exercise in which people […]

Thomas Jackson/Getty Images As the sexual assault allegations by Professor Christine Blasey Ford against Judge Brett Kavanaugh have played out, too few men — but especially male politicians — have publicly supported an open and respectful hearing of her assertions. This week, Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI), her frustration boiling over at male congressmen who have […]

Daniel Grizelj/Getty Images According to popular stereotypes, women are better multitaskers. In fact, a quick Google search leads to many press articles claiming a female advantage. For example, women came out as better multitaskers when researchers used fMRI scans to measure brain activity, computer tests to measure response times, and an exercise in which people […]

Daniel Grizelj/Getty Images According to popular stereotypes, women are better multitaskers. In fact, a quick Google search leads to many press articles claiming a female advantage. For example, women came out as better multitaskers when researchers used fMRI scans to measure brain activity, computer tests to measure response times, and an exercise in which people […]

Daniel Grizelj/Getty Images According to popular stereotypes, women are better multitaskers. In fact, a quick Google search leads to many press articles claiming a female advantage. For example, women came out as better multitaskers when researchers used fMRI scans to measure brain activity, computer tests to measure response times, and an exercise in which people […]

Daniel Grizelj/Getty Images According to popular stereotypes, women are better multitaskers. In fact, a quick Google search leads to many press articles claiming a female advantage. For example, women came out as better multitaskers when researchers used fMRI scans to measure brain activity, computer tests to measure response times, and an exercise in which people […]

Adam Pretty /Getty Images It can be challenging to synchronize complex tasks across multiple functions. Rather than cooperating, too many functions end up competing for power, influence, and limited resources. And such rivalry is more than a nuisance: It’s costly. One study reports that 85% of workers experience some regular form of conflict, with U.S. […]

William Andrew/Getty Images When companies expand into foreign markets, they need to gain the trust of local business partners and prospective customers in order to succeed. The most common ways of doing this are to send executives to build personal relationships with international business partners and to hire local distribution partners — or independent, third-party […]

DanielSambraus/EyeEm/Getty Images Most professionals use email every day for business — in fact, it’d be hard not to, with 281 billion messages sent and received on a daily basis. But when it comes to marketing, much of the attention gets focused on social media, which — while popular and highly visible — has a conversion […]

Diversity and inclusion are key factors attracting and engaging the kind of workforce that will build your company’s future. But research shows there can be a disconnect between what companies say they do and how people really experience inclusion in the workplace. Listen to Angelia Herrin, Editor for Special Projects and Research at HBR interview […]

Mike Ovitz, a cofounder of Creative Artists Agency and former president of The Walt Disney Company, says there are many parallels between the movie and music industry of the 1970s and 1980s and Silicon Valley today. When it comes to managing creatives, he says you have to have patience and believe in the work. But […]

NurPhoto/Getty Images It is hard to overstate the sheer economic cost of the 2008 financial crisis. The combination of increased expenditures and decreased revenues resulting from the crisis from 2008 to 2010 is likely to cost the United States government well over $2 trillion, more than twice the cost of the 17-year-long war in Afghanistan. […]

joshlaverty/Getty Images When we think about productivity at work, we often think about how to motivate ourselves — or the people on our team. But sometimes the people who are struggling to stay focused and engaged are our peers. And while it may not be an official part of your job description, helping a colleague […]

joshlaverty/Getty Images When we think about productivity at work, we often think about how to motivate ourselves — or the people on our team. But sometimes the people who are struggling to stay focused and engaged are our peers. And while it may not be an official part of your job description, helping a colleague […]

joshlaverty/Getty Images When we think about productivity at work, we often think about how to motivate ourselves — or the people on our team. But sometimes the people who are struggling to stay focused and engaged are our peers. And while it may not be an official part of your job description, helping a colleague […]

joshlaverty/Getty Images When we think about productivity at work, we often think about how to motivate ourselves — or the people on our team. But sometimes the people who are struggling to stay focused and engaged are our peers. And while it may not be an official part of your job description, helping a colleague […]

joshlaverty/Getty Images When we think about productivity at work, we often think about how to motivate ourselves — or the people on our team. But sometimes the people who are struggling to stay focused and engaged are our peers. And while it may not be an official part of your job description, helping a colleague […]

