Published in DataDrivenInvestor·Mar 9, 2022The Four Great Expectations Facing Business LeadersAll of a sudden, the bottom line is the least of their concerns Years ago, management guru Henry Mintzburg was asked to identify the most important quality of great leaders. …Leadership6 min readLeadership6 min read
Published in The Shadow·Jan 28, 2022Abusive Bosses Can Trigger a Spiral of Violence. Here’s How to Stop ItWe have a complicated relationship with abusive bosses. On one hand, there is nothing warm and fuzzy about supervisors who yell at employees, give them the silent treatment, or put them down in front of co-workers. …Abuse4 min readAbuse4 min read
Published in The Bigger Picture·Jan 12, 2022Can Women Be Nudged Through the Glass Ceiling?Governments use the quirks of human nature to get us to be organ donors or pay our taxes. Can the same work to get women into the executive suite? — It has been 44 years since the term “glass ceiling” entered the management lexicon during a panel discussion about women’s aspirations. …Glass Ceiling6 min readGlass Ceiling6 min read
Published in DataDrivenInvestor·Jan 7, 2022Want to Know What Your Boss or Colleague Earns? Be Careful What You Wish ForPay transparency is one management issue sure to rile partisans on either side, but much of the debate is based on intuition or self-interest. Plenty of firms publicize starting salaries and pay grids and formulas, but should everyone know what their colleagues and bosses are making? Searching for a dispassionate…Compensation5 min readCompensation5 min read
Published in DataDrivenInvestor·Dec 14, 2021Think Earnings Calls Are a Waste of Time? The Secrets Are in the Sound WavesFor public corporations, the quarterly meetings between their executives and analysts, investors, and the media to discuss the company’s financial results and future prospects are red-letter dates. Short-term fortunes are at stake. …Investing4 min readInvesting4 min read
Dec 12, 2021What Rafting in the Grand Canyon Can Teach Companies About Facing Up to Their Dark PastBefore 1963, Glen Canyon must have been one of the natural wonders of the Americas. Like the Grand Canyon downstream, Glen Canyon was sculpted by the Colorado River into dramatic spires, grottoes, and gorges — “a portion of earth’s original paradise,” in the words of author Edward Abbey. But it…History6 min readHistory6 min read
Aug 4, 2021When Is Free Shipping a Losing Proposition for Online Sellers?Their customers may love free delivery but some firms should find more profitable ways to juice sales When Zappos started selling shoes online in 1999, its founders had bigger concerns than the much hyped Y2K bug that was supposedly going to wipe out computer systems at midnight Jan. 1. Their…Marketing5 min readMarketing5 min read
Published in Geek Culture·Aug 2, 2021Why AI is the Entrepreneur’s New Best FriendThere is an artificial intelligence tool for every stage of the business startup process Garry Kasparov never had a chance. In 1997, the world chess champion lost to Deep Blue, a computer powered by artificial intelligence (AI). In the match, Kasparov was evaluating three chess moves per second. Pretty impressive…Artificial Intelligence5 min readArtificial Intelligence5 min read
Aug 1, 2021It’s Time to Show Lawyer CEOs Some LoveMessage to board recruiters: a legal education proves its worth in the C-suite It is one of those perennial parlor-game questions: What type of educational background makes for the best CEOs? Plenty will swear by the value of a finance or engineering pedigree, while others will insist you can’t go…CEO4 min readCEO4 min read
Published in The Shadow·May 18, 2021Why Gossip is the Glue That Keeps Society IntactWhen it comes to keeping norm violators in line, it sure beats ostracism or physical confrontation — Social norms keep communities and organizations humming along. These unspoken rules are easy to overlook. …Social Norms3 min readSocial Norms3 min read
