RESEARCH
When a Vacation Isn’t Enough, a Sabbatical Can Recharge Your Life—and Your Career
Burning out and ready to quit? Consider an extended break instead. DJ DiDonna offers practical advice to help ... people chart a new path through a sabbatical, drawing from research inspired by his own 900-mile journey. Sabbaticals provide a structured opportunity to reflect, reset, and return with renewed purpose and clarity—both personally and professionally. READ ARTICLE
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How Frank Gehry Delivers On Time and On Budget
A study of some 16,000 major projects—from large buildings to bridges, dams, power stations, ... rockets, railroads, information technology systems, and even the Olympic Games—reveals a massive project-management problem. Only 8.5% of those projects were delivered on time and on budget, while a mere 0.5% were completed on time and on budget and produced the expected benefits. In other words, 99.5% of large projects failed to deliver as promised. Master architect Frank Gehry consistently defies those odds, producing projects of staggering beauty while meeting time and budget targets. This article reveals four lessons, gleaned from interviews with Gehry and his colleagues, for successfully managing big projects. READ ARTICLE
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The Outsider Edge
The success of managers hired for temporary roles shows that sometimes loose ties and cultural distance can help a leader be effective. Temporary managers ... often succeed because loose ties and cultural distance help them lead with fresh perspectives and less bias. Drawing from decades of research, this piece shows how organizational outsiders can navigate power structures and influence through networks rather than formal authority. READ ARTICLE
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Hiring an Entrepreneurial Leader
Entrepreneurs have become the new heroes of the business world. In the same way that Robert McNamara and his fellow Ford Motor Company “Whiz Kids” elevated ... general managers to star status, figures like Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs have made entrepreneurs the latest business icons. At Harvard Business School, where I advise the career development program, even students who plan to join blue chip firms and have no intention of ever launching start-ups would be insulted if someone told them they weren’t “entrepreneurial.” I understand why: Entrepreneurialism is highly valued in today’s labor market. Companies of all shapes and sizes aspire to be seen as highly innovative, nimble, and agile—all qualities traditionally ascribed to entrepreneurs. READ ARTICLE
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The Hard Truth about Innovative Cultures
Everyone wants to work in innovative cultures—but they often come with discomfort, tension, and disciplined execution. The article explores how ... companies can embrace failure, psychological safety, and experimentation without losing performance focus. READ ARTICLE
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Why Design Thinking in Business Needs a Rethink
Design thinking has promise, but businesses must adapt it to their internal dynamics and operational realities. ... The article calls for aligning design thinking with real-world structures, advocating for a more nuanced, embedded approach to innovation. READ ARTICLE
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The Limits of Empathy
Ford's 'Empathy Belly' experiment raises a deeper question: can true empathy be manufactured or simulated? This piece argues that empathy has limits ... and must be paired with deeper structural understanding and ongoing inquiry. READ ARTICLE
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How Design Thinking Improves the Creative Process
Stanford GSB’s Stefanos Zenios explains how design thinking helps entrepreneurs turn ideas into real-world products. ... He outlines practical steps like prototyping, feedback loops, and structured brainstorming that enhance the creative process. WATCH VIDEO
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The Existential Necessity of Midlife Change
Coined in 1965, the term 'midlife crisis' reflects a period of existential reflection—but it can also fuel profound transformation. ... This article revisits Elliott Jaques’ insights and offers a hopeful lens on midlife as a fertile space for reinvention and leadership evolution. READ ARTICLE
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Change Management vs. Change Leadership — What's the Difference?
John Kotter explains why change leadership, not just change management, is essential for true transformation. ... The difference lies in vision, emotion, and energy—key forces that drive large-scale change forward. WATCH VIDEO
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It’s Time to Make Management a True Profession
The erosion of trust in business leadership demands a new professional standard—complete with ethics and education. ... This article argues for formalizing management as a civic duty, not just a shareholder obligation. READ ARTICLE
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