Havard Management Tip of the Day

You hired a bold leader to challenge the status quo. But now they’re quieter, more cautious, and deferring to peers. Don’t assume it’s a performance issue; it’s likely a signal that the system around them is pushing back. Here’s how to reset expectations and create the conditions they need to drive change and thrive.  Diagnose what’s really going on. Before intervening, get curious. Ask what feels harder now than […]

Insecure leaders are common in organizations, with insecurity typically driven by anxiety or avoidance. Their behaviors can distort communication, undermine collaboration, and burden teams. Use the 3R framework—regulate, relate, reason—to shift the dynamic and lead the relationship forward.  Regulate. Insecurity distorts thinking. Before offering solutions, help the other person feel safe. Anxious leaders need calm, steady communication; don’t dismiss […]

Integrating AI changes how your team works together. While leaders often focus on tools and automation, the real impact often shows up as declining interpersonal trust, coordination, and decision-making. To avoid this kind of dysfunction, treat AI adoption as a team development effort—not just a tech upgrade—by focusing on psychological safety.   Reframe AI adoption as a learning […]

You have an opening on your team, and the ideal candidate already works inside the company—just not for you. Hiring a standout from another internal team can be smart, but moving too fast can be perceived as poaching or favoritism. Here’s how to sensitively manage the politics of hiring internally.  Start with the organization’s needs. Frame the move around what’s best […]

AI agents are increasingly mediating how customers discover and choose brands—and in response, companies must evaluate which aspects of traditional customer relationships to preserve and which ones to evolve. To prepare for a future where both sides of the customer relationship are increasingly managed by AI, focus on three critical stages of agentic AI adoption.  […]

Gen Z is shaping the future of work with how they use generative AI—and how they feel about it. If you want to lead or manage these younger workers effectively, focus on four key priorities.  Acknowledge AI ambivalence. Even though most young adults use AI regularly, most worry it makes people lazier and less intelligent. They’re not anti-tech—they’re anxious about its […]

You can’t always hand out glamorous projects. When you have to dole out less-desirable assignments, you need buy-in from the people who didn’t choose the work. Instead of relying on persuasion or pressure, focus on helping your team accept the outcome. Start by asking yourself these three questions.  Have I offered any real freedom, however small? People rationalize outcomes more easily when they […]

Receiving tough feedback on your leadership can feel demoralizing—but it’s what you do next that matters. A 360 review won’t result in change unless you turn the feedback into real conversations. Here’s how.  Start with gratitude. Thank your colleagues for their feedback, even if it stung. Acknowledge what you’ve learned and let them know you’ll follow up after reflecting more. Gratitude sets the tone for honest dialogue and signals that you’re taking […]

Implementing AI mandates without also providing support leads to a flood of low-quality output that erodes trust, wastes time, and degrades team morale. As a leader, you can’t eliminate this “workslop” with stricter reviews or harsher feedback; you need to take a systematic approach instead. Here’s how.  Rebuild a culture of trust. Make it safe to admit when AI isn’t helping. Teams that […]

As you become more senior in an organization, visibility isn’t optional—it’s expected. But when your team is doing the hands-on work, how do you talk about your role without taking undue credit or sounding vague? Here’s how to own your contributions with clarity and credibility.  Use “we-then-me” structure. Acknowledge the team first, then describe your own role. This signals collaboration while making […]

Most organizations approach culture change through training and communication, assuming that if you educate people and build their skills, you can expect action. But people’s behavior rarely changes this way. To drive real impact, follow a scientific approach using the “4T” model.  Target a specific behavior. Don’t aim to “improve culture” or “drive innovation.” Choose one high-impact behavior, decision, or outcome—for […]

When you step into a leadership role in an organization you didn’t grow up in, especially one with a strong legacy culture, your challenge is to drive change while simultaneously building trust. Here’s how to do both.  Observe before you act. Legacy cultures are often defined by unspoken norms, insider language, and invisible power structures. Your first priority should be to learn […]

Many employees are worried about how AI will affect their careers. While you can’t offer certainty to mitigate their anxiety, you can give your team honesty, empathy, and clarity. Here’s how to lead anxious employees through the unknown.  Name the fear. Start by normalizing anxiety. Share your own uncertainty and model courage by taking action anyway. Naming fears out loud helps your team feel […]

It’s an exhausting time to be in senior leadership. If your executive role feels unsustainable, you’re not alone. Many senior leaders are quietly questioning whether the top job is worth the stress. But instead of stepping down, step back. Here’s how to build a personal retention plan to stay put without sacrificing your well-being.  Reevaluate what the role really requires. Start […]

Today’s change isn’t linear or predictable. It’s chaotic, overlapping, and largely outside of your control. Traditional leadership strategies fall short. To lead effectively now, you need to make change feel routine for your team. Here’s how.  Reframe how you talk about change. Instead of selling a future-state vision, communicate change as an ongoing journey. Emphasize the risk of doing nothing, and help employees focus on steady progress. To avoid overwhelming them with […]

Kindness builds trust. But confusing kindness with avoiding discomfort can erode performance, drain morale, and stall your organization. If you’re rewarding underperformance, sidestepping feedback, or clinging to weak projects to spare feelings, you’re being nice at the expense of being good. Here’s how to reset.  Hold people accountable—especially high earners. Paying more should come with higher expectations. Be clear about performance standards, track progress […]

When you’re offered a top job, excitement can cloud your judgment. But misalignment at the outset often leads to frustration—for you and the board. Before you accept the role of CEO, pressure-test the opportunity by getting clear on four essential questions.   What’s the mission? Get clarity on the company’s north star. What is the strategic direction? Do board members […]

In today’s volatile climate, your ability to lead through uncertainty matters more than ever. Instead of defaulting to rigid planning or fear-based decisions, build your tolerance for ambiguity with these strategies.   Clarify what won’t change. When the future is unclear, ground yourself in core values. Identify what your business stands for—your mission, your customer focus, or your cultural principles—and use those as […]

Empathy at work matters, but expressing it in the wrong way can leave people feeling unseen or even burned out. Effective leaders practice “wise empathy”: responding with emotional intelligence that fits the specific situation. Here’s how to do it.  Read the emotional context. Before reacting, take a moment to assess what your employee is experiencing. Are they discouraged, excited, overwhelmed? […]

Generative AI can support creativity—but only if you use it strategically. Simply giving people access to AI tools doesn’t guarantee better ideas. What matters is how thoughtfully they engage with the tool. Here’s how to make it work. Use AI to build your creative capacity. AI helps you gather knowledge and free up mental bandwidth. […]