Decision Making

Promote learning by letting go

September 13, 2016
A much-loved Harvard Business School professor, Hrand Saxenian (1924-2014) influenced thousands of students over the years—including management guru Stephen Covey.

Relying on predictions? Beware reality

September 12, 2016
Strategic planning involves analyzing trends, foretelling events and predicting the repercussions of such events. But you can get caught in a crisis if you put too much stock in predictions that prove faulty.

How Google’s decision-making works

August 15, 2016

Eric Schmidt joined Google as its CEO in 2001. Even though the company was already a smashing success, he knew his job wouldn’t be easy. Schmidt, 61, understood the risk that founders take when hiring an outsider as CEO. Clashes can occur as founders chafe at the CEO’s decisions.

Leadership Tips, Vol. 616

June 10, 2016
Avoid stubbornness … Lead by example … Stop micromanaging.

Aflac CEO knew when to say no

March 18, 2016
It’s common to hear top executives discuss how they took someone’s advice and it paid off. But sometimes, leaders reject seemingly sound advice—and reap the rewards.

Classic approach to setting SMART goals

January 18, 2016
Figuring out how to set realistic goals has vexed leaders for a long time.

Who do you turn to?

November 16, 2015
Asked about their go-to person in making important business decisions, 750 owners of small companies admitted mostly going it alone.

5 steps to getting things done

October 28, 2015
Here, in a nutshell, is David Allen’s famous five-step process for getting things under control, whether what you’re trying to accomplish is through your team, your division or your organization.

Why leaders must be resilient

October 23, 2015
Have you ever worked with someone who was a manager but not a leader? Ever worked with someone who couldn’t make a decision?

Beware of the ‘new = better’ equation

July 17, 2015
Psychologically, most of us tend to favor hiring promising outsiders over people we know well. That’s because when we know very little about someone, we might envision a rosy future in which the candidate proves a superstar …