Motivating people

John and Peter are two salesmen for the XYZ corporation. John sells twice as much as Peter. John earns twice as much as Peter, right? Wrong. John may even earn less. The XYZ corporation’s sales compensation plan is not unique in the modern business world. In the past decade many companies have turned to sophisticated […]

If you need help transforming your organization’s wildest dreams into reality, introduce a new managerial device that’s as simple as it is effective.

The corporate president stared out the window of his skyscraper office. His forehead was furrowed in anger and puzzlement. His fingers drummed the arm of his chair with a speed that signified intense frustration. The other executives in the room waited expectantly. Each had said his piece. Each had come to his and her own […]

Mastery, membership, and meaning are all more important than money.

With nervous, but mostly eager, anticipation I walked up to the C-suite floor to meet with a senior manager at Merrill Lynch. When I'd initially met him...

The problem is not your inability to switch off, but to switch on.

To get yourself and your team off to a good start for the new year, focus on progress. Our research discovered that fostering progress in meaningful work is the most important way to keep people highly engaged at work — even if that progress is a “small win.” We call this phenomenon the progress principle; […]

Help is not coming.

Bonuses and other forms of incentive compensation are an effective motivator of executives to achieve ever higher earnings per share. The drive to produce short-term results, however, often influences management to forgo investment in capital equipment and R&D that would benefit the corporation several years hence even more than improved earnings next year would. The […]

I was running along the six-mile loop in Central Park on a cold winter day when I passed the southern most end of the park where I noticed a large number...

"Peter," my friend Byron emailed me a few days ago. "I haven't been diligent about working out over the past five years and I'm trying to get back in...

Network groups for black and Hispanic employees had been an unqualified success. Now a Christian group was forming—and Bill Thompson didn’t know what to think about it.

Why are you here? It's arguably life's most important question, but is it one you ask yourself? I recognize it's a question some people might view as...

Studies have found January to be the least-productive month of the year.

As a teacher, I know how vital positive feedback is for keeping students motivated, productive, and satisfied. And I have seen, both in the classroom and in offices where I’ve worked, that particular ways of being positive tend to yield the best results (see my post “The Art of Giving Praise“). But I have to […]

Focus on learning to drive results, not pressure.

They're under-appreciated tools for organizational change.

Chef Massimo Bottura's two rules have allowed his restaurant to stay on top.

Little Johnny comes home one day, looks down at his feet, and gives you his report card. You smile at him as you open it up and look inside. Then your...

The benefits of being an organizational lynchpin.

Are you a good boss--or a great one? Good bosses can handle the day-to-day work of running a team. Great bosses go beyond that, finding ways to help employees...

Barbara Norris struggles to address the many problems facing her as a recently promoted nurse manager in the General Surgery Unit (GSU) at Eastern Massachusetts...

Take the stress out of giving feedback. To help your employees meet their goals and fulfill their potential, you need to provide them with regular feedback....

If you read nothing else on leadership, read these definitive articles from Harvard Business Review. Leadership skills are not innate--they can be acquired...

Join the global movement that's making corporations more people-centric to achieve great results. The world is facing a global leadership crisis. Seventy-seven...

In August 2019, Paraguayan sports journalist Edgar Cantero, correspondent for various international media outlets and digital channels specializing in...

Lead your hybrid team to success. The strictly nine-to-five office routine no longer exists, and you may be managing a team that works in several different...

Stay on top of your leadership game. Leadership isn't something you're born with or gifted as a reward for an abundance of charisma; true leadership stems...

A year's worth of management wisdom, all in one place. We've reviewed the ideas, insights, and best practices from the past year of Harvard Business Review...

Build your professional library and advance your career with these 16 timeless business classics. The classic Harvard Business Review articles every manager...

Brenda Cooper, a new regional sales manager for Hausser Food Products, is stumped after a year on the job. In charge of selling infant foods to customers...

Help your people reach their potential. As a manager, it's your responsibility to ensure your team is motivated and performing at a high level. But recent...

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...

In November 2021, US Foods CEO Pietro Satriano must decide his company's trajectory following the COVID-19 pandemic. US Foods suffered due to business...

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...

Manage your energy--and your mood. How to be human at work. HBR's Emotional Intelligence Series features smart, essential reading on the human side of...

This case delves into the journey of Bosch (China) Investment Co., Ltd. (hereinafter "Bosch China") as it looked to establish a coaching culture across...

He increased the sales of products such as Pulmicort RespulesTM after their patents expired, generating significant social benefits by making medical...

John and Peter are two salesmen for the XYZ corporation. John sells twice as much as Peter. John earns twice as much as Peter, right? Wrong. John may even earn less. The XYZ corporation’s sales compensation plan is not unique in the modern business world. In the past decade many companies have turned to sophisticated […]

If you need help transforming your organization’s wildest dreams into reality, introduce a new managerial device that’s as simple as it is effective.

The corporate president stared out the window of his skyscraper office. His forehead was furrowed in anger and puzzlement. His fingers drummed the arm of his chair with a speed that signified intense frustration. The other executives in the room waited expectantly. Each had said his piece. Each had come to his and her own […]

Mastery, membership, and meaning are all more important than money.

With nervous, but mostly eager, anticipation I walked up to the C-suite floor to meet with a senior manager at Merrill Lynch. When I'd initially met him...

The problem is not your inability to switch off, but to switch on.

To get yourself and your team off to a good start for the new year, focus on progress. Our research discovered that fostering progress in meaningful work is the most important way to keep people highly engaged at work — even if that progress is a “small win.” We call this phenomenon the progress principle; […]

Help is not coming.

Bonuses and other forms of incentive compensation are an effective motivator of executives to achieve ever higher earnings per share. The drive to produce short-term results, however, often influences management to forgo investment in capital equipment and R&D that would benefit the corporation several years hence even more than improved earnings next year would. The […]

Are you a good boss--or a great one? Good bosses can handle the day-to-day work of running a team. Great bosses go beyond that, finding ways to help employees...