Havard Management Tip of the Day

You’ve got a high-performing team member ready for the next step, but there’s no clear move available: no title change, no open seat at the top. Still, you can’t afford to let them stagnate. Here’s how to keep them engaged and growing. Be upfront. Don’t dodge the truth. Let them know there’s no promotion in […]

Taking over from a founder is a uniquely complex leadership challenge. You’re stepping into a role shaped by deep emotional ties, unspoken norms, and lasting loyalty. Here’s how to lead effectively—and how founders can help smooth the transition. Lead with quiet confidence. Don’t rush to prove yourself. Many successors overcompensate out of fear they’ll be […]

Professional friendships aren’t a luxury—they’re a strategic advantage. In a world where trust, learning, and collaboration are essential, building genuine relationships at work can boost performance and well-being. Here’s how to develop an integrated approach. Lead with the personal. New business friendships form through shared values and identity, not utility. Don’t start with professional gain; […]

To land a C-suite role today, you must win over more than just your future boss and board. Increasingly, professional recruiters and assessors—external experts hired to vet executive talent—play a powerful role in determining who advances. Here’s how to prepare. Adopt a development mindset. Treat the assessment process as a strategic growth opportunity. Even if […]

When executive mandates shift away from building for the future toward hitting short-term targets, long-term priorities can suffer. As a leader, you’re often caught in the middle, tasked with executing myopic decisions that could jeopardize future competitiveness. Here’s how to protect what matters while operating within current constraints.  Translate long-term impact into short-term proof. Executives act on what they can measure. Use metrics such […]

When you step into a bigger leadership role, you’re not necessarily granted time and space for strategic thinking, and it’s easy to get pulled back into the tactical work that you’ve excelled at. But to lead effectively at the next level, you need to change how you think, operate, and show up. Here’s how to regain control of your time and focus.  Diagnose the […]

When you step into a bigger leadership role, you’re not necessarily granted time and space for strategic thinking, and it’s easy to get pulled back into the tactical work that you’ve excelled at. But to lead effectively at the next level, you need to change how you think, operate, and show up. Here’s how to regain control of your time and focus.  Diagnose the […]

You’ve been asked by senior leadership to execute an approach you fundamentally oppose. You can’t stop it—but you can choose how you lead through it. Here’s how to preserve your integrity, protect your team, and stay effective under pressure.  Stabilize yourself. Before rushing into action, take time to process your reaction. Accept that the decision may not change, then shift from resistance to […]

When it feels like you’ve plateaued with your executive coach, don’t rush to end the relationship. That kind of lull is normal, and it’s either a sign of deeper growth or of a misalignment that needs to be addressed. Use these five steps to decide what’s next.  Recognize the plateau. Coaching often feels stagnant or repetitive after initial progress. This isn’t a sign of failure, but rather the result of […]

Recent research shows that maximizing employee well-being is not only good for them, but also for your bottom line. When people feel supported, connected, and respected at work, they’re more productive and engaged. In other words, happier employees get better results. If you want to improve business performance, start by improving how your team feels. Here’s how.  Look for […]

In a volatile environment, trust in leadership is more than a “nice to have”—it directly affects engagement, morale, and performance. Here’s how to build it with consistency and intention.  Spot and address trust deficits. If you don’t know where trust is breaking down, you can’t fix it. Use surveys or focus groups to ask employees directly: Do they trust senior leaders? Have […]

When uncertainty strikes, the default reaction is often to retreat. But courageous leaders don’t wait for clarity—they create it. Courage is not about being fearless; it’s about acting in service of a purpose, even when fear is present. And it’s a skill that can be developed. Here’s how.    Reframe fear through story. Courage starts with the stories you tell yourself. Look for patterns […]

In the run-up to the new year, we’re resharing some of our favorite tips from 2025. 6 Steps to Identifying Your Core Values  As a leader, you’ll face numerous high-stakes situations. When there’s no clear playbook for how to handle them, your personal core values can guide your most difficult decisions. But to use them effectively, you need to define them first. Start with these […]

In the run-up to the new year, we’re resharing some of our favorite tips from 2025. Create a One-Slide Strategy That Sticks  If your strategy is hard to explain, it’ll be even harder for others to understand and follow. A clear, well-designed visualization can help you get buy-in from employees and investors alike—and make your message far easier to […]

In the run-up to the new year, we’re resharing some of our favorite tips from 2025. What to Say When Disagreeing  Constructive disagreement can spark creativity, prevent costly errors, and drive better decisions. To keep disagreements from escalating into conflict, you need to use language that shows your counterparts that you’re coming from a place of curiosity and empathy. Here’s how […]

In the run-up to the new year, we’re resharing some of our favorite tips from 2025. Build a Custom AI Assistant to Save Yourself Time  Custom AI assistants can save you time and effort by eliminating repetitive tasks. You don’t need to have coding skills to use them, but to get the most out of them, you […]

In the run-up to the new year, we’re resharing some of our favorite tips from 2025. Weave Kindness into the Fabric of Your Team  Want high-performing teams that collaborate, communicate, and stay engaged? Treat kindness as a core management responsibility—not a personal trait or optional extra. Here’s how to operationalize kindness on your team.  Set clear expectations. Make kindness measurable by turning […]

If you’re aiming for a C-suite role, impressing board members and CEOs is only part of the challenge. You also need to win over professional recruiters and assessors, who are now central to most top-level hiring decisions. Here’s how to prepare.  Shift your mindset. Treat the evaluation process as a development opportunity. Recruiter interviews, assessments, and reference checks can reveal […]

When disruption is constant, leadership requires the ability to adapt quickly while staying grounded in your purpose. To navigate complexity with clarity, make pivoting a daily habit that’s rooted in values. Here’s how.  Start by facing hard truths. Don’t waste energy defending outdated strategies. Acknowledge what’s no longer working and challenge assumptions that may be holding you back. Clarity—no matter how uncomfortable it […]

Overwhelm is easy to miss and costly to ignore. As a leader, your job is to recognize when capable people are quietly running on empty, burning out, or disengaging—and intervene accordingly. Here’s how.   Spot the silence and the strain. Don’t mistake calm for calmness. Overwhelm often hides behind composure or quiet disengagement. Watch for subtle signs: restlessness, missed deadlines, indecision, or working through breaks. Ask open-ended […]