Francesco Carta fotografo/Getty Images Going back to work after having a baby is tricky stuff. After all, the new parent is simply not the same person they were before. This personal struggle, combined with a misguided workplace view of what a parent was actually doing on leave (no, they were not just lounging about and […]

From the Women at Work podcast: Listen and subscribe to our podcast via Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS Download the Discussion Guide for this episode Download this podcast Having a baby is exciting — and exhausting. Figuring out how to take parental leave, or manage someone who’s doing it, can add an extra wrinkle. No […]

UpperCut Images/Getty Images Nestled in the Silicon Sentier district of Paris, the Villa Bonne Nouvelle (“House of Good News”), or VBN, initially appears to be another new coworking space. But what sets it apart is that only half of its 60 occupants are freelancers. The remainder work for Orange (née French Telecom), which launched VBN […]

Barry Winiker/Getty Images These days, it seems, every brand wants to be a “lifestyle brand.” Peddling burritos? “Our ultimate marketing mission is to make Chipotle not just a food brand but a purpose-driven lifestyle brand,” the company’s new head of marketing said. Selling sweets? Godiva wants “to be seen as a lifestyle brand by leveraging […]

Barry Winiker/Getty Images These days, it seems, every brand wants to be a “lifestyle brand.” Peddling burritos? “Our ultimate marketing mission is to make Chipotle not just a food brand but a purpose-driven lifestyle brand,” the company’s new head of marketing said. Selling sweets? Godiva wants “to be seen as a lifestyle brand by leveraging […]

Barry Winiker/Getty Images These days, it seems, every brand wants to be a “lifestyle brand.” Peddling burritos? “Our ultimate marketing mission is to make Chipotle not just a food brand but a purpose-driven lifestyle brand,” the company’s new head of marketing said. Selling sweets? Godiva wants “to be seen as a lifestyle brand by leveraging […]

Barry Winiker/Getty Images These days, it seems, every brand wants to be a “lifestyle brand.” Peddling burritos? “Our ultimate marketing mission is to make Chipotle not just a food brand but a purpose-driven lifestyle brand,” the company’s new head of marketing said. Selling sweets? Godiva wants “to be seen as a lifestyle brand by leveraging […]

Barry Winiker/Getty Images These days, it seems, every brand wants to be a “lifestyle brand.” Peddling burritos? “Our ultimate marketing mission is to make Chipotle not just a food brand but a purpose-driven lifestyle brand,” the company’s new head of marketing said. Selling sweets? Godiva wants “to be seen as a lifestyle brand by leveraging […]

David Crockett/Getty Images One of the most overused expressions thrown around by wannabe “Wall Street Rambos” is business is war. But sometimes war tactics really can help in business. Among these tactics is CARVER, a system for assessing and ranking threats and opportunities. Developed during World War II, CARVER (then one letter shorter and known […]

Jason Jaroslav Cook Creative/Getty Images Corporate directors and executives alike recognize that today’s pace of change continues to accelerate and that firms need to innovate to stay ahead. But are boards doing enough to support innovation, as they should? We conducted a survey of over 5,000 board members from around the world to find out. […]

adamkaz/Getty Images When the graduating classes of 2009, 2010, and 2011 hit the job market, their employment prospects were depressingly bleak. Unemployment rates were at historic highs and job openings were scarce. Nine months after graduation, only 56% of the class of 2010 had found a job. Many of those who did find work held […]

adamkaz/Getty Images When the graduating classes of 2009, 2010, and 2011 hit the job market, their employment prospects were depressingly bleak. Unemployment rates were at historic highs and job openings were scarce. Nine months after graduation, only 56% of the class of 2010 had found a job. Many of those who did find work held […]

