Defining values is one thing, living them is another

This is how companies can better align with the values they claim to uphold.

  • Defining corporate values is increasingly important to organizations and society—which is why consulting firms are making millions of dollars helping organizations define their values. What we're seeing consistently, says social innovator Aaron Hurst, is this is not working.
  • You can print values on posters and talk about them at conferences, but these values often fail to become part of the fabric of the organization. They remain upper-management-speak.
  • You could start to fix that problem in one hour, says Hurst. Try his recommended exercise: Connect your employees in pairs and ask them to talk about how a given value has shown up in their career, what does it mean to them? Values are only legitimate if everyone in your company can tell genuine stories about how those values have shown up in their daily jobs.
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Eyes on the prize: Why optimists make superb leaders

Recognizing the opportunity the future holds can help you better manage the challenges to come.

  • Effective leadership comes from, in part, an understanding of the challenges the future might hold.
  • Because optimists are able to focus the opportunities the future presents — instead of the impossibilities — they make great leaders.
  • An understanding of science plays a part in more clearly seeing the future, which contributes to better decision-making as a leader.
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Study: Teams often win after leaders give negative speeches

The results could have important implications for the business world.


Gary Mook / Stringer
  • A recent study analyzed 304 halftime speeches from 23 high school and college basketball teams.
  • The results showed that teams generally played better in the second half of games after coaches delivered negative halftime speeches.
  • However, teams tended to play worse after coaches delivered speeches that were too negative.
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3 rules for choosing an archnemesis

Eric Weinstein explains why choosing a nemesis is both energizing and necessary for success.

Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images
  • Eric Weinstein explains the three criteria for choosing an archnemesis to help motivate you in your career.
  • Weinstein chose theoretical physicist, Garrett Lisi, who is working on a similar physics problem as him.
  • Rather than hampering progress, Weinstein argues that a nemesis energizes you when you feel discouraged.
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How does your productivity stack up?

Research from MIT reveals common habits and skills present among highly productive managers.

You know that person who always seems to be ahead of their deadlines, despite being swamped? Do you look at them with envy and wonder how they do it?

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