Character

Interrupt the CEO? You bet!

August 11, 2015
Eric Tveter doesn’t crave the spotlight. But the CEO of UPC Cablecom, a Swiss cable company, knows that public speaking and media appearances come with the job. “I am not a natural orator, and am more introverted than extroverted,” he says. But his low-key, conversational delivery actually makes him more authentic and likable.

Assess your tendencies and go from there

June 30, 2015
Many smart people agree that great habits lead to success, including author Gretchen Rubin. The catch: There’s no one-size-fits-all way to get there.

Ditch positive thinking and face reality

June 12, 2015
Some leaders harness the power of positive thinking. Not Olympic gold medalist Maarten van der ­Weijden.

Are you creating an ethical culture?

May 21, 2015

When CEO Bob Diamond resigned from his post at Barclays, it sent a message to other bankers: Even the head honcho’s job isn’t safe if the company gets ensnared in an ethics scandal. Diamond, who left in 2012 over questionable actions among his bank’s traders related to manipulating interest rates, may not have realized a tenet of ethical leadership: It’s not what you’re doing that counts as much as how you’re judged in the court of public opinion.

What’s your GRIT rating?

April 30, 2015
Heard of GRIT? Here’s your primer on the formula by Paul Stoltz, who studies resilience and is CEO of training company Peak Learning.

5 traits of an effective CEO

April 23, 2015
Veteran businessman Norm Brodsky suggests five criteria necessary to excel as a true leader.

When authenticity should not be a thing

March 27, 2015

“Authentic” has been a buzzword for a while now. Here are a few reasons why being authentic isn’t always the best policy.

Save face when you mess up

March 24, 2015
How you react after making a mistake can establish you as an accountable stand-up employee—or a shirker who dodges responsibility.

Hack attack: Outgoing CEO takes the heat

March 20, 2015
Over Labor Day weekend, Frank Blake could finally relax. After seven hard-charging years as CEO of Home Depot, he had announced in August 2014 that he’d retire and his chosen successor, Craig Menear, would take over as CEO on Nov. 1. But on Tuesday morning, Blake was stunned to learn that Home Depot’s computers had been hacked …

Hang tough and follow through

March 5, 2015
During a recent Q&A, actor Kevin Costner offered his rules for living.