After command-and-control, what happens to organizational communication? In line with cultural and technological change (notably the dawn of Web 2.0), corporate communication is becoming more collaborative and connected, like a conversation, with leaders seeking the attention, trust, and input of company stakeholders. The power to speak freely and a sense of being heard strengthen overallRead more…

How has teamwork changed over the past two decades? Today’s teams encounter ongoing uncertainty, complexity, and the need to collaborate across geographic, functional, and hierarchical divisions — work situations that call for flexible leadership conducive to improvisation. Increasing organizational agility in the face of ongoing complexity and uncertainty requires developing the capacity of teams toRead more…

Gary Hamel, Jossey-Bass, February 2012. In with autonomy and liberty, out with bureaucracy and control. Gary Hamel, management guru, is adamant that in an increasingly uncertain environment, what matters most is reinventing the way you manage. This approach is light years away from the theories of the 20th century that called for command & control.Read more…

Mary Poppins sang, “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and ‘snap’! the job’s a game.” Fifty years later, a growing number of marketing, human resources, and specialists in persuasion are taking these words literally. Their motto: increase engagement by turning communications into a game.Read more…

It is clear that motivated employees perform best. But what is the key driver of motivation? Making consistent, daily progress in the work itself, say Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer, whose research sheds light on the processes that underlie motivation, revealing the most effective principles and behaviors for combatting employee disengagement. The gap between observableRead more…

As Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever, likes to say, “never waste a good crisis.” In each black swan, he sees an opportunity to question his leadership and strategy. You too can take advantage of the latest crisis by asking yourself the right questions. “In times of crisis, stay vigilant about the impact of your attitudeRead more…

Microsoft Finland recently spent several million dollars transforming their Helsinki ofices. After seeing the results, which give a boost to collaboration and flexibility, it is not surprising to learn that this computer giant is consistently ranked by the Great Place to Work Institute® as providing the best workplaces in the world. We wanted to breakRead more…

Through observing 800 salespeople in the United States in 2010, management researchers Lynette Ryals and Iain Davies discovered that even though companies are investing ever-growing amounts in their sales process, 63% of salespeople underperform! As a manager, how can you identify them and help them improve? Read our focus Boost The Performance of Your SalesRead more…

What if emerging countries weren’t just a source of cheap labor or new markets for developed countries? We look at the prospects of “polycentric innovation.” Innovation is no longer a prerogative of the West. All sorts of popular assumptions are falling to the wayside and history is being written elsewhere. Navi Radjou discusses the emergenceRead more…

No customer can come first without valuing and winning the engagement of employees. The Indian company HCLT, a veritable laboratory for employee motivation and engagement, unveils its iconoclastic methods Taking care of employees is the best way to attract customers. That, in a nutshell, is the management philosophy of Vineet Nayar, CEO of HCL TechnologiesRead more…