Description
Leadership isn’t trait, it’s a set of skills.
Whether you’re managing up or motivating a team, HBR On Leadership is your destination for insights and inspiration from the world’s top leadership practitioners and experts.
Every Wednesday, the editors at the Harvard Business Review hand-picked case studies and conversations with global business leaders, management experts, academics, from across HBR to unlock the best in those around you.
Episodes
- 2024 / 12 / 18How to Master Office Politics Without Compromising Your ValuesWhen you think of "office politics," you might picture someone hoarding information or taking credit for others' work. While negative stereotypes persist, learning to navigate office politics is crucial for...
- 2024 / 12 / 11The Questions Leaders Need to Be Asking ThemselvesWhat makes a leader truly effective? Is it about strategic vision, time management, confidence?Robert Steven Kaplan says the best leaders are exceptionally good at asking tough questions so they can make the...
- 2024 / 12 / 4How to Cultivate Joy on Your TeamIf you had to describe your company’s culture in a single word, what would it be? Are you super flexible and casual? Are you collaborative and inclusive?Software executive Richard Sheridan argues that one key...
- 2024 / 11 / 27How to Repair a Broken Relationship at WorkAre you stuck in a negative rut with someone at work? HBR contributing editor and workplace conflict expert Amy Gallo says repairing a broken professional relationship will improve your work life — whether...
- 2024 / 11 / 20How to Manage an Employee Who Gets on Your NervesDo you have an employee who just gets on your nerves? In this episode, Dear HBR cohosts Alison Beard and Dan McGinn answer listener questions with the help of Art Markman, former professor of psychology at...
- 2024 / 11 / 13Why DEI Still Matters (and How to Get It Right)Amid the racial reckoning that followed George Floyd’s murder in 2020, many U.S. business leaders promised to make workplaces more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. But these efforts have now slowed, and...
- 2024 / 11 / 6How Large Firms Can Get Innovation RightThink of a large company you admire. What kind of leadership culture do they have — and how does that affect their ability to innovate? If you went right to command-and-control leadership, you’re not alone....
- 2024 / 10 / 30Should Your Business Take a Stand on Societal Issues?What’s the best way to determine whether or not your business should engage on potentially controversial societal issues? In this episode, Harvard Business School senior lecturer Hubert Joly explains how to...
- 2024 / 10 / 23Are Your Best Employees Eyeing the Door?Do you know how your best employees feel about their work? Are they actually engaged and motivated? Or are they already looking for a better opportunity? If so, what would it take to make them want to stay?...
- 2024 / 10 / 16How to Make Better Hiring and Firing DecisionsJoel Peterson has spent a career leading teams, building businesses, and managing people at every level. Along the way, he’s learned valuable lessons about the best ways to bring on new talent, as well as...
- 2024 / 10 / 9How to Get People to Listen to YouKnowing how to get people to listen to you is an important part of leadership. But HBR contributing editor and workplace conflict expert Amy Gallo says being heard isn't about how loud you say something. It's...
- 2024 / 10 / 2Why Founders Need to Focus More on Sales and MarketingHarvard Business School senior lecturer Mark Roberge argues that every aspect of being an early-stage founder involves sales. But many founders lack an understanding of how to incorporates sales into their...
- 2024 / 9 / 25What It Really Takes to Be a ManagerAre you ready to be a manager?In this episode, Ellen Van Oosten answers questions from listeners who are struggling to move into management. She offers advice for what to do when you’ve been tapped for a...
- 2024 / 9 / 18Former MA Governor Charlie Baker on Solving Complex ProblemsIf you think your organization is difficult to maneuver, consider the unique challenges of government leadership. Former Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker and his former chief of staff Steve Kadish faced...
- 2024 / 9 / 11How to Manage Breakthrough InnovationHow do you guide a team working on innovative projects—when there is no existing playbook? Astro Teller says he uses a vetted approach to decision-making for the innovative projects that he and his teams...
- 2024 / 9 / 4Chobani’s Founder on Mission-Driven EntrepreneurshipChobani is a leader in the global yogurt market, with more than 20 percent share of the U.S. market alone. It all started with one man, an abandoned yogurt factory in upstate New York, and a mission to make...
- 2024 / 8 / 28Are You Ready to Be a Leader?What distinguishes a leader? How do you know if you’re ready to lead? And how do you make the transition into a leadership role? The shift from being part of a team to leading one isn’t like flipping a...
