The higher you rise in an organization, the more your success depends on delivering results through people who don’t report to you, namely your peers. Delegating across means managing egos, politics, and invisible dynamics. Here are practical strategies for…

Market conditions are evolving rapidly as a result of the trade war, but leaders shouldn’t let strategic uncertainly lead to operational and tactical paralysis. They need to revisit, review, and revalidate or revise their strategy, but the world won’t wait…

Senior leaders are likely to be a consumer of statistics calculated by their direct reports to help them make informed decisions. While data are observed, the presenter decides which statistics are relevant in a particular context. Should the average of the…

Personal AI agents—autonomous systems that act on a user’s behalf—are moving rapidly from concept to deployment, promising to streamline tasks like scheduling, research, and shopping. But as these agents gain decision-making power, they also introduce significant…

Leading an all-hands meeting after delivering bad news requires a delicate balance of acknowledging reality while also leaving room for optimism. What you say (and how you say it) can either offer relief—or create more pressure. Here are strategies for how…

A case study on the coffeemaker’s strategic decision-making.

A conversation with tech leader and author Telle Whitney on how the industry can improve.

First-time CEOs often assume that more frequent and transparent communication with their boards guarantees success, but research based on 90 interviews and dozens of board observations shows that it’s not volume but timing and structure—what the authors call…

AI has the potential to revolutionize healthcare by providing personalized treatment plans, streamlining clinical trials, and aiding in the development of novel therapeutics. However, AI alone cannot fix the flaws in the U.S. healthcare system; it will require…

In this HBR Executive Masterclass, HBS professor Felix Oberholzer-Gee argues that strategy does not begin with profit, but with value creation—measured as the difference between a customer’s willingness-to-pay and a supplier’s or employee’s willingness-to…

Leaders can take the principles of strategy used in boardrooms across the world and apply them to their own lives, as explained in this HBR Executive Masterclass. BCG’s Rainer Strack and colleagues developed a concept they call “Strategize Your Life” to help…

Leading today is less about getting people to follow you to the future, and more about getting them to co-create it with you. In this HBR Executive Masterclass, HBS professor Linda A. Hill spells out the new ABCs for leading innovation. As an “architect,”…

Leading today means balancing between a series of traditional and emerging styles. For example, an intuitionist makes decisions from their gut instincts, while an analyst looks at the data and evidence before coming to a conclusion. The most effective leaders…

How to make everyday interactions teachable moments for your direct reports.

Strategy involves placing a bet on a desired outcome—often shaped by uncertain customer behavior—and building a logical, testable theory for how the company will achieve competitive advantage. Planning, on the other hand, is about allocating resources and…

Trust between a CEO and their board isn’t optional—it’s the foundation for strategic alignment and effective leadership. Too many leaders erode trust by treating the board as an audience to impress, hiding what they’re worried about, or trying to manage problems…

Conflict on executive teams is inevitable—and necessary. CEOs need to hear a variety of well-informed opinions and arguments to lead through today’s tough challenges and foster innovative organizations. But unhealthy conflict on executive teams can be extremely…

As your company adopts AI, what skills will your employees need and how can you develop them? This HBR Executive Playbook offers advice on how to engage in scenario planning to better understand where and when AI may have the most impact, how to focus on…

As biometric and health-tracking technologies become more accessible, companies are increasingly collecting employees’ bodily data to boost productivity and safety. But research shows these efforts often undermine job security—especially when data collection…

According to recent research, just 39% of employees strongly agreed that someone at work cares for them as a person. Additional research shows that 30% feel “invisible” and 27% feel “ignored.” It’s hard for people to care or be engaged at work if they don’t…