adamkaz/Getty Images When the graduating classes of 2009, 2010, and 2011 hit the job market, their employment prospects were depressingly bleak. Unemployment rates were at historic highs and job openings were scarce. Nine months after graduation, only 56% of the class of 2010 had found a job. Many of those who did find work held […]

adamkaz/Getty Images When the graduating classes of 2009, 2010, and 2011 hit the job market, their employment prospects were depressingly bleak. Unemployment rates were at historic highs and job openings were scarce. Nine months after graduation, only 56% of the class of 2010 had found a job. Many of those who did find work held […]

adamkaz/Getty Images When the graduating classes of 2009, 2010, and 2011 hit the job market, their employment prospects were depressingly bleak. Unemployment rates were at historic highs and job openings were scarce. Nine months after graduation, only 56% of the class of 2010 had found a job. Many of those who did find work held […]

Brett Hemmings/Getty Images In So I Married an Axe Murderer, a wacky 1990’s parody, a police officer named Tony confides to his captain, “I’m having doubts about being a cop. You know, it’s not like how it is on TV. All I do all day is fill out forms and paperwork.” Tony thought his job […]

Danas Jurgelevicius/Getty Images Curiosity is experiencing a “Gold Rush” moment. Books, university classes, and research are popularizing the power of curiosity. Not surprisingly, organizations are increasingly, explicitly looking for curious employees. Consider these job descriptions pulled from several job listing websites: “If you have a passion and curiosity for what is possible and enjoy people, […]

Stars of Science, a reality TV “edutainment” competition for the Arab world, is set to celebrate its 10th anniversary, owing to its success as a show that rewards innovation above all else.   Within less than 20 years, the phenomenon commonly referred to as “reality TV” has fundamentally altered television viewing habits the world over. […]

Are you looking to quit your job? In this episode of HBR’s advice podcast, Dear HBR:, cohosts Alison Beard and Dan McGinn answer your questions with the help of David Burkus, a management professor at Oral Roberts University. They talk through what to do when you want to call out a toxic employee in your […]

ImageGap/Getty Images You’ve left an important task undone for weeks. It’s hanging over you, causing daily anxiety. And yet instead of actually doing it, you do a hundred other tasks instead. Or you’ve been feeling guilty about not replying to an email, even though replying would only take 10 minutes. Or maybe the last time […]

ImageGap/Getty Images You’ve left an important task undone for weeks. It’s hanging over you, causing daily anxiety. And yet instead of actually doing it, you do a hundred other tasks instead. Or you’ve been feeling guilty about not replying to an email, even though replying would only take 10 minutes. Or maybe the last time […]

ImageGap/Getty Images You’ve left an important task undone for weeks. It’s hanging over you, causing daily anxiety. And yet instead of actually doing it, you do a hundred other tasks instead. Or you’ve been feeling guilty about not replying to an email, even though replying would only take 10 minutes. Or maybe the last time […]

ImageGap/Getty Images You’ve left an important task undone for weeks. It’s hanging over you, causing daily anxiety. And yet instead of actually doing it, you do a hundred other tasks instead. Or you’ve been feeling guilty about not replying to an email, even though replying would only take 10 minutes. Or maybe the last time […]

ImageGap/Getty Images You’ve left an important task undone for weeks. It’s hanging over you, causing daily anxiety. And yet instead of actually doing it, you do a hundred other tasks instead. Or you’ve been feeling guilty about not replying to an email, even though replying would only take 10 minutes. Or maybe the last time […]

Fanatic Studio/Getty Images Many people have suggested moving away from quarterly earnings reporting as a way to reduce short-termism. But such a change would probably not change how resources are allocated or businesses operate. Rather than requiring less short-term information, we believe the key to combating short-termism is to encourage companies to share more information […]

