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When our society talks about leaders, we focus on formal roles, such as the CEO. This view undervalues the role of informal leaders—team members who influence outcomes by the tone they set, how they conduct themselves, and how they interact with their peers. Their job title doesn't include the word "manager," but they play an outsize role in how teams perform. In this article, NFL great Tom Brady and Nitin Nohria, of Harvard Business School, present a set of principles that people in any realm can apply to help teams successfully work together toward common goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This fictionalized case study examines Shannon Levy, a newly hired CEO who is contemplating how to align her inherited senior leadership team with her vision to modernize the struggling retail real estate development company she has been brought in to turn around amidst challenges from e-commerce and the pandemic. Faced with internal resistance, Shannon is contemplating personnel changes to ensure strategic alignment. Her dilemma revolves around how to fulfill her core leadership philosophy of placing the right people in the right positions while striking a balance between being too aggressive or too reliant on consultants to guide these decisions. Two real world experts -- Michelle Mackay, the CEO of Cushman & Wakefield, and Jeff Jones, the president and CEO of H&R Block -- offer their advice.

Two decades ago, extensive research led Harvard Business School's Nitin Nohria to conclude that the hallmark of great leadership is not so much about enduring traits but about the ability to adapt to the times—what he calls "contextual intelligence."The business environment shifts every decade or two. Today, he says, we're in a period of significant change, thanks to global events, technological changes, shifts in demographics social mores, and more. Leaders with contextual intelligence will be able to sense and embrace the opportunities that this particular moment calls for. To steer through these challenges, executives must handle shifting external forces and seize economic opportunities. They must be able to manage crises and recognize the roles played by politics and public opinion in decision-making. Leaders must broaden their thinking by listening carefully to a wide range of perspectives—and sometimes face the pressure to take a stand on big issues. And entrepreneurial leaders must innovate in new areas, such as telehealth and tools that enable remote work, while also finding opportunities in maturing and contracting sectors, from software as a service to brick-and-mortar retailing. Examples of executives who are leading well in this moment include American Express's former CEO, Ken Chenault, and Ken Frazier of Merck—whom Nohria terms "statespeople" who listen to those they lead and also propel them forward. The two are among the best-known Black executives in the United States, and they led the corporate response to the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Another example is BlackRock's Larry Fink, who mobilized investors and business leaders to focus on long-term sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To be successful, CEOs must articulate a compelling vision, align people around it, and motivate them to execute it. But there’s one thing that can make or break them: how they respond in real time to unforeseen events. On average, addressing unexpected issues—which range from fluctuations in stock price, to just-discovered product flaws, to major accidents and crises—consumes 36% of a CEO’s time. That’s a big proportion, and not all those problems merit a leader’s attention. To help CEOs understand which ones they truly need to focus on, Nohria, the former dean of Harvard Business School, has created a framework that sorts events into four categories—normal noise, clarion calls, whisper warnings, and siren songs—and offers guidance on how leaders should handle each type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a fictionalized case study on the startup Puck.io and the reduction of its burn rate. Involved in the discussions are several of its senior leaders including founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tyler Smith, lead director Louis Saad, and Chief people officer Simone Ward. Three cost-saving options are presented. Responses by two experts are also provided.

The article describes the three phases of the tenure of chief executive officers (CEO), that include taking charge in any situation, communication and leadership, recalibrating and reenergizing strategic organizational change or transformation agenda, and stepping down and enabling a succession.

The article discusses strategies for leading a company in a chaotic world, based on insights from CEOs of major American and European companies. The CEOs emphasize the importance of taking care of oneself and creating a supportive environment for employees. They also highlight the need to lead with values, see opportunities in challenging situations, rethink the company's higher purpose, redefine what it means to "win," and create energy within the organization. The article emphasizes the importance of leaders with inner strength, character, and a moral compass in navigating turbulent waters. [Extracted from the article]

Two decades ago, extensive research led Nohria, the former dean of Harvard Business School, to conclude that the hallmark of great leadership is the ability to adapt to the times. Today, he says, we’re in a period of significant change, thanks to global events, governmental responses, technological changes, and shifts in demographics, social mores, and labor relationships. Here he discusses those developments and the skills that CEOs will need to successfully steer through them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the role of charismatic CEOs in organizations. It explores the benefits and drawbacks of having a charismatic leader, using examples such as Jack Welch and Steve Jobs. The article suggests that charismatic leadership can be beneficial in certain contexts, such as entrepreneurial startups and turnarounds of established companies. However, it also acknowledges the risks associated with charismatic leaders and emphasizes the importance of considering the circumstances when charisma may be more or less valuable. Ultimately, the article concludes that charismatic leadership is a high-risk, high-reward choice that should be carefully considered. [Extracted from the article]