- 2024 / 8 / 21Leadership Lessons from a NASA TragedyIn early 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated as it re-entered the earth’s atmosphere. All seven astronauts on board were killed. This was not the first NASA mission to end in disaster, and it...
- 2024 / 8 / 14The Key to Abraham Lincoln’s LeadershipIn 1863, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln wrote a scathing letter to his top Union general, who had squandered an opportunity to end the American Civil War. Then Lincoln folded it up and tucked it away in his...
- 2024 / 8 / 7Lessons from Maggie Lena Walker’s Entrepreneurial LeadershipGrowing up in the heart of the Confederacy, Maggie Lena Walker started work as a laundress at age nine. At the urging of her mother and mentors, she turned to education, and used it to propel her life forward...
- 2024 / 7 / 31NBA Star Chris Paul on Communicating as a LeaderMost of us can point to a few key people who have made a real difference in our lives and careers—the coach who pushed you to outperform, the teacher whose passion for a subject inspired your own, or the boss...
- 2024 / 7 / 24How to Coach an Employee Who’s Struggling to PerformDo you have a difficult employee on your team— someone who might be underperforming or resistant to taking feedback? Do you know how to help them?Melvin Smith says that coaching can be harder than you...
- 2024 / 7 / 17How to Embrace Ambiguity When Making DecisionsMaking business decisions often means choosing one path over another—but that doesn’t always need to be the case. Wendy Smith and Marianne Lewis argue that leaders should move beyond “either/or” choices and...
- 2024 / 7 / 10What Is Psychological Safety, Really?You’re probably familiar with the term “psychological safety.” But do you know what it really means? HBR contributing editor and workplace conflict expert Amy Gallo says both the idea and the value of...
- 2024 / 7 / 3Getting Project Management RightMany of us manage projects—even if “project manager” isn’t in our official job title. We try to learn the basics as we go: how to manage multiple stakeholders, adapt as circumstances change, and set realistic...
- 2024 / 6 / 26Leadership Lessons from Adventurer and Environmentalist Rick RidgewayMountains are often used as metaphors for the challenges that arise in business and leadership. But when Rick Ridgeway compares mountaineering to risk management, he’s speaking from deep experience navigating...
- 2024 / 6 / 19How to Solve Your Company’s Toughest ProblemsYou’ve likely heard the phrase, “Move fast and break things.” But Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei says speed and experimentation are not enough on their own. Instead, she argues that you should...
- 2024 / 6 / 12How GitLab Leads Its Fully Remote WorkforceGitLab, which builds and manages an open-source software development application, started off with employees fully dispersed and has stayed that way. Now with more than 1,300 people spread across more than 60...
- 2024 / 6 / 5Deloitte’s Pixel: A Case Study on How to Innovate from WithinIn 2014, Deloitte launched Pixel to facilitate open talent and crowdsourcing for client engagements that need specific expertise — like machine learning or digital production. But uptake across the...
- 2024 / 5 / 29How to Make Your Leadership Potential More VisibleDo people see your leadership potential? Suzanne Peterson says many talented professionals miss out on leadership roles for relatively intangible reasons. But she argues that aspiring leaders can learn to...
- 2024 / 5 / 22Is Your Team Keeping You Up at Night?Managing difficult personalities, stalled productivity, and conflict are inevitable parts of leading a team. But how do you know if your leadership is part of the problem? Melanie Parish says that many...
- 2024 / 5 / 15What It Takes to Build Influence at WorkDo you know how to influence people who don’t report to you? That might include your boss, clients, or even your peers. Nashater Deu Solheim argues that there are proven techniques to help you understand your...
- 2024 / 5 / 8When Your Star Employee LeavesIf you’ve invested in someone you manage, it’s natural to feel hurt when that person tells you they’re leaving—especially if they’re a strong contributor. The classic management advice is: Don’t take it...
- 2024 / 5 / 1Sharing Personal Information Can Build Trust on Your Team — If You Do It RightSome leaders are too comfortable talking about themselves — and others — at work. Their teams may struggle to trust them because they have no boundaries. Other leaders are reluctant to share anything at all,...
- 2024 / 4 / 24Managing Your Emotions During an Argument at WorkWhen you’re in the middle of a conflict, it’s common to automatically enter fight-or-flight mode. But HBR contributing editor and workplace conflict expert Amy Gallo says it’s possible to interrupt this...
