Though formal hierarchies continue to be an integral part of organizational structures, in recent years individuals have been required to look beyond these towards the informal and invisible structures supporting an organization. This is referred to as ‘network perspective’ in a 2013 White Paper by the Center for Creative Leadership’s Kristin Cullen, Charles Palus and […]
Read More… from Developing Network Perspective: Social Networks and Leadership
When it comes to setting and achieving goals, power makes a difference. Those with more power are quicker to establish goals, and to take action to achieve those goals, than people with less power. To some extent, this is understandable: the powerful are less dependent on others and have greater control over outcomes. They also […]
Executives and managers are inundated with management theories, philosophies and models, many of which offer contradictory advice. One dilemma they face is whether to grant employees autonomy or to use control to guide their performance. Both approaches have their merits. Autonomy and independence are important for employee engagement and, by extension, ‘discretionary effort’, productivity and […]
Intuitively, one might assume that people who have ‘done good things’ and received recognition for their ethical stance would feel encouraged to continue in the same vein. But this research suggests that, when it comes to top business leaders, this simply isn’t the case. The research finds that CEOs with a track record of ‘going […]
While the commonly accepted wisdom is that new CEOs from the outside will be in a better position to bring change to an organization, the record indicates otherwise. They often fail. Ayse Karaevli of the WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management, and Edward Zajac of Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management challenge the conventional wisdom and […]
Many research studies provide evidence of the impact of culture on leadership. For example, the Global Leadership and Organizational Behaviour Effectiveness study or GLOBE, one of the most extensive comparative leadership research projects, has recently shown that while ideal characteristics are the same in all countries, some leadership styles are endorsed more in some cultures […]
Read More… from Global Leadership: One Size Does Not Fit All
Imagine a cellist, taking on different roles depending on whether he/she is playing with a quartet, a chamber orchestra, or a full orchestra. Today’s leaders are not dissimilar; they come together in different arrangements to undertake most of an organization’s decision-making. These groups of leaders, or ‘ensembles’, debate changes in their company’s direction, or draw […]
Read More… from Leadership Ensembles: 4 Blueprints for Senior Decision-Making
Sunk cost bias has been blamed for everything from disastrous military campaigns to over-budget public works and is widely acknowledged as a serious obstacle to effective decision-making. Defined as the “tendency to continue an endeavour once an investment in money, effort or time has been made”, it leads people to “throw good money after bad” […]
Emotional intelligence — the awareness and understanding of emotions — has a variety of workplace applications and benefits. Leaders who perceive and relate to the emotions of those they direct are going to be seen as more caring and understanding leaders. Leaders who can better manage their own emotions will also develop more positive relationships […]
The KSV plastics company is in trouble. A myopic cost control program has created supply chain and production problems and made it difficult to deliver orders on time and to acceptable standards. One of its best customers, Avobus, looks likely to ‘walk’. Managers are working themselves into the ground to keep the business afloat – […]
Read More… from The Surprising Reality of the Leadership of Change
