CEOs Have A Responsibility To Help Lead Society

Originally published August 4, 2020 on Forbes by Doug Sundheim In his New York Times opinion piece last month, Harvard economist Greg Mankiw, argued that C.E.Os are qualified to make profits, not lead society, and that we should not expect the latter of them. His arguments are too simple, have significant holes, and read as if…

How To Build Momentum When You Feel Stuck

Originally published July 31, 2020 on Forbes by Doug Sundheim Many of us feel stuck these days. The Covid-19 pandemic has upended our personal and professional lives. Certainties that we used to take for granted are now uncertain. Routines that gave us comfort are gone. Many plans and projects that we had lined up have…

Your Communication Probably Stinks: Plan Accordingly

Originally published June 30, 2020 on Forbes by Doug Sundheim “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place” —George Bernard Shaw When it comes to pursuing new ideas, entering new markets, or trying to make any big changes that involve other people, I always tell clients to start with…

How To Have Productive Dialogues On Tough Topics

Originally published June 11, 2020 on Forbes by Doug Sundheim Dialogue is the art of thinking and talking together at critical moments to deepen awareness and understanding. The current protests surrounding racial inequality, and global economic dynamics spotlighting income inequality and climate change make clear an inescapable fact: We need dialogue now more than ever. However, dialogue can be…

Great Leaders Bridge Divides

Originally published May 29, 2020 on Forbes The news in Minnesota and Kentucky today is sad. Acutely for the senseless violence and killing. More broadly for the divisive mindsets and rhetoric that are fueling it, starting at the top. Us vs Them is easy. Accentuate differences. Point out flaws. Ridicule the other. Draw battle lines.…

We’re All Improv Actors Now

Originally published May 21, 2020 on Forbes by Doug Sundheim Leading in the current environment is stressful. Every day leaders are assessing and reacting to shifting realities. On good days, things click. On bad days, things fall apart. There is no way to remove the inherent anxiety amidst all the uncertainty. However, there are ways…

When Crisis Strikes, Lead With Humanity

Originally published April 23, 2020 on Harvard Business Review by Doug Sundheim The writer George Saunders has a fitting analogy for the current Covid-19 moment: We’ve slipped on ice but haven’t hit the pavement yet. We’re caught in a suspended state between losing control and feeling the full impact. The comparison points to a paradoxical tension that…

Making Stakeholder Capitalism A Reality

Originally published January 22, 2020 on Harvard Business Review by Doug Sundheim and Kate Starr Stakeholder capitalism, a popular management theory in the 1950s and ‘60s that focused on the needs of all constituents, not just shareholders, has been poised to make a comeback since weaponized financial instruments brought down the economy in 2008. Now,…