Management Practices

Amex sets template for gender diversity

June 25, 2015
Tech companies could learn about gender diversity from American Express.

CEOs take paternity leave, too

June 18, 2015

Leaders who motivate with action, not words, tend to make a lasting impression. Just ask Chad Dickerson. As CEO of Etsy, the e-commerce website, Dickerson urges the company’s 600 employees to integrate their work with their personal life.

Develop a culture to survive and thrive

May 13, 2015
What do Toyota, IKEA and The Walt Disney Company have in common? In their strong organizational cultures, people instinctively react properly to change. Here’s how to reach that level.

Tap your oddballs for off-the-wall ideas

April 17, 2015

In the late 1960s, Royal Dutch Shell hit a speed bump. The global oil giant suddenly struggled to forecast cash flows—a key element in budgeting and strategic planning. After a series of consultants failed to provide solutions, Shell looked internally for help. An eccentric manager named Pierre Wack stepped up.

Assess rivals with rigorous research

April 8, 2015
Strategic planning starts by understanding how your product or service differs from what’s already available in the marketplace. To pinpoint true differentiators, study what competitors sell without letting your biases interfere.

Growing an empire by breaking the rules

March 30, 2015
Kishore Biyani leads by breaking the rules. He turns conventional wisdom on its head in directing his retail empire in India.

Judge the process, not just results

December 24, 2014

To lead people, you can tell them what you want them to do and then assess the outcome.  But there’s a problem with that approach: Employees may deliver the desired outcome but make judgment errors along the way. True leaders don’t just focus on the results; they also examine the process itself.

Does ‘stack ranking’ actually work?

December 16, 2014

This controversial approach to performance evaluation requires that supervisors group employees from top to bottom. The CEO of Nielsen Holdings remains a fan.

Stay a leader in your customers’ eyes

December 12, 2014
If you treat customers as equals, focusing on them as individuals, you’ll stay on the right path. Here’s a list of don’ts.

Articulate a mission that matters

November 21, 2014
Many CEOs realize that they need a mission statement that guides the organization and its employees. But a trite mission can fall flat.