Do Nothing!

One of the reasons that I became a social scientist may have been a bit naïve: I couldn’t help thinking that, if people truly understood the reasons for other people’s behaviors, they would blame them less and they could have stronger, more positive interactions. Thus, I had a notion that learning more about ‘why people … Continue reading »

I think I was thirteen when I picked up my first James Bond novel. My parents didn’t know – I was too young (in their eyes) to be reading such a racy novel. Not surprisingly, I loved absolutely everything about double-O-seven. Soon after, the first Bond movie arrived on screen. Now I could devour the … Continue reading »

The data on stress at work are stunning.* Well over half of the people who work report feeling significant stress from work, and 41% of them report that feeling tension and being stressed out at work are typical. Over half also think that stress makes them less productive than they might otherwise be, and over … Continue reading »

People do research to understand the world around them. Physicists find out wonderful things about how the physical world works; chemists discover the dazzling effects of various chemical combinations; and social scientists focus on that elusive character, the human being, to discover whether our amazing quirks are not only interesting but also predictable. One of … Continue reading »

Today the Nobel committee awarded their prize in economics to my old friend and colleague, Al Roth. It’s a wonderful day. Al is not only a brilliant scholar and a truly worthy winner of this incredible award, he’s also a wonderful person – a loving husband, a dedicated Dad, an amazing adviser, and a great … Continue reading »

Don’t think of a purple chicken. Odds are, you can’t help yourself: you are thinking of a purple chicken. Once an idea jumps into your head, it can be very difficult to get rid of it. That’s why it’s critically important for leaders to have a sounding board – someone who will willingly listen to … Continue reading »

Leadership always involves ethical challenges: should I do the right thing or should I see what I can get away with to better my own outcomes? These are age-old dilemmas that appeared when we were kids – and they always hound us, regardless of our age or maturity. In fact, some of our own research … Continue reading »

I have always thought that basketball provides an excellent context for observing leadership in action. Coaches have to act as leaders even though they can’t play and team members must often step up and lead while they play. It’s also a context that changes quickly, so the demand for leadership is almost constant. In an … Continue reading »

“Do Nothing” leadership doesn’t mean that you can play golf every day. Instead, it means doing less than you did in your last job so you can focus your time and effort on facilitating and orchestrating. Thus, “Do Nothing” leaders don’t really do nothing in a literal sense. Instead, they think of great strategies and … Continue reading »