Books published by Harvard Business School Publishing

Investigates the DDO - Deliberately Developmental Organisations - through 3 leading companies.

"Ibarra upends traditional, introspective advice and says act first, and then change your way of thinking, [providing] the first practical guide on how to change when you also need to lead. Defying standard leadership development guidance, which encourages deep self-reflection into strengths and weaknesses, this book shows that the most effective way to change is through action, not analysis, and by learning from experience, not introspection. In short, it will teach you to change from the outside in by first acting like a leader and then thinking like one"--

Over 6.4 billion people participate in a $36.5 trillion global economy, designed and overseen by no one. How did this marvel of self-organized complexity evolve? How is wealth created within this system? And how can wealth be increased for the benefit of individuals, businesses, and society? In The Origin of Wealth, Eric D. Beinhocker argues that modern science provides a radical perspective on these age-old questions, with far-reaching implications. According to Beinhocker, wealth creation is the product of a simple but profoundly powerful evolutionary formula: differentiate, select, and amplify. In this view, the economy is a "complex adaptive system" in which physical technologies, social technologies, and business designs continuously interact to create novel products, new ideas, and increasing wealth. Taking readers on an entertaining journey through economic history, from the Stone Age to modern economy, Beinhocker explores how "complexity economics" provides provocative insights on issues ranging from creating adaptive organizations to the evolutionary workings of stock markets to new perspectives on government policies. A landmark book that shatters conventional economic theory, The Origin of Wealth will rewire our thinking about how we came to be here--and where we are going.

Conducting performance reviews can be stressful. But these conversations are critical to your employees' development, allowing you to formally communicate with them about their accomplishments relative to their goals. Performance Reviews guides you through the basics. Yoüll learn to:Gather and analyze the right informationDocument your assessmentAddress performance problemsSet challenging goalsDon't have much time? Get up to speed fast on the most essential business skills with HBR's 20-Minute Manager series. Whether you need a crash course or a brief refresher, each book in the series is a concise, practical primer that will help you brush up on a key management topic. Advice you can quickly read and apply, for ambitious professionals and aspiring executives--from the most trusted source in business. Also available as an ebook.

Don't leave creativity up to the "creatives" in your organization. Fostering creativity within your team can help your organization solve problems, create innovative products, break out into a new market, and even communicate and collaborate more effectively. Innovative Teams shows you how to:Create the right environment for inventive thinkingBuild a diverse teamGenerate a wide array of new ideasManage disagreementsMake sure your ideas actually get implementedDon't have much time? Get up to speed fast on the most essential business skills with HBR's 20-Minute Manager series. Whether you need a crash course or a brief refresher, each book in the series is a concise, practical primer that will help you brush up on a key management topic. Advice you can quickly read and apply, for ambitious professionals and aspiring executives--from the most trusted source in business. Also available as an ebook.

"In 2001, Jim Collins published research findings that identified the "blend of personal humility and professional will" that enabled the Level 5 Leader to drive an otherwise unremarkable organization to greatness. Now, in Return on Character, Fred Kiel offers us the findings of a new study that tell us how to grow and develop that kind of extraordinary leadership. This groundbreaking book is based on Kiel's seven years of rigorous research into the "black box" that contains the little understood connection between character, leadership excellence, and organizational results. Grounded by nearly 9,000 employee observations on CEOs and their teams, Kiel offers solid evidence that character matters-leaders of strong character in his study achieved up to five times the ROA for their organizations than did leaders of weak character. Most people want to believe that good character wins, but many hard-nosed executives and analysts are skeptical on that point. Kiel's evidence not only draws a hard and direct link between strong character and strong business results, his findings go on to identify the specific character habits of exceptional leadership and how they play a role in shaping every facet of the organization. Strong morals and good character aren't mere "icing on the cake"; in Return on Character we learn how they are the primary ingredients in the decision-making processes that result in smart strategies, an innovative business model, and an engaged workforce. Return on Character definitively reports a consistent, observable relationship between high character leaders and better business results. Crucially, the book also proves that anyone can build character-whether you're a current leader or an aspiring one-it's a habit that is developed and nurtured. The book offers a methodology you can use - with ideas and advice for assessing your own habits of character, along with solid techniques for improving them, as we simultaneously "unlearn" the habits that weaken our character-and our leadership model. So whether you're leading a large organization, a small business, or any group trying to reach an important goal, this book is a guide to help you drive success"--

Don¿t let destructive drama sideline your career.Every organization has its share of political drama: Personalities clash. Agendas compete. Turf wars erupt. But you need to work productively with your colleagues¿even difficult ones¿for the good of your organization and your career. How can you do that without compromising your personal values? By acknowledging that power dynamics and unwritten rules exist¿and navigating them constructively.The HBR Guide to Office Politics will help you succeed at work without being a power grabber or a corporate climber. Instead yoüll cultivate a political strategy that¿s authentic to you. Yoüll learn how to:Gain influence without losing your integrityContend with backstabbers and bulliesWork through tough conversationsManage tensions when resources are scarceGet your share of choice assignmentsAccept that not all conflict is badArm yourself with the advice you need to succeed on the job, from a source you trust. Packed with how-to essentials from leading experts, the HBR Guides provide smart answers to your most pressing work challenges.

