Publications

27 Aug 2014
Lessons from the Classroom

Learning From Japan’s Remarkable Disaster Recovery

chrysanthemum producer to a provider of closures for families who have lost their loved ones. It was memorable to hear him talk about how his mission in life was developed and how he had redefined his... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Energy; Utilities; Retail

04 Sep 2001
Research & Ideas

Five Questions for Max Bazerman

wings battle over who gets the biggest piece of the pie, while paying little attention to expanding the pie of social resources for all. Q: If I recall my political science studies, lawyers and career... View Details

Keywords: Re: Max H. Bazerman

19 Nov 2007
Lessons from the Classroom

Teaching The Moral Leader

the course: One is a textbook, The Moral Leader: Challenges, Tools, and Insights, that provides historical and social context for the works read in the course, as well as instructional materials. The other... View Details

Keywords: by Sarah Jane Gilbert; Education

04 Nov 2002
What Do You Think?

What’s Best for the Corporate Brain?

becomes more important in the mix of what all organizations create, continuity—of leadership and among employees—may be as important as any other element of strategy. But just how much employee continuity is... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

21 Nov 2016
Research & Ideas

It Matters That Your CEO Doesn't Know Much About Sales

as a sales issue.” Planning and hiring To reap any of these benefits companies must develop links between the C-suite and the customer-facing... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding

24 Apr 2013
Research & Ideas

Who Sets Your Benchmarks?

and other people with whom they have strong relationships and who take the time to understand them as individuals. With this support, they develop the strength, confidence,... View Details

08 May 2020
In Practice

Nonprofits Hurt by COVID-19 Must Hoard Cash to Hold On

find that entrepreneurial leadership is key. To attract people to work with you, it is important to demonstrate that you are taking steps to address the crisis. At the same time, they must inspire people to find innovative ways to solve... View Details

Keywords: by Danielle Kost

January 2024 (Revised June 2024)
Case

School of Rock: Tuning into Structured Empowerment (A)

By: Tatiana Sandino, Jeffrey Rayport, Samuel Grad and Stacy Straaberg

In summer 2021, School of Rock was a youth-oriented music education company with 291 franchise- and company-owned schools globally. Before CEO Rob Price’s hire in 2017, School of Rock’s nonconformist rock ‘n’ roll culture led to variability in teaching styles,... View Details

September 2017
Case

Blackstone's Julia Kahr at the Summit

By: Paul A. Gompers, John D. Dionne and Amram Migdal

In 2009, Blackstone, the New York-based alternative asset and financial services firm, committed to invest up to $750 million into Summit Materials, a new company in the aggregates sector (i.e., construction materials, such as crushed stone, sand, gravel, cement,... View Details

June 2009
Case

The Rise of President Barack Hussein Obama

By: David A. Thomas, Laura Morgan Roberts and Stephanie Creary

This case profiles President Barack Hussein Obama's rise to the presidency as an "improbable candidate." The case illustrates the ways in which he overcame criticism from those who questioned his credibility and his values, and skepticism from those who were unsure... View Details

Keywords: Ethnicity; Race; Political Elections; Leadership; Personal Development and Career; Creativity; Trust

10 Nov 2003
Research & Ideas

A Fast Start on Your New Job

full-blown crises. We explore the reasons—cognitive, organizational, and political—why predictable surprises happen and we develop a framework to help leaders recognize,... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

March 2008 (Revised August 2020)
Case

Lisa Sherman (A)

By: Bill George and Jens Audenaert

Lisa Sherman is a successful executive at Verizon who is struggling with the decision to reveal her sexual orientation. After attending a diversity training workshop in which participants expressed extremely negative views about people in her community, Sherman wonders... View Details

Keywords: Diversity; Identity; Personal Development and Career; Decision Choices and Conditions; Leadership; Organizational Culture

October 2019
Case

GRIT Fitness

By: Lynda M. Applegate and Olivia Hull

In December 2018, GRIT Fitness was a growing chain of boutique fitness studios offering a variety of workout classes, including weightlifting, high intensity interval training, and cardio dance. With 400 members and three Dallas studios, CEO Brittani Rettig believed... View Details

July 2020 (Revised September 2020)
Case

The Honor Foundation: Accessing Special Operations Talent

By: Boris Groysberg and John Masko

In 2020, The Honor Foundation (THF), a nonprofit dedicated to helping U.S. military special operators to transition into civilian careers, was facing a series of strategic challenges. THF had been founded in 2013 by former Navy SEAL trainee Joe Musselman, who observed... View Details