Peter Dazeley/Getty Images We’ve heard for decades that we should only hire A players, and should even try to cut non-A players from our teams. But not only do the criteria for being an A player vary significantly by company, it’s unrealistic to think you can work only with A players. Further, as demonstrated by […]

HIDEKI KUWAJIMA/Getty Images A friend recently returned to his parked car to find it had been sideswiped. Now, every time he calls the insurance company, he hears a message saying: “Can’t take your call right now. Leave a message. All calls will be returned by the end of the day.” So far, he’s called over […]

Veronica Grech/Getty Images As banks rush to digitize their operations, many have found that closing their local branches can help maintain a high return on an otherwise pricy transformation. European banks, for example, closed over 9,000 branches in 2016, which represents a 4.6% reduction in a single year. According to our calculations, using data from […]

HIDEKI KUWAJIMA/Getty Images A friend recently returned to his parked car to find it had been sideswiped. Now, every time he calls the insurance company, he hears a message saying: “Can’t take your call right now. Leave a message. All calls will be returned by the end of the day.” So far, he’s called over […]

HIDEKI KUWAJIMA/Getty Images A friend recently returned to his parked car to find it had been sideswiped. Now, every time he calls the insurance company, he hears a message saying: “Can’t take your call right now. Leave a message. All calls will be returned by the end of the day.” So far, he’s called over […]

HIDEKI KUWAJIMA/Getty Images A friend recently returned to his parked car to find it had been sideswiped. Now, every time he calls the insurance company, he hears a message saying: “Can’t take your call right now. Leave a message. All calls will be returned by the end of the day.” So far, he’s called over […]

HIDEKI KUWAJIMA/Getty Images A friend recently returned to his parked car to find it had been sideswiped. Now, every time he calls the insurance company, he hears a message saying: “Can’t take your call right now. Leave a message. All calls will be returned by the end of the day.” So far, he’s called over […]

Jeff Schear/Getty Images I often forget I am straight.  I just don’t think about it much.  When asked what I did this weekend, or when setting family photos on my desk at work, I have no reason to wonder if what I say will make someone uncomfortable, or lead to a “joke” at my expense, […]

Eric Frommelt/Getty Images Ten years on from the financial crisis, stock markets are regularly reaching new highs and volatility levels new lows. The financial industry has enthusiastically and profitably embraced big data and computational algorithms, emboldened by the many triumphs of machine learning. However, it is imperative we question the confidence placed in the new […]

Dirk Anschutz/Getty Images The Q&A or fireside chat has become a popular format at events like conferences and employee town-halls, replacing more-formal presentations and panels. The one-on-one format can create a more conversational, interesting, and intimate experience, and has the added benefit that the CEO or luminary being interviewed theoretically doesn’t have to prepare as […]

Beth Comstock, the first female vice chair at General Electric, thinks companies large and small often approach innovation the wrong way. They either try to throw money at the problem before it has a clear market, misallocate resources, or don’t get buy in from senior leaders to enact real change. Comstock spent many years at […]

Gina Pricope/Getty Images In the start-up world, the disruptor is the cool kid on the block, the one who’ll change the world — or at least the products you’ll buy and how you buy them. She takes on the grown-ups in suits and shows us all how dumb they are. Customers love her because she makes them […]

Paula Daniëlse/Getty Images Body language varies significantly across cultures. What is considered rude or foolish in a Nordic country may be welcomed as warm and friendly in an African one. What a Canadian businessperson would perceive as arrogant, an American executive may see as healthy confidence. But what remains consistent across all known cultures are […]

Paula Daniëlse/Getty Images Body language varies significantly across cultures. What is considered rude or foolish in a Nordic country may be welcomed as warm and friendly in an African one. What a Canadian businessperson would perceive as arrogant, an American executive may see as healthy confidence. But what remains consistent across all known cultures are […]

Paula Daniëlse/Getty Images Body language varies significantly across cultures. What is considered rude or foolish in a Nordic country may be welcomed as warm and friendly in an African one. What a Canadian businessperson would perceive as arrogant, an American executive may see as healthy confidence. But what remains consistent across all known cultures are […]

