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08 Apr 2025

“Leaders Must React” Wins 2024 HBR Prize

Harvard Business Review recognizes article on how CEOs can navigate unforeseen events
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BOSTON, MA — An article examining how CEOs can respond effectively to unexpected events has won the 2024 HBR Prize, which honors the best Harvard Business Review article of the year.

In “Leaders Must React,” Nitin Nohria, the former dean of Harvard Business School, explores a critical yet often overlooked skill that can define a leader: how they respond to unforeseen events. With unfolding issues consuming an average of 36% of a CEO’s time, Nohria presents a framework to help leaders determine which problems they truly need to focus on. He categorizes events into four types—normal noise, clarion calls, whisper warnings, and siren songs—and offers guidance on how executives should handle each one.

“Today’s CEOs are facing unprecedented levels of complexity and change, and their response to unfolding events can determine their success or failure,” said Amy Bernstein, Editor in Chief of Harvard Business Review. “ʽLeaders Must React’ stood out for its timely, evidence-backed insights to help leaders manage the full spectrum of unpredictable challenges.”

The HBR Prize, judged by an independent panel of business and academic leaders with input from members of HBR’s Advisory Board, spotlights the most outstanding article published each year in Harvard Business Review. The award was established in 1959 to recognize groundbreaking management thinking. This year’s announcement appears in the May-June issue of the magazine.

Nitin Nohria is the George F. Baker Jr. and Distinguished Service University Professor. He served as the 10th dean of Harvard Business School, from 2010 to 2020.

Two other articles were recognized as finalists for the 2024 HBR Prize:

The 2024 HBR Prize judges were: Jill Avery, senior lecturer, Harvard Business School; Claudio Fernández-Aráoz, former partner, Egon Zehnder; Sheena Iyengar, professor, Columbia Business School; Alex Liu, chairman emeritus and partner, Kearney; Mihnea Moldoveanu, professor, The Rotman School of Management; Karthik Ramanna professor, University of Oxford; and David A. Thomas, president, Morehouse College.

Contacts

Amy Poftak
Director of Communications
apoftak@hbr.org

About Harvard Business Review

Harvard Business Review is the leading destination for smart management thinking. Through its flagship magazine, 9 international licensed editions, books from Harvard Business Review Press, and digital content and tools published on HBR.org. Harvard Business Review provides professionals around the world with rigorous insights and best practices to lead themselves and their organizations more effectively and to make a positive impact.

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