If you think that poor-performing CEOs face a better chance these days of getting the ax, think again. That's the conclusion of a new Booz & Co. (formerly Booz, Allen, Hamilton) report that examined the behavior of 2,500 companies in 1995, 1998 and from 2000 to 2007....
The single most valuable player in almost any company is its chief executive officer. Given that, most firms surely have succession plans ready to go when Mrs. CEO steps off to another opportunity or the Board decides to go in another leadership direction. Right? Um, not so...
As we move into future, we are going to be experiencing both changes and opportunities in the business world that are going to challenge us in ways we have never experienced in the past. As business, community and political leaders, we are going to be called to step up to...
I spent part of my day at an old-line manufacturing firm that is in an industry facing disruption by new technology. Rather than reacting to its fear of this technology by entering into despair or denial, it has become a leader in applying the new technology. The CEO...
A recent white paper from Allegiance, a company which provides what they call Enterprise Feedback Management, attempts to outline a plan for creating an ethical business culture in six steps: Establish an enforceable code of conduct. Initial and ongoing training. Regular communications. Anonymous reporting...
The Idea in Brief Executives and social activists working together? It's true: after decades of mutual distrust, corporations and nongovernmental organizations NGOs are collaborating to combat poverty around the world. Their weapon? Innovative local businesses such as...
Most medical professionals take an oath that charges them to consider the broader implications of their actions on society. Business leaders, of course, take no such oath. Until recently, it was commonly accepted that the only interests they served were those of shareholders and, to a lesser...
IBM is out with an interesting new study that I think speaks volumes about what top managements should be thinking about these days. Essentially, IBM is arguing, based on a survey of 250 companies globally, that we have crossed from one world--in which chief executive officers worry only about shareholders--into...
Fortune magazine has a cover story on Indra Nooyi, the relatively new CEO of Pepsi. It makes for interesting reading and I recommend it. We've had this discussion about Indian CEOs in the Corner Office before but the thing that strikes me about Nooyi is that she...
It may not be right, but we often overlook unethical behavior in others. In a recent working paper, Harvard Business School professor Max Bazerman and colleagues explain the psychological reasons why this is so, and what companies can do about it. The paper, See No Evil: When...
Dr. Kerry Sulkowicz, founder and principal of the Boswell Group, shares his insight about the different personalities of corporations. Boswell Group is a consulting firm that specializes in the psychology of business.
The World Economic Forum is set to kick off tomorrow in Davos, Switzerland. Top of the agenda: the looming shortage of fresh water. Pepsi Co's Chairman and CEO, Indra Nooyi, is co-chair of this year's meeting, and both her company and its soft drink rival, Coca Cola, have been out...
Back in October BNET's The View from Harvard Business was reminding companies that "if you aren't already doing some scenario planning about what a slowing or uncertain economy means to your bottom line, you are behind the game." Unfortunately, the economic outlook hasn't grown any rosier since then, and most...
Your mama told you that good deeds will be rewarded. But in the emerging area of corporate social responsibility, or CSR, it's far from clear that socially responsible companies are rewarded financially in the marketplace, according to researchers. "While doing good doesn't appear to destroy shareholder value,...
It ain't supposed to work this way. Howard Shultz launched Starbucks Coffee and eventually brought in Jim Donald, first as head of the company's North American business and then in 2005 as president and chief executive, Donald's elevation to the CEO's job allowed Shultz to retreat from the frontlines to...
Coaching skills are not "Found," they are actively "Developed" by people who want to lead and be an influence in their organization. Coaching takes some time but not a lot of time. Time is an important ingredient and you will need discipline to manage all the priorities and business demands...
GE has a rich history as an innovation leader. Managers have come up with a huge list of reasons why GE is synonymous with innovation, including diversity of businesses, constant growth and investment in R&D, commitment to eco-friendly technologies, and a global presence with a wide range of products. Imagination Breakthrough Leader Shahira Raineri outlines...
The Idea in Brief The CEO succession process is broken. Too many companies' succession pipelines are bone dry. Even among firms that do have succession plans, most aren't happy with them. Thanks to poor succession...
With the recent departures of Merrill Lynch CEO Stan O'Neal and Citigroup CEO Chuck Price,the question on everyone's mind is who will be the next to go. Today the Motley Fool is telling it straight by offering readers "3 CEOs Who Should Go." First up, Countrywide's Angelo...
The American Red Cross has gone through five leaders in eight years, prompting David Hoffman, CEO of DHR Recruiting to comment, "I don't know how an organization gains any type of momentum with such frequent leadership changes, because each one comes in with a new vision or strategy." Obviously, its better for a...