Paula Daniëlse/Getty Images Body language varies significantly across cultures. What is considered rude or foolish in a Nordic country may be welcomed as warm and friendly in an African one. What a Canadian businessperson would perceive as arrogant, an American executive may see as healthy confidence. But what remains consistent across all known cultures are […]

Paula Daniëlse/Getty Images Body language varies significantly across cultures. What is considered rude or foolish in a Nordic country may be welcomed as warm and friendly in an African one. What a Canadian businessperson would perceive as arrogant, an American executive may see as healthy confidence. But what remains consistent across all known cultures are […]

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images Development economists over the ages have puzzled about why some emerging economies perform much better than others over the long term. We have been looking at the same issue in our latest research, and find one element that others haven’t tended to focus on: the often intense competitive dynamics that can be […]

Simon McGill/Getty Images A new study out of Virginia Tech University confirms something that just about every knowledge worker already knows: Dealing with after-hours emails produces anxiety that is damaging not only to the worker, but to their family. One particularly striking finding of this study is that it’s not just the amount of time […]

KAZUHIRO NOGI/Getty Images Businesses are constantly vying to capture the attention of potential customers. It’s not easy to do. People are inundated with different brands as they stroll through the streets, scan through their social media newsfeeds, and binge television. The average American is exposed to more than 4,000 ads every day. A simple concept […]

From the Women at Work podcast: Listen and subscribe to our podcast via Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS Download the Discussion Guide for this episode Download this podcast Women are expected and asked to do thankless tasks — order lunch, handle less-valued clients — more than men, and research shows that doing those tasks slows […]

Bloomberg Creative Photos/Getty Images In 2016, the International Monetary Fund estimated that corruption amounted to roughly 2% of global economic output — between $1.5 and $2 trillion globally. Consider that in India in 2016, nearly seven in 10 citizens reported paying a bribe to access basic public services such as public schools, public clinics or hospitals, […]

Mitch Blunt/Getty Images Do we lie to get what we want out of negotiations? That depends, according to forthcoming research I conducted with  Jason Pierce of the University of North Carolina, Greensborough. We found that the likelihood of engaging in unethical behavior during negotiation is related strongly to gender: men are more likely to act deceptively than […]

Mitch Blunt/Getty Images Do we lie to get what we want out of negotiations? That depends, according to forthcoming research I conducted with  Jason Pierce of the University of North Carolina, Greensborough. We found that the likelihood of engaging in unethical behavior during negotiation is related strongly to gender: men are more likely to act deceptively than […]

Mitch Blunt/Getty Images Do we lie to get what we want out of negotiations? That depends, according to forthcoming research I conducted with  Jason Pierce of the University of North Carolina, Greensborough. We found that the likelihood of engaging in unethical behavior during negotiation is related strongly to gender: men are more likely to act deceptively than […]

Mitch Blunt/Getty Images Do we lie to get what we want out of negotiations? That depends, according to forthcoming research I conducted with  Jason Pierce of the University of North Carolina, Greensborough. We found that the likelihood of engaging in unethical behavior during negotiation is related strongly to gender: men are more likely to act deceptively than […]

Mitch Blunt/Getty Images Do we lie to get what we want out of negotiations? That depends, according to forthcoming research I conducted with  Jason Pierce of the University of North Carolina, Greensborough. We found that the likelihood of engaging in unethical behavior during negotiation is related strongly to gender: men are more likely to act deceptively than […]

SCOTT WEBB/Unsplash Everyone knows leaders should delegate to ensure that they are working on the right projects and deliverables.  But if you find yourself frequently miscommunicating with your team on deliverables, hearing about issues at the last minute, and misunderstanding how your team set their priorities, it may be a sign you’ve delegated too much, […]

Maskot/Getty Images Career or child care? It’s an unfortunate dilemma faced by every working woman with a baby on the way. Should she take a lengthy maternity leave, knowing that more time at home can improve the well-being of both mother and child? After all, research shows maternity leaves are related to lower infant mortality […]