How to close the gap between strategy and execution Two-thirds of executives say their organizations don't have the capabilities to support their strategy. In Strategy That Works, Paul Leinwand and Cesare Mainardi explain why. They identify conventional business practices that unintentionally create a gap between strategy and execution. And they show how some of the best companies in the world consistently leap ahead of their competitors. Based on new research, the authors reveal five practices for connecting strategy and execution used by highly successful enterprises such as IKEA, Natura, Danaher, Haier, and Lego. These companies: * Commit to what they do best instead of chasing multiple opportunities * Build their own unique winning capabilities instead of copying others * Put their culture to work instead of struggling to change it * Invest where it matters instead of going lean across the board * Shape the future instead of reacting to it Packed with tools you can use for building these five practices into your organization and supported by in-depth profiles of companies that are known for making their strategy work, this is your guide for reconnecting strategy to execution.

Overwhelmed by the sheer volume of work you need to accomplish? Being pulled in different directions by competing priorities? Getting Work Done runs you through the basics of being more productive at work. You‿ll learn to:Align your schedule with your prioritiesFocus your attention and avoid distractionsCreate effective daily routinesSet boundaries and learn to say noDon't have much time? Get up to speed fast on the most essential business skills with HBR's 20-Minute Manager series. Whether you need a crash course or a brief refresher, each book in the series is a concise, practical primer that will help you brush up on a key management topic. Advice you can quickly read and apply, for ambitious professionals and aspiring executives--from the most trusted source in business. Also available as an ebook.

Help your employees help themselves. As a manager in today's business world, you can't just tell your direct reports what to do: You need to help them make their own decisions, enable them to solve tough problems, and actively develop their skills on the job. Whether you have a star on your team who's eager to advance, an underperformer who's dragging the group down, or a steady contributor who feels bored and neglected, you need to coach them: Help shape their goals--and support their efforts to achieve them. In the HBR Guide to Coaching Employees you'll learn how to: * Create realistic but inspiring plans for growth * Ask the right questions to engage your employees in the development process * Give them room to grapple with problems and discover solutions * Allow them to make the most of their expertise while compelling them to stretch and grow * Give them feedback they'll actually apply * Balance coaching with the rest of your workload Arm yourself with the advice you need to succeed on the job, from a source you trust. Packed with how-to essentials from leading experts, the HBR Guides provide smart answers to your most pressing work challenges.

Whether you're dealing with a problem employee or praising the good work of a colleague, you need to communicate in a way that promotes positive change in others. Giving Effective Feedback quickly walks you through the basics of delivering feedback that gets results, including:Choosing the right time to talkEngaging in productive dialogueHelping both star and struggling performersDeveloping a plan for effective follow-upDon't have much time? Get up to speed fast on the most essential business skills with HBR's 20-Minute Manager series. Whether you need a crash course or a brief refresher, each book in the series is a concise, practical primer that will help you brush up on a key management topic. Advice you can quickly read and apply, for ambitious professionals and aspiring executives--from the most trusted source in business. Also available as an ebook.

Create a world-changing venture.Silicon Valley’s latest trend for creating new ventures is based on trial and error: test market needs with new product concepts and a minimum amount of capital, expect that the product may not meet the market need, so fail fast and try another product with the hope that a product-market fit will eventually emerge. But this fail fast, step-and-pivot philosophy is like taking a random walk in the forest without a compass. If You Really Want to Change the World is about helping entrepreneurs find true north.Henry Kressel and Norman Winarsky—technologists, inventors, and investors with stellar track records—provide a guide for those who wish to create a market-leading company that will have a real impact: a disciplined and staged approach they have used to launch, invest in, and develop scores of highly successful companies. If You Really Want to Change the World leads entrepreneurs through the critical stages of venture development, from concept to acquisition or public offering to maintaining a rich culture of innovation in the company. It is a guide by innovators for innovators, with approaches that are practical and timeless.Drawing on the authors’ experiences as well as those of their partners from around the world, Kressel and Winarsky share the stories of their triumphs and misses, demonstrate their method in action, and inspire their readers in the process. There are more opportunities now than ever before to build breakthrough companies that touch millions of lives. If this is your goal, let this book be your guide to creating world-changing ventures.