Givers vs. Takers: The Truth About Who Gets Ahead
"A colleague asks you for feedback on a report. A LinkedIn connection requests an introduction to one of your key contacts. A recent graduate would like an informational interview. New research from Wharton management professor Adam Grant reveals that how you respond to these requests may be a decisive indicator of where you will end up on the ladder of professional success. Grant recently spoke w... posted on Apr 24 2013, 25,443 reads

Happiness & the Pursuit of Difficult Problems
Lurking behind the question of jobs -- whether there are enough of them, how hard we should work at them, and what kind the future will bring -- is a major problem of job engagement. Too many people are tuned out, turned off, or ready to leave. But there's one striking exception. The happiest people I know are dedicated to dealing with the most difficult problems. Turning around inner city schools... posted on Apr 21 2013, 5,652 reads

The Persuasive Power of Uncertainty
"When we started this research, we had the same hypothesis that a lot of people would have, that being more certain would be generally better when you're trying to persuade somebody or convince somebody to do something. And so, we were originally thinking expressing confidence or certainty might be a solution for people who lack credibility to gain influence. And so, we did some studies to look in... posted on Apr 09 2013, 4,462 reads

Six Ways to Become A Wise Leader
There are two kinds of leaders, according to Prasad Kaipa and Navi Radjou, the authors of a new book called "From Smart to Wise." Smart leaders "tend to look at the world through colored lenses that skew or limit their perspective, which affects their decisions and actions, while wise leaders "are able to continually reframe and reinterpret events through integration and find new meanings within a... posted on Apr 02 2013, 10,267 reads

The Power of Thanks
In "Sidetracked" Why Our Decisions Get Derailed, and How We Can Stick to the Plan," Francesca Gino, an associate professor at Harvard Business School, explores a range of fascinating subjects, including how emotions influence decisions and the often thorny matter of understanding the perspectives of others. Blending social science and real-world examples, Gino's book also highlights the science of... posted on Mar 28 2013, 5,262 reads

How Do You Measure Your Life?
"Every year, HBS Professor Clayton Christensen teaches students that well-tested academic theories can help them succeed not just in business, but in life. He expounds upon those lessons in his book, How Will You Measure Your Life? (...) "You'll see that without theory, we're at sea without a map or a sextant," Christensen writes. "If we can't see beyond what's close by, we're relying on chance --... posted on Mar 17 2013, 6,526 reads

The Connection Between Business & Poetry
"Dana Gioia (pronounced Joy-a) claims to be the only person in history who went to business school to be a poet. Having earned a degree from Stanford's graduate school of business, he worked 15 years in corporate life, eventually becoming vice president of General Foods. In 1991, Gioia wrote an influential collection of essays titled, "Can Poetry Matter?" in which he explored, among other themes, ... posted on Jan 28 2013, 3,508 reads

The 'E' For Empathy Test
"If you ever want to understand your boss, corner him (or her) at the next office party and see if he'll play a little game. Tell him you need only 30 seconds. Then ask your boss to extend his right forefinger. "Go ahead," you might need to assure him, "this won't hurt." Then ask him to take that extended finger and draw a capital E on his forehead. Does he draw the letter so that it faces him -- ... posted on Jan 18 2013, 9,876 reads

Dan Pink's Challenge to You
Some time ago when bad weather forced a commercial flight to divert to Hartford, Connecticut, some 106 miles north of its destination, the plane sat on the runway there for four hours -- without air-conditioning, food or water -- as babies wailed and adults anguished in the darkened cabin. The next day, the airline, which explained that the Hartford airport lacked the customs personnel to process... posted on Dec 26 2012, 7,314 reads

11 Must-Read Books for Young Leaders
"Recently, I wrote that leaders should be readers. Reading has a host of benefits for those who wish to occupy positions of leadership and develop into more relaxed, empathetic, and well-rounded people. One of the most common follow-up questions was, "Ok, so what should I read?" That's a tough question. There are a number of wonderful reading lists out there... But if I had to focus on a short lis... posted on Dec 19 2012, 7,734 reads