Harvard Business School
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Employee negativity is like wildfire. Manage it before it spreads
One overwhelmed person's gripes can quickly escalate into collective distress. Research by Amit Goldenberg gives managers reasons to pay close attention to teams' emotions. He offers advice to help groups reframe negative experiences
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How to keep employees productive: Support caregivers
Three-quarters of US employees are balancing caregiving with their careers. If companies could prevent five of them from quitting, they could save $200,000. Joseph Fuller offers a seven-point plan for supporting the sandwich generation and beyond
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Did you hear what I said? How to listen better
People who seem like they're paying attention often aren't—even when they're smiling and nodding toward the speaker. Research by Alison Wood Brooks, Hanne Collins, and colleagues reveals just how prone the mind is to wandering, and sheds light on ways to stay tuned in to the conversation
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Lessons in decision-making: Confident people aren't always correct (except when they are)
A study of 70,000 decisions by Thomas Graeber and Benjamin Enke finds that self-assurance doesn't necessarily reflect skill. Shrewd decision-making often comes down to how well a person understands the limits of their knowledge. How can managers identify and elevate their best decision-makers?
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The network effect: Why companies should care about employees' LinkedIn connections
What do Honeywell, IBM, and Pfizer have in common? Employees with strong professional networks. A study of 2 billion employee relationships on LinkedIn probes the power of such connections—and potential benefits for companies. Research by Frank Nagle
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Do leaders learn more from success or failure?
There's so much to learn from failure, potentially more than success, argues Amy Edmondson in a new book. James Heskett asks whether the study of leadership should involve more emphasis on learning from failure?
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Layoffs can be bad business: 5 strategies to consider before cutting staff
Many companies are quick to reduce headcount when economic headwinds appear, but they risk weakening their businesses. A case study by Sandra Sucher explores the hidden costs of layoffs
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Working moms are mostly thriving again. Can we finally achieve gender parity?
The pandemic didn't destroy the workplace advancements moms had achieved. However, not all of the positive changes forced by the crisis and remote work have stuck, says research by Kathleen McGinn and Alexandra Feldberg
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What kind of leader are you? How three action orientations can help you meet the moment
Executives who confront new challenges with old formulas often fail. The best leaders tailor their approach, recalibrating their "action orientation" to address the problem at hand, says Ryan Raffaelli. He details three action orientations and how leaders can harness them
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How are middle managers falling down most often on employee inclusion?
Companies are struggling to retain employees from underrepresented groups, many of whom don't feel heard in the workplace. What do managers need to do to build truly inclusive teams? asks James Heskett
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Four steps to building the psychological safety that high-performing teams need today
Struggling to spark strategic risk-taking and creative thinking? In the post-pandemic workplace, teams need psychological safety more than ever, and a new analysis by Amy Edmondson highlights the best ways to nurture it