- 2024 / 4 / 17Crisis Leadership Lessons from Polar Explorer Ernest ShackletonIn early 1915, polar explorer Ernest Shackleton’s ship became trapped in ice, north of Antarctica. For almost two years, he and his crew braved those frozen expanses. Then, in December 1916, Shackleton led...
- 2024 / 4 / 10How to Make Tough Decisions as a ManagerImagine you’re a new manager, and one of your team members consistently underperforms. But there’s a catch: your struggling employee is a personal friend of your CEO. When performance review time rolls...
- 2024 / 4 / 3Do You Understand the Problem You’re Trying to Solve?Problem solving skills are invaluable in any job. But all too often, we jump to find solutions to a problem without taking time to really understand the dilemma we face, according to Thomas...
- 2024 / 3 / 27When a Top Performer Is Treating Colleagues BadlyNotes (iTunes) Would you promote an employee who’s a top performer, but mistreats their colleagues and disregards company values? It’s a dilemma that many managers face in their careers.In this episode, the...
- 2024 / 3 / 20When You Make the Leap to ManagerWhat should you do when you become the boss? Many of us are promoted into people manager roles without any preparation for the complexities involved in that work. But Harvard Business School professor Alison...
- 2024 / 3 / 13How to Become More Persuasive at WorkIf you’re a leader, you need to know how to influence people. Maybe you’re trying to get clients to buy into your idea, trust your expertise, or sign on with your company. Or perhaps you want to convince...
- 2024 / 3 / 6How to Lead Great Conversations with Your TeamSome leaders spend their careers honing their relationships with employees. But Harvard Business School professor Boris Groysberg and corporate communications expert Michael Slind argue that leaders are at...
- 2024 / 2 / 28How Etsy Became Profitable — Without Sacrificing Its PurposeEtsy, the online seller of handmade and vintage goods, was founded as an alternative to mass-manufactured products. The company grew substantially in its first decade but remained unprofitable. When Etsy went...
- 2024 / 2 / 21Great Leaders Balance Ambition with HumilityThe key to success as a leader is to strike a careful balance between ambition and humility. But how do you stay humble while also proving your worth? And how do you advance without showing too much ambition?...
- 2024 / 2 / 14How the Best Leaders Drive InnovationIf you’re leading innovation, you need very specific leadership skills. Harvard Business School professor Linda Hill has studied leadership and innovation for decades and is the coauthor of Collective Genius:...
- 2024 / 2 / 7From the U.S. Senate to Diplomacy—John Kerry’s Leadership LessonsJohn Kerry has spent more than 40 years in public service, including several decades in the U.S. Senate, leading the U.S. Department of State from 2013 to 2017, and more recently serving as U.S. Special...
- 2024 / 1 / 31How to Become a Better ManagerJulie Zhuo was Facebook’s first intern, and she became a manager there in her mid-twenties. Those early years as a manager at the company—now named Meta—were tough. She says she often felt like she was in...
- 2024 / 1 / 243 Things Great Leaders Do DifferentlyAs the host of two successful business podcasts, Guy Raz has interviewed hundreds of entrepreneurs and leaders. His podcasts How I Built This and Wisdom From The Top offer an inside look at how visionary...
- 2024 / 1 / 17The Art of Giving FeedbackIf you’re a leader, you know how critical feedback is to your team’s success and growth. But giving the kind of feedback that motivates people to improve is harder than it may seem. In this episode, Therese...
- 2024 / 1 / 10Building a Culture of Respect on Your TeamDo you have a culture of respect on your team? Kristie Rogers, an associate professor of management at Marquette University, has identified two types of respect that employees value: owed and earned. She says...
- 2024 / 1 / 3Practice Your Active Listening SkillsWhen was the last time you practiced your active listening skills?HBR contributing editor Amy Gallo says it is a skill you need to practice. In this episode, you’ll learn how you can use listening skills to...
- 2023 / 12 / 27It’s Time to Talk to Your Team About Mental HealthThe business world is beginning to recognize the importance of mental health. That’s why writer, entrepreneur, and podcast host Morra Aarons-Mele says that the more we understand and talk about our own mental...
- 2023 / 12 / 20NVIDIA’s CEO on Leading Through the A.I. RevolutionWith the explosive growth of generative AI, businesses are beginning to integrate artificial intelligence into all aspects of their operations, products, and services. This shift is posing a particularly...
