Collaboration

Brainstorming? First, set ground rules

May 5, 2014
Erica was a failed entrepreneur getting a second chance when she realized that her new company was going down just as surely as her own had. Desperate to do something, she latched onto an old-timer, Raymond, who brought together a group of volunteers brainstorming ways to right the ship …

At Citigroup, creativity is a global game

March 13, 2014
In late 2011, Susan Andrews came up with a bold campaign to spur innovation across Citigroup, a global financial firm. As head of innovation for the company’s Citi Ventures unit, Andrews decided to use social media to turn 263,000 em­­ployees in 97 countries into innovators.

A Navy officer’s botched repair

February 27, 2014
U.S. Navy lieutenant Robert Wray was assigned to an important mission on the USS Omaha submarine. At sea, the crew discovered a leak in a complex piece of equipment. After 30 hours of stressful work in cramped surroundings, Wray and his team found it leaked worse than ever …

Target’s ‘wiki’ culture starts with CEO

December 19, 2013

To create a more collaborative culture, CEO Gregg Steinhafel encourages Target’s 365,000 employees to harness social media. The retail giant has developed an internal online platform that enables workers at all levels to post comments, share ideas and engage in Facebook-like interaction with each other.

The power of shared values

October 16, 2013
“Great leadership is not a solo act,” says Robert Vanourek, chairman emeritus of the Vail Leadership Institute and co-author of Triple Crown Leadership. “It’s a group performance. You need to connect through the heart to lead effectively.”

Avoid 5 traps that divide groups

September 23, 2013

Bossy know-it-alls make poor team ­leaders. To build unity among your group, display humility and strive to learn from others. Avoid communicating these five destructive messages to your team.

Meetings can play a valuable role

July 8, 2013

Conventional wisdom dictates that sitting in conference rooms squanders a huge chunk of an executive’s workday. But all those back-to-back meetings may actually serve a productive purpose.

Spur groups to debate each other

March 29, 2013

In the 1920s, Alfred Sloan ran General Motors. When he convened his management team to explore whether to open a plant abroad, they all approved the move. Sloan replied that he wouldn’t make a decision until he heard some disagreement. He wanted the best judgments to flow from clashing viewpoints.

The story behind Apple’s iconic ad

January 22, 2013

Consigliere Bill Campbell, guru to Silicon Valley, played a key role in getting Apple’s iconic “1984” ad on the air to introduce the Mac during Super Bowl XVIII. Advertising Age calls that ad the best commercial ever made.

A leadership lesson, set to Mendelssohn

November 14, 2012

When Maestro Wolfgang Heinzel stands before the Merck Orchestra, he may look like an authoritarian leader, commanding musicians from his podium. But Heinzel doesn’t actually know how to play the instruments himself—“in the same way a leader in an organization can’t do everyone’s job,” says Jon Chilingerian. Here is what maestros—and good leaders—understand.