Leadership

I have a rule that whenever I see three twists on the same idea, I need to look into that idea — on the theory that three of anything can mark a trend. Lately, my rule of three convinced me to check out the rise of “office hours” in business and finance. And it looks […]

The corporate president stared out the window of his skyscraper office. His forehead was furrowed in anger and puzzlement. His fingers drummed the arm of his chair with a speed that signified intense frustration. The other executives in the room waited expectantly. Each had said his piece. Each had come to his and her own […]

Instead of focusing on who’s “ahead,” focus on who’s actually best-suited to the top job.

With a keen eye and a flair for romantic copy, John Peterman created a successful catalog company. As an entrepreneur, he was in his element. As top manager of a fast-growing enterprise, he was ultimately much less successful. What happened?

Guidant's Ginger Graham argues that senior executives are actually better prepared than most lobbyists to inform and educate members of Congress about...

A story last week about the Obama administration committing more than $3 billion to smart grid initiatives caught my eye. It wasn’t really an unusual story. It seems like every day features a slew of stories where leaders commit billions to new geographies, technologies, or acquisitions to demonstrate how serious they are about innovation and […]

And focus on what your company should really be doing.

Denial dogged my travels around the world these past weeks. At a World Economic Forum gathering in Dubai just before Dubai World’s debt problems made headlines, the head Sheikh touted Dubai’s superiority over the West for problems that Dubai had seemingly avoided. But the idle cranes and empty buildings I saw were monuments to denial […]

In communicating priorities and performance, colors have power.

Understand how you’re perceived, but focus on results.

When author and consultant Jim Gilmore talks about authenticity, he’s talking about keeping consumer experiences real. To determine the authenticity of a product, Gilmore applies the “Polonius test,” derived from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. “Is the offering true to itself? Is the offering what it says it is?” Affirmative answers confirm a product’s authenticity. But Gilmore’s test, […]

Christine Lagarde took over as managing director of the demoralized International Monetary Fund in 2011, succeeding the scandal-plagued Dominique Strauss-Kahn. A prominent French politician who once ran the international law giant Baker & McKenzie, Lagarde, 57, has tried to change the IMF’s culture while also coping with the European debt crisis and a sluggish global […]

Hitting the hiring bull’s-eye is one of an executive’s most important—and most difficult—responsibilities. Ten common mistakes can get in the way, but a pointed and systematic approach can virtually guarantee success.

You just gave an important talk about a new initiative. Maybe 40 employees were there, all “key players,” you called us. I was the guy in the back of the room with the curly hair. You’ve seen me a bunch of times, mostly in the stairwell and the cafeteria. Bob is what you call me. […]

Inspiring others when you’re struggling yourself

“It’s okay if other people think you’re God, but you’re in trouble if you start believing it.” David Cornwell, a sports attorney, recalled that quote as one uttered by his father, a surgeon. While Cornwell was speaking on Larry King Live about Tiger Woods’ foibles, the quote has relevance to anyone in a leadership position, […]

After serving as president for only a couple of months, Barack Obama fired the U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, General David McKiernan. To replace him, Obama selected another general he barely knew, Stanley A. McChrystal. Rather like his opponent in the 2008 presidential campaign, John McCain, who similarly selected for a post of extreme […]

Ten questions to help you understand the "why" and "how" behind a person.

Whatever the leadership style they bring to their jobs, the best GMs focus on the same set of fundamental tasks.

Even when it makes them uncomfortable.