Charles McQuillan/Getty Images “I don’t quite know what to do next,” said Simon, a media CEO. Simon had been a chief executive for 15 years, and CFO before he was 30. He had turned around private and public companies, quadrupled profits and quintupled revenue. But, with his company recently sold, Simon was considering retirement. Like […]

Peter Dazeley/Getty Images Ever since the forced bankruptcy of the investment bank Lehman Brothers triggered the financial crisis 10 years ago, regulators, risk managers, and central bankers around the globe have focused on shoring up banks’ ability to withstand financial shocks. But the next crisis might not come from a financial shock at all. The […]

Peter Dazeley/Getty Images Ever since the forced bankruptcy of the investment bank Lehman Brothers triggered the financial crisis 10 years ago, regulators, risk managers, and central bankers around the globe have focused on shoring up banks’ ability to withstand financial shocks. But the next crisis might not come from a financial shock at all. The […]

Peter Dazeley/Getty Images Ever since the forced bankruptcy of the investment bank Lehman Brothers triggered the financial crisis 10 years ago, regulators, risk managers, and central bankers around the globe have focused on shoring up banks’ ability to withstand financial shocks. But the next crisis might not come from a financial shock at all. The […]

Peter Dazeley/Getty Images Ever since the forced bankruptcy of the investment bank Lehman Brothers triggered the financial crisis 10 years ago, regulators, risk managers, and central bankers around the globe have focused on shoring up banks’ ability to withstand financial shocks. But the next crisis might not come from a financial shock at all. The […]

Peter Dazeley/Getty Images Ever since the forced bankruptcy of the investment bank Lehman Brothers triggered the financial crisis 10 years ago, regulators, risk managers, and central bankers around the globe have focused on shoring up banks’ ability to withstand financial shocks. But the next crisis might not come from a financial shock at all. The […]

Katie Edwards/Getty Images We tend to romanticize leadership. When friends are promoted to managerial positions, we slap them on the back, tell them that they finally made it, and congratulate them for their hard work. Our reactions are understandable. Occupying a leadership role often comes with more prestige, financial resources, flexibility, and future employment opportunities. […]

Jon Feingersh/Getty Images Planning has long been one of the cornerstones of management. Early in the twentieth century Henri Fayol identified the job of managers as to plan, organize, command, coordinate, and control. The capacity and willingness of managers to plan developed throughout the century. Management by Objectives (MBO) became the height of corporate fashion in […]

Tatsiana Volskaya/Getty Images We all know the old script: join a company, work hard, move up the ladder. But it’s been decades since that was a reliable path, and not just because of layoffs or outsourcing or robots. These days, the culprit preventing many professionals from identifying a clear career path at their company is […]

Customers’ needs, wants, and preferences are rapidly reshaping business in the digital age. With social and mobile technology always in hand, consumers expect companies to be available online at any time with high-quality customer experiences. These connected customers also expect an omnichannel approach to interactions: They want the convenience and accessibility of online self-service, but […]

Customers’ needs, wants, and preferences are rapidly reshaping business in the digital age. With social and mobile technology always in hand, consumers expect companies to be available online at any time with high-quality customer experiences. These connected customers also expect an omnichannel approach to interactions: They want the convenience and accessibility of online self-service, but […]

Customers’ needs, wants, and preferences are rapidly reshaping business in the digital age. With social and mobile technology always in hand, consumers expect companies to be available online at any time with high-quality customer experiences. These connected customers also expect an omnichannel approach to interactions: They want the convenience and accessibility of online self-service, but […]

Customers’ needs, wants, and preferences are rapidly reshaping business in the digital age. With social and mobile technology always in hand, consumers expect companies to be available online at any time with high-quality customer experiences. These connected customers also expect an omnichannel approach to interactions: They want the convenience and accessibility of online self-service, but […]

