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Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld

  • Think Biden and Trump Are Too Old for the White House? Take a Look Around.

    Yale SOM’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld points to research on the strengths of older people and the accomplishments of politicians and business leaders in their 60s, 70s, and 80s.

    Former vice president Joe Biden campaigning in Pittsburgh on April 29. Photo: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images.
  • Tesla’s Turbulence Musk Be Explained

    Yale’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld argues that Elon Musk’s recent performance demonstrates that he doesn’t get the importance of fulfilling expectations.

    Image of skid marks on asphalt
  • Lost At C: Why Executive Titles Matter

    Today’s C-suite is crowded with executive titles, Yale SOM’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld writes. The result, he argues, is a dilution of leadership and confusion about who is really in charge.

    The helm of a boat at sea.
  • Prosecution of Carlos Ghosn Exposes the Heart of Japan Inc.

    Yale SOM’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld writes that the the arrest of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi chief reveals much about Japan’s system of business-government central planning.

    Media surround a car carrying Carlos Ghosn after he was released on bail on March 6. Photo: Jun Sato/WireImage/Getty Images.
  • Asleep at the Wheel

    Tesla's board needs to wake up and take the wheel of the auto manufacturer before it's too late, writes Prof. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld.

    View of a steering wheel
  • Is Your CEO a Champion of Values—or a Pretender?

    Prof. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, an expert on leadership, writes that events of the last few years have helped illuminate which top executives have the courage to take a stand based on principle.

    An Olympic podium
  • Business Leaders Must Demand Truth over Tantrums

    Professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld argues that business leaders have to speak out about the U.S. government shutdown and create a path out of the political stalemate.

    The Washington Monument seen through bars on a window.
  • Tesla’s Enfant Terrible Needs to Grow Up

    CEO Elon Musk is clinging to his image as an irreverent, self-promoting disrupter, when the company needs him to demonstrate stability and reliability.

    Elon Musk arrives at a SpaceX event in September 2018. Photo: DAVID MCNEW/AFP/Getty Images.
  • Lessons From GE: When The Board Wants You Out

    Last month, GE chief executive John Flannery was fired after barely a year on the job. What does a CEO need to do to stick around for a while?

    John Flannery
  • In Post-Khashoggi Saudi Arabia, Business Leaders Have a Chance