There are countless reasons why CEO and senior executive turnover takes place; external factors such as economic volatility, disruptive technology, and industry shakeups can all play a part. But according to an article published in IESE Insight, a senior leader’s own perceptions are a crucial factor in their fall from grace. Sebastien Brion describes a […]
Subject: Team Building and Teamwork
Managing Cross-industry Innovation
How do you combine previously unconnected technologies in an entirely new product ‘architecture’? This is a particularly important question when the development project involves collaboration with other industries and companies — and between specialists who have different ways of doing things and haven’t worked together before. Recent research addresses it by analyzing and comparing three […]
How to Keep Clients When a Linchpin Leaves
Strong relationships and social ties between clients and individual executives can be something of a double-edged sword in business. There is always the danger of client defection when the ‘linchpin’ leaves. The risks tend to be greatest in ‘human capital intensive’ businesses such as advertising, law and consulting, where there is often a close connection […]
How Showing Emotions Builds Individual and Team Resilience
Virtuous organizations are organizations that create an environment in which everyone works for the good of all: employees, customers and the community. There will be challenges and setbacks, however, and the ability of managers and employees to overcome these challenges in ways that help them learn and grow is essential to sustaining the virtuous organization. […]
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Diversity in Teams: Tasks, Not Relationships Drive Performance
Social category diversity — diversity of race, gender or political leanings, for example — has been shown to enhance creative thinking in groups, and leads to more effective decision-making that takes into account a wider range of perspectives. The downside, according to previous research, is that the relationships among members of diverse groups are not […]
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How LEGO® Helps Strategic Thinking and Idea Generation
In the 1940s, psychologist Jean Piaget suggested that children use their hands-on experiences of the world around them to build and develop their knowledge. This theory went on to shape the modern approach to learning, moving it away from lecturing to passive audiences to actively engaging participants. Similar is the science behind a method known […]
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Organizational Energy: May the Force Be With You
In many facets of life, collective energy affects the way things run, positively or negatively. Take schools, for example. They may go through periods of upheaval, in which results and staff/pupil morale are affected, but the desired outcome is (hopefully) positive. Likewise, sporting teams may experience changes in management or captaincy with results that can […]
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Leading Dynamic Teams: Alignment, Capability, Autonomy
Trans-ocean sailing fits the organizational team/leadership metaphor well, as in order to achieve the basic goal of getting from A to B, the team needs to function effectively in handling the boat as well as navigating successfully. Furthermore the unpredictable element of weather conditions simulates the unpredictable nature of business environments, requiring team focus to […]
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Deferring to Others: When Able People Prefer Lower Status
The desire for high status is widely considered a universal human motive. Those with higher status tend to be listened to more, and are often perceived as having more power. It has even been argued that this desire is an evolved adaptation, important for ascending hierarchies as a means to secure resources. In recent years, […]
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Three Strategies for Resolving Workplace Conflict
January 2008 to April 2011 was a shocking time for France Telecom, when more than 60 employees committed suicide — a large number leaving behind notes blaming stress and misery at work. Though initially labelled isolated incidents, the company eventually took note of the increasing problem and initiated measures ranging from suggestion boxes to opening […]
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