Customers’ needs, wants, and preferences are rapidly reshaping business in the digital age. With social and mobile technology always in hand, consumers expect companies to be available online at any time with high-quality customer experiences. These connected customers also expect an omnichannel approach to interactions: They want the convenience and accessibility of online self-service, but […]

Patrick George/Getty Images We live in unequal times. The causes and consequences of widening disparities in income and wealth have become a defining debate of our age. Researchers have made major inroads into documenting trends in either income or wealth inequality in the United States, but we still know little about how the two evolve […]

Alfred Huber /Getty Images Supervisors enjoy all kinds of advantages that come with their positions: they have control over resources, make important decisions, enjoy higher salaries and other valuable perks, and have opportunities to network with power-brokers both inside and outside their organizations. Despite those distinct advantages, however, supervisors are not immune to feeling downward […]

Alfred Huber /Getty Images Supervisors enjoy all kinds of advantages that come with their positions: they have control over resources, make important decisions, enjoy higher salaries and other valuable perks, and have opportunities to network with power-brokers both inside and outside their organizations. Despite those distinct advantages, however, supervisors are not immune to feeling downward […]

Ilka & Franz/Getty Images Companies achieve remarkable things. They create products for customers, financial returns for investors, and jobs for employees. At the same time, they develop medications that cure deadly diseases, technologies that bring internet access to every corner of the earth, and by making more and more amenities and technologies easily affordable, they […]

AnthonyRosenberg/Getty Images Love it or hate it, office politics is an inevitable part of organizational life. Many people associate political behavior with backstabbing and manipulation — but there is a constructive side to being politically savvy. Being able to negotiate, influence, engage, convince, and persuade others is how things get done in organizations — and how organizations […]

cintascotch/Getty Images U.S. companies are expected to spend more than $37 billion dollars on social media promotion annually each year by 2020, representing 24% of the economy’s total digital advertising spend. It’s an astounding number, given that the vast majority of social media managers charged with getting customers to click on posts and through to […]

Jens Magnusson/Getty Images As an executive coach, I speak regularly at corporate leadership development programs. During discussions, participants often confess the real reason they’re in the room, and it’s rarely “to grow and learn.” Time and again, the reasons include: they are checking a box on their development plan, their manager told them to come, […]

Jens Magnusson/Getty Images As an executive coach, I speak regularly at corporate leadership development programs. During discussions, participants often confess the real reason they’re in the room, and it’s rarely “to grow and learn.” Time and again, the reasons include: they are checking a box on their development plan, their manager told them to come, […]

Jens Magnusson/Getty Images As an executive coach, I speak regularly at corporate leadership development programs. During discussions, participants often confess the real reason they’re in the room, and it’s rarely “to grow and learn.” Time and again, the reasons include: they are checking a box on their development plan, their manager told them to come, […]

Jens Magnusson/Getty Images As an executive coach, I speak regularly at corporate leadership development programs. During discussions, participants often confess the real reason they’re in the room, and it’s rarely “to grow and learn.” Time and again, the reasons include: they are checking a box on their development plan, their manager told them to come, […]

Jens Magnusson/Getty Images As an executive coach, I speak regularly at corporate leadership development programs. During discussions, participants often confess the real reason they’re in the room, and it’s rarely “to grow and learn.” Time and again, the reasons include: they are checking a box on their development plan, their manager told them to come, […]

FREDERICK FLORIN/Staff/Getty Images Most corporate team building is a waste of time and money. I say this based on my 25+ years of research and practice in the field of team effectiveness. Seventeen of those years were with Mars Inc., a family-owned $35 billion global business with a commitment to collaboration. Many companies, when they […]

Ming Zeng, the chief strategy officer at Alibaba, talks about how the China-based e-commerce company was able to create the biggest online shopping site in the world. He credits Alibaba’s retail and distribution juggernaut to leveraging automation, algorithms, and networks to better serve customers. And he says in the future, successful digital companies will use […]