- 2023 / 12 / 13The Hidden Costs of LayoffsFrom Microsoft to Google to Meta, many of the world’s biggest tech companies announced layoffs in 2023. But Harvard Business School professor Sandra Sucher, who has been studying layoffs for years, says that...
- 2023 / 12 / 6How to Embrace Your New Identity as a ManagerBecoming a manager for the first time comes with many common challenges: balancing your time, managing team conflicts, and delegating work to direct reports. But leadership coach Jen Dary says there are also...
- 2023 / 11 / 29Seeing Yourself as a LeaderAre leaders born or made? University of Michigan Ross School of Business professor Sue Ashford has studied leadership for decades—what makes people see themselves as leaders and how groups choose leaders...
- 2023 / 11 / 22How to Build Trust at WorkDo you trust the people you work with? Without trust, organizational psychologist Liane Davey says it’s hard to have the two key ingredients for any healthy team: effective communication and productive...
- 2023 / 11 / 15The Power of Selfless LeadershipWhen you think of good leadership, what comes to mind? Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter argue that good leadership isn’t rooted in power or public speaking skills. They say that, in fact, mindfulness,...
- 2023 / 11 / 8How to Motivate a Demotivated TeamAre you struggling to motivate your team? Professor and author Richard Boyatzis says there’s a motivation crisis in workplaces. “And the responsibility for that lies with the managers and leaders—the people...
- 2023 / 11 / 1NASA’s Former Head of Science on What It Takes to Manage Complex, High-Risk ProjectsAs the head of science at NASA, Thomas Zurbuchen managed an $8.6 billion dollar budget. A typical Monday, for him, might have involved hitting an asteroid with a space craft or trying to launch a rocket....
- 2023 / 10 / 25How to Disagree with Your BossWhen was the last time you disagreed with your boss? Did you tell them you had a different opinion — or did you just let it go?HBR contributing editor Amy Gallo says it’s much easier to just agree with your...
- 2023 / 10 / 18The Benefits of Career Sponsorship Go Both WaysMost of us think of mentoring a colleague as a one-way street—a gift of professional guidance and advice. But Sylvia Ann Hewlett says sponsorship needs to be a reciprocal relationship. “[T]he younger person...
- 2023 / 10 / 11How Authentic Should You Be as a Leader?When Rosalind Fox took over as manager of John Deere’s largest factory in Des Moines, Iowa, the plant employed 1,600 workers and included four major product lines. It was far bigger and more complex than the...
- 2023 / 10 / 4The Secret to Making Difficult DecisionsManagement decisions almost always involve uncertainty. But what if you just can’t get the facts you need—or if your colleagues disagree about what you should decide? Harvard Business School professor Joseph...
- 2023 / 9 / 27How to DelegateDelegating is an essential part of leadership. Without it, how can you rise above the tactical grind and focus on strategic thinking? But leadership coach Deborah Grayson Riegel says delegating effectively is...
- 2023 / 9 / 20The Secret to Giving Great FeedbackSome managers give meaningless positive feedback. Others are unreasonably critical. But Kim Scott, cofounder of the executive coaching firm Radical Candor, says good leaders can give honest feedback in the...
- 2023 / 9 / 13How to Communicate in a Crisis — and How Not ToCaptain Michael Davidson, of the container ship SS El Faro, was determined to make his trip on time. But a hurricane was approaching, and Davidson and his fellow officers had to plot a new course to avoid the...
- 2023 / 9 / 6What Makes an “Authentic” Leader?How do you define authenticity, as a leader? If you associate it with what feels comfortable, you may be holding yourself back. Herminia Ibarra, a professor of organizational behavior at London Business...
- 2023 / 8 / 30How to Give — and Receive — Critical FeedbackAre you struggling to give and receive feedback at work? Executive coach and organizational consultant Ben Dattner says giving good feedback is really about how you deliver it. “I think what good bosses do is...
- 2023 / 8 / 23What It Takes to Lead Across GenerationsGenerational differences may get laughs online. (Remember “OK boomer”?) But in the workplace, productivity can suffer when older and younger workers struggle to communicate and find common ground. Mimi...
- 2023 / 8 / 16How One Founder Adapted His Role to Scale His CompanyFabricio Bloisi was just 21 years old when he founded Movile as a small start-up in a garage, in the late 1990s. At the time, the company specialized in building text messaging apps and selling them to...
