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Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld

  • Are We Witnessing the Implosion of the World’s Richest Man?

    Elon Musk has less leverage in his battle with Donald Trump than he thinks, Yale SOM leadership expert Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and co-author Steven Tian write. But neither of the former allies can come away from this feud with a win.

    Elon Musk
  • Why JPMorgan Chase’s Jamie Dimon Could be the Right Candidate for President

    Yale SOM leadership expert Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and co-author Stephen Henriques write that the CEO’s two decades as a pragmatic, stabilizing force make him an attractive alternative.

    Jamie Dimon silhouetted in a doorway
  • The Lessons from Pope Francis for the Class of 2025‌

    Yale SOM leadership expert Jeffrey Sonnenfeld reflects on what the next generation of leaders can learn from the late pope. ‌

    Pope Francis greeting a crowd in St. Peter’s Square
  • How the Business Community Turned Back Tariffs—for Now

    Objections from business leaders played a key role in pushing the Trump Administration to reverse course on recently announced “reciprocal” tariffs, according to Yale SOM leadership expert Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and co-author Stephen Henriques. It’s a win for business, they write, but the business community remains concerned about uncertainty around economic policy.

    A container ship in the open ocean
  • The Trump Tariffs Are Paralyzing Business Investment

    Yale SOM’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and co-author Steven Tian write that the administration’s unpredictable approach is bringing new corporate initiatives to a standstill and pushing the economy toward recession.

    A New York Stock Exchange trader looking at a display showing falling stock prices
  • CEOs Don’t Want to Return to Russia, Because They Know It’s Bad Business

    Amid warming relations with Washington, Vladimir Putin is floating new opportunities for Western companies in Russia. But Yale SOM’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and co-author Steven Tian write that business leaders are reluctant to reengage in a dangerous setting and a faltering economy.

    People walking near Red Square in Moscow
  • Elon Musk Is Kicking Down the Barn, Not Building a Better Government

    Yale SOM leadership expert Jeffrey Sonnenfeld writes that rather than zeroing in on waste and bureaucracy, the Department of Government Efficiency is driving out thousands of critical workers.

    Three former Internal Revenue Service workers in Denver leave their office after being laid off on February 20.
  • Are Trump’s Tariffs Repairing Market Failures or Eroding Global Trust?

    Yale SOM’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and co-authors Stephen Henriques and Steven Tian write that while there are legitimate reasons for some tariffs, the president’s arbitrary approach is worrying allies and unsettling markets.

    Shipping containers at the Port of Montreal
  • Does the Rasputin Curse Live Again?

    Leadership expert Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and co-author Steven Tian look across history for examples of pitfalls that could lie ahead for Elon Musk and Donald Trump.

    A photograph of Rasputin
  • What Investors Are Missing about Pfizer and Merck

    Investors are undervaluing promising drug candidates on the horizon for the two pharma giants, write Yale SOM’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and co-author Steven Tian.

    Pfizer headquarters