There's a well-known anecdote about Gil Amelio, the CEO of Apple Computer just before Steve Jobs' return in the late 1990s. In a conversation with a reporter, Amelio compared Apple to a ship loaded with treasure, but with a hole in the bottom, leaking water. "My job is to get everyone to row in the same direction." When Steve Jobs later recounted the story at a conference panel...

In our work with leaders on overplayed strengths, people sometimes object to the idea that every strength can be taken too far. For instance, an academic journal editor once held up publication of a research article stating flatly that "it is impossible for a leader to be too supportive, caring, and loyal." Did that journal editor have a point? Recent interest in one of the greatest American presidents...

[this post includes video]

It's say-on-pay season at American corporations. What shareholders have been saying, in overwhelming numbers, is yes! At 74% of the 1,471 companies that have voted so far in 2013, according to Equilar's say-on-pay tracker, the "yes" percentage exceeded 90%. That's up from 69% in 2012 and 2011. Only 31 companies (2%) have gotten sub-50% no-confidence votes in 2013. One key reason for shareholders' positive tone is that the...

My MIT colleague Frank Levy had the great idea a while back to put on a series of lunches bringing together the MIT economics, business, computer science, and robotics geeks who are interested in how recent technological progress is affecting the economy and labor force. It's a large group, and a ridiculously impressive one. The Institute is home to some of the world's best people in each of...

[this post includes video]

In 2010, one of us was sitting in a room at the Harvard Business School with Eric Ries and a number of budding entrepreneurs. They were pitching their ideas and plans to Eric and their peers; once the pitch was complete, the group would then brainstorm. One of these young entrepreneurs in particular stood out. He was not your standard internet entrepreneur — the student presenting was pitching...

A client recently asked me to comment crisply on the future. I came up with these observations. See if you can spot my error. The world is speeding up. In 1989, Alan Kay said it takes at least 10 years for an innovation to get from the lab into everyday life. Twitter did it in 4. Faster change means more turbulence. Assumptions are now less reliable. Best guesses...

What advice would you give new college graduates about launching themselves into the workforce? Beginning May 12, 2013, I facilitated a discussion around this question on LinkedIn. The hundreds of responses offered a wealth of advice and insight about what it takes to make a successful transition from college into the workforce. I distilled the discussion down into twelve key pieces of advice — "rules" if you will...

Why is it that when your friends, your significant other, and especially your mom tell you, You need to stop working so much! — you hesitate? On the one hand, you know they have a point. It's unsustainable to pull 12- to 14-hour days on a consistent basis, and you feel burnt-out and cranky. But when it comes to actually setting boundaries, you stall and tell yourself and...

"You really hate people," said an ex to me during intermission at the theater, as we discussed our weekend plans. He, as always, wanted to get groups of friends together. I wanted, in contrast, a night to ourselves. "I do not hate people," I said, angry and sad that it was this conversation again. "I just don't want to be around them all the time." I'm an ambivert...

Who wouldn't want a higher level of emotional intelligence? Studies have shown that a high emotional quotient (or EQ) boosts career success, entrepreneurial potential, leadership talent, health, relationship satisfaction, humor, and happiness. It is also the best antidote to work stress and it matters in every job — because all jobs involve dealing with people, and people with higher EQ are more rewarding to deal with. Most coaching...