Interpersonal skills

Airing it out is better than bottling it up.

The key is mutual learning, understanding, and teaching.

Your organization can become more decisive—and can implement strategy more quickly—if you know where the bottlenecks are and who’s empowered to break through them.

Support them while setting boundaries.

If you are a manager responsible for the fate of a superstar performer whom no one on your team can stand, look at what the Boston Red Sox did and smile. The Red Sox just traded Manny Ramirez — arguably the best player on their team, one of the best of his era – because […]

The Denver office of Clarion Co., a $30 million, full-service marketing firm, has always been a politics-free zone. Nonwork conversations revolve around...

Tips for practicing this essential communication skill.

Leadership is often presented as an abstract undertaking, a matter of vision and values rather than practical details. But in the author's world, the...

Because of growing commitments of their companies in developing countries, large numbers of American and European managers have entered negotiations with government officials in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Also, with emerging nationalism, these negotiations have become increasingly frustrating. Sometimes misunderstandings have been so great that they have led to a breakdown in negotiations that […]

It can evoke feelings of uncertainty and apprehension. But it can also be an opportunity to grow.

You've watched them comfort colleagues, defuse tense situations, and take the heat from tough bosses. You've seen them step in to ease the pain during...

Recognize your culpability.

Self-advocacy is the most important skill you can hone.

At this large GM plant the union and management jointly seek to change the meaning of work itself

A black man employed by a Minnesota trucking company had racial slurs directed at him and was the target of graffiti written by fellow workers. A U.S. district court held that the trucking company violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and ordered it to take affirmative action and disciplinary measures against […]

Four new books investigate how language connects, differentiates, and enlightens us. Viorica Marian's The Power of Language explores the benefits of multilingualism....

Burnout, though not new, worsened during the pandemic. In "Beyond Burned Out," Jennifer Moss presents new research showing the true depths of burnout...

“You can’t be serious!” Mike Trail, the president and fourth-generation owner of Trail Manufacturing, stared at five older men standing uncomfortably in his small office. “I’m afraid we are, Mike.” Sandy Mulder, the most senior of the five, was polite but firm. “We won’t switch over to the new equipment. We want to continue to […]

You really do have a choice.

Four strategies for building bridges instead of walls.

How would you react if you were faced with a humiliating interaction with an abrasive colleague, boss, coworker, or direct report? What if that person...

A "Washington Post" Bestseller. Your manual for remote and virtual work. Communicating virtually is cool, useful, and now even more ubiquitous and necessary...

Whether taught to students unfamiliar with U.S. business culture or to students unacquainted with working in China, this case allows for an exploration...

The Appletons and Bakers own homes on adjacent parcels of land. Larry Appleton has been transferred by his company and is selling his home. The Appletons...

When Hewlett-Packard Enterprise notified Rhode Island's Governor's Office that it won't be able to deliver a "fully-functioning" technology upgrade for...

In April 1995, Greenpeace boarded a Shell oil platform named Brent Spar in the North Sea to protest its scheduled disposal in the Atlantic. This action...

The owner of Oliver's Diner in Grand Bend, Ontario, was confident that his new venture would be a success. His diner had become an instant hit with local...

Is your message getting through? The right communication tactics can motivate your people--and fuel your business. Get more of the ideas you want, from...

Part B of this two-part case focuses on the valuation process. It describes ways of incorporating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) into company...

Dr. Curley is an obstetrician that deals with a very difficult birth of the new Santorini child. The Santorinis have been through a stillbirth, and upon...

In April 1961, President Kennedy denied US military assistance to a force of CIA-trained Cuban exiles attacking Cuba, thus sealing the fate of the Bay...

Describes the issues facing a founder-CEO regarding building a board, assembling an executive team, managing tension between co-founders, and outsourcing...

Dr. Bill Lemont is the new chief medical officer of a large academic medical center. During his first week on the job he has become aware of the abusive...

May be used with Donna Dubinsky and Apple Computer, Inc. (A), (C), (D), & (E) and Debi Coleman and Apple Computer, Inc.

The United States could enhance or threaten China's energy security but China was unsure of the U.S. intentions. China and the United States were both...

This case describes the plight of Li Fen, a human resources (HR) manager. In 2008, Li began working as a management trainee at Company A, a smartphone...

Collaborator. Communicator. Connector. Coach. As a mid-level manager, you're being tasked with more than ever before. You're expected to lead innovation,...

Matthew Hunter, CEO of a second-generation family business, must manage the performance of a key manager in his company. Looks at the impact of family...

In this short vignette on ethics in consulting, Daniel Lee, a new Associate assigned to work with an important client executive, must decide whether to...

General Instructions for Dirty Stuff II Six-person, multi-issue facilitated negotiation among industry, environmental, consumer/community, labor, and...

Airing it out is better than bottling it up.

The key is mutual learning, understanding, and teaching.

Your organization can become more decisive—and can implement strategy more quickly—if you know where the bottlenecks are and who’s empowered to break through them.

Support them while setting boundaries.

If you are a manager responsible for the fate of a superstar performer whom no one on your team can stand, look at what the Boston Red Sox did and smile. The Red Sox just traded Manny Ramirez — arguably the best player on their team, one of the best of his era – because […]

How would you react if you were faced with a humiliating interaction with an abrasive colleague, boss, coworker, or direct report? What if that person...

Getting sales right nowadays requires a balance of science, creativity, efficiency, and empathy. This issue of Harvard Business Review OnPoint will help...

A "Washington Post" Bestseller. Your manual for remote and virtual work. Communicating virtually is cool, useful, and now even more ubiquitous and necessary...

The Denver office of Clarion Co., a $30 million, full-service marketing firm, has always been a politics-free zone. Nonwork conversations revolve around...

Whether taught to students unfamiliar with U.S. business culture or to students unacquainted with working in China, this case allows for an exploration...