Desde HBR

The New CEO Activists

From Amy Bernstein  Editor, Harvard Business Review

CEOs used to avoid wading into controversy, and for good reason: Speaking out on a hot-button issue would surely alienate at least some customers. But the rules have changed. Social upheaval and government paralysis have prompted many corporate leaders to join the debates on LGBT rights, immigration, race and other contentious topics. In fact, in the age of Twitter, their customers and employees often expect this of them. So how can CEOs determine whether to add their voices to an issue of political (if not necessarily strategic) urgency? And how can they do so effectively? Ronnie Chatterji of Duke’s Fuqua School and Mike Toffel of Harvard Business School explore these questions in “The New CEO Activists.”  As a smart person once said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” This idea is a problem for any leader trying to execute on a new plan. The challenge is that so much of culture is unspoken and assumed, embedded in mindsets and behaviors. But that doesn’t mean it’s unmanageable. Boris Groysberg and J. Yo-Jud Cheng of HBS, along with Jeremiah Lee and Jesse Price of Spencer Stuart, have thoroughly analyzed the literature on culture, distilling it into a concise, practical manual for managers. In “The Leader’s Guide to Corporate Culture,” they identify eight distinct cultural styles and explain how to work with them for the long-term health of the organization.  Some other articles I’m excited about: “Ads That Don’t Overstep,” by HBS professor Leslie John, Darden School of Business professor Tami Kim, and IESE Business School professor Kate Barasz, discusses how to make sure your online targeting doesn’t creep out your customers. “The Case for Plain-Language Contracts,” by Shawn Burton, a general counsel at GE’s aviation division, describes how he and his team translated excruciatingly dense legalese into language that pretty much anyone can understand. And finally, be sure to check out “The Best Leaders Are Great Teachers,” in which Syd Finkelstein of Dartmouth’s Tuck School argues that what sets exceptional business leaders apart is their unwavering commitment to developing their people. If you’re lucky enough to have had bosses like these in your life—I certainly have—you’ll know what a difference they make.  Thanks for reading,  Amy Bernstein