Difficult conversations

We're often reluctant to ask for help because of the social threats involved--uncertainty, risk of rejection, potential for diminished status, relinquishment...

Your company’s growth depends on it.

Kindness is rarely inappropriate.

Support them while setting boundaries.

Denial dogged my travels around the world these past weeks. At a World Economic Forum gathering in Dubai just before Dubai World’s debt problems made headlines, the head Sheikh touted Dubai’s superiority over the West for problems that Dubai had seemingly avoided. But the idle cranes and empty buildings I saw were monuments to denial […]

Know when it’s worth speaking up.

And follow the four C's of effective communication.

The annual shareholder meeting of Yahoo! Inc. last month was an “unlikely lovefest” — according to the report of the event in the New York Times — unlikely because the company’s stagnant stock price and poor performance against its competitors would seem to have invited a more critical session. The lovefest carried through more than […]

Buck up and get results.

Stick to the facts.

You're not doing anyone a favor by avoiding conflict.

Postponing only makes it worse.

You do so at your own risk.

My wife Eleanor and I came home from dinner the other night, and found our babysitter, Leslie*, in tears. "Is everything OK with the kids?" I asked. "Yes....

Things you probably say that you shouldn't.

Six strategies to help you deliver bad news compassionately.

Managers are less receptive to bad news and contrary viewpoints than they think they are, and they often send subtle signals that discourage frank input....

Don’t be a work martyr.

Managers get lots of training on how to fire an individual employee but usually are left on their own when they have to deliver bad news to a group. No...

Signaling collaboration can lead to a more positive outcome.

Ponce de Leon (POL) is a four-party negotiation exercise in which a film studio is trying to sign a major actress to star in an upcoming movie. The negotiation...

A young, female investment banker has just been unexpectedly promoted to managing director of her group-but she'll be taking her mentor's job while he...

Are you a good boss--or a great one? Get more of the management ideas you want, from the authors you trust, with "HBR's 10 Must Reads on Managing People...

This case uses two important examples based at the Stanford Hospital. In the first, Joe Kelly is diagnosed with fast-growing lung cancer and must quickly...

Ramesh Patel, a high potential employee, was excited to be named to the company's New Horizons Board, a select team responsible for producing recommendations...

Distills the negotiation advice of more than a dozen general books on negotiation. Compares and contrasts specific prescriptions and organizes the books...

How to be human at work. HBR's Emotional Intelligence Series features smart, essential reading on the human side of professional life from the pages of...

The best time to have a difficult conversation is, ideally, as soon as possible. Engaging in challenging conversations early can produce beneficial results...

Get your best work done, no matter where you do it. Working remotely gives you more flexibility in how and where you do your job. But being part of a...

Supplement to case IN1225. A scored 1-on-1 multi-issue negotiation between two romantic partners (an MBA student and medical doctor). After being away...

Effective communication is a key driver for achieving desired results on a personal or business level. This interactive online course includes four critical...

Navigate the complex decisions and critical relationships necessary to create and sustain a healthy family business--and business family. Though "family...

HBR's Antidote to the Logan Roy School of Toxic Leadership. For four unforgettable seasons, "Succession" has riveted viewers inside and outside the business...

Jeremy Leahman, president of Filtroil, Inc., and Albert Randolph, founder of the firm, had partnered with a supplier in China to ramp up the manufacture...

Michael Lester, a consultant with Lachlan, was frustrated by his client's unwillingness to provide key data for an important presentation. Lester must...

Whether you're starting out in your career or just want a refresher on the fundamentals, the "HBR Essential 20-Minute Manager Collection" gives you a...

Ponce de Leon (POL) is a four-party negotiation exercise in which a film studio is trying to sign a major actress to star in an upcoming movie. The negotiation...

The Healthy Buildings case profiles Janet Rodriguez, CEO and founder of Healthy Buildings, a green building materials supplier. In her role as CEO, Rodriguez...

An inspirational, practical, and research-based guide for standing up and speaking out skillfully at work. Have you ever wanted to disagree with your...

Mary Griffin, Vice President of Consumer Products, must provide feedback to one of her direct reports, Simon York. York is a strong performer, but he...

We're often reluctant to ask for help because of the social threats involved--uncertainty, risk of rejection, potential for diminished status, relinquishment...

Your company’s growth depends on it.

Kindness is rarely inappropriate.

Support them while setting boundaries.

Denial dogged my travels around the world these past weeks. At a World Economic Forum gathering in Dubai just before Dubai World’s debt problems made headlines, the head Sheikh touted Dubai’s superiority over the West for problems that Dubai had seemingly avoided. But the idle cranes and empty buildings I saw were monuments to denial […]

Know when it’s worth speaking up.

And follow the four C's of effective communication.

The annual shareholder meeting of Yahoo! Inc. last month was an “unlikely lovefest” — according to the report of the event in the New York Times — unlikely because the company’s stagnant stock price and poor performance against its competitors would seem to have invited a more critical session. The lovefest carried through more than […]

Buck up and get results.

Stick to the facts.