Thought leaders across the web

Dear Meg: Becoming CEO of Hewlett-Packard is almost as big a deal as being Governor of California (your previous aspiration) — and just as political. As the joke goes, should your friends offer you congratulations or condolences? There’s no time for either. You must get right to work. Here are four things you’re up against, [...]

The best CEOs do it. Effective entrepreneurs do it. Middle managers who become change agents do it. Individuals with passion do it. Weak leaders are too timid to do it. On September 20-22 former President Bill Clinton is doing it. Hold those scurrilous thoughts. “It” is convening large groups to tackle big issues and commit [...]

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz’s message about finding common grounds for action has nothing to do with coffee grounds. Shultz is on a campaign to restore confidence in America and the American economy. He wants to ignite a contagious upward spiral of confidence. He has called for a national call-in conversation on September 6. Having devoted [...]

In a volatile world, anxiety and uncertainty make people a little testy. Cranky people can drag everyone else down by spreading negativity and sowing seeds of doubt just when leaders need commitment. And when everyday crankiness is exacerbated by performance problems, then the merely grumpy can become disgruntled former employees out to do damage to [...]

When former auto executive Lee Iaccoca titled a book, “Where Have All the Leaders Gone?” he was decrying the sorry state of leadership, not asking about particular places. Currently, the question is more literal and immediate: Where have all the leaders gone on vacation? And when economies are in meltdown, and the vacation places are [...]

For many observers of the rancorous partisanship surrounding the budget crisis in Washington, leadership is hardly the first concept that comes to mind, although President Obama’s efforts toward a workable framework exemplify CEO responsibility. But sometimes the worst of circumstances can teach the best lessons. After relieving anxiety over the American economy with a few [...]

Clouds of uncertainty hover over the Western world. The consequences are stalling action. Companies are sitting on piles of cash, several CEOs have told me, as they wait for a resolution to the U.S. debt crisis before deciding what and where to invest or whether to hire. Job creation is slow and unemployment high, leaving [...]

The frail, forlorn face of Rupert Murdoch in the news exposes the vulnerability at the heart of his News Corporation media empire: his reputation for ruthlessness. Murdoch is on the line for the phone-hacking scandal in the U.K. and faces potential bribery charges that reach to the U.S. under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. He [...]

Successful entrepreneurs and innovators might be strong-willed individuals with unique dreams, but they aren’t do-it-yourselfers. Leaders might be singled out for their accomplishments, but the best of them walk hand in hand with strong partners. Even “solopreneurs,” a new term for people who work alone, need a support system. The teammates by your side are [...]

Getting a venture underway is often easier than keeping it going and growing. At each major stage from start-up to sustainable success, entrepreneurs face tough questions about shifting gears, making major changes, and letting go of people, partners, and products. For new businesses, inability or unwillingness to change can land them in the statistics about [...]