- 2023 / 8 / 9The Secret to Leading Highly Collaborative TeamsIf you’re leading a team, you know how hard it is to facilitate collaboration – especially when they don’t know each other well or may never meet in person. When people struggle to work together, it can harm...
- 2023 / 8 / 2What Is “Charisma,” Anyway?In our leader-focused society, how often do we consider the role of followers? Barbara Kellerman studies the relationship between leaders and followers at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for Public...
- 2023 / 7 / 26Megan Rapinoe on Team-First LeadershipMegan Rapinoe is known for her ability to perform under pressure on the soccer field. In 2019, she led the U.S. women’s team to the World Cup Championship. But Rapinoe’s leadership extends beyond making big...
- 2023 / 7 / 19The Best Leaders Are Also Technical ExpertsBeing a great manager isn't enough to lead others to success. You also need to deeply understand your organization's core business. Amanda Goodall studies the relationship between leaders and organizational...
- 2023 / 7 / 12LinkedIn Co-Founder Reid Hoffman on Innovating Amid VolatilityIf uncertainty and turbulence are the new normal, how does that change the way we lead? LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman explains how ongoing volatility can be transformed into an opportunity for innovation....
- 2023 / 7 / 5Introverts Can Be Leaders TooWe all have preconceived notions about which personality types are associated with good leadership — like confidence or emotional intelligence. But what about shyness? If you’re more reserved but truly...
- 2023 / 6 / 28When You’re Pushed Outside Your Comfort ZoneIs your job pushing you outside your comfort zone? Executive coach and former venture capitalist Jerry Colonna has coached leaders through that journey. He takes questions from Dear HBR listeners about what...
- 2023 / 6 / 21Succeeding as a First-Time ManagerManaging for the first time can be stressful. Sometimes it’s because of others, but often it’s because of the misconceptions many people bring into the job. Three new managers speak candidly about the...
- 2023 / 6 / 14Taking Decisive Action in a CrisisCynthia Carroll was only a few months into leading the global mining firm Anglo American when she suspended operations in their South African platinum mine. She was concerned about worker fatalities there....
- 2023 / 6 / 7The Best Managers Are “Connectors”Some managers are like teachers, sharing their skills and experience with their teams. Others are more like cheerleaders who encourage their direct reports to learn on their own. But the best managers...
- 2023 / 5 / 31F1 Legend Toto Wolff on Leading Through Big Wins — and Crushing LossesManaging a team in good times is one skill set. But how do you motivate people when things aren't going well? Toto Wolff is the team principle and CEO of the Mercedes team, one of the most successful teams in...
- 2023 / 5 / 24Why Authentic Leadership Is So HardAs leaders, we know we’re supposed to be authentic, but that is easier said than done. Babson College management professor Tina Opie explains how leaders can bring their best selves to work and help others do...
- 2023 / 5 / 17How to Lead Across Cultures, Languages, and GeographiesIn this era of global business and hybrid work, managers must find ways to unify teams that are geographically and culturally separated. Harvard Business School professor Tsedal Neeley breaks down how one...
- 2023 / 5 / 10Hollywood’s Ron Howard on How Filmmakers Are the Ultimate Team LeadersLegendary actor, producer, and director Ron Howard reveals how he vets top acting talent for his movies, why he tries not to work with the same production crews from one film to the next, and how he manages...
- 2023 / 5 / 3Rachel Carson’s Quiet and Powerful LeadershipRachel Carson is known as a gifted science writer and a trailblazing environmental activist. Harvard Business School historian Nancy Koehn tells IdeaCast guest host Adi Ignatius that she should also be...
- 2023 / 5 / 3What It Takes to Become CEOWhat does it take to get to the C-suite? Venture capitalist and former tech CEO Mike Troiano has direct experience with that journey. He takes questions from Dear HBR listeners about what to do if you’re...
- 2023 / 5 / 3What Jazz Can Teach Leaders about Innovation and TeamworkJazz pianist and management professor Frank Barrett tells IdeaCast guest host Jeff Kehoe that jazz can teach leaders why it’s important to forgive mistakes that happen as part of exploration and...
- 2023 / 4 / 21What Top Performing CEOs Really DoPopular stereotypes of successful CEOs as charismatic white men with Ivy League degrees who never falter under pressure are often misleading.“[T]he CEOs I get to know up close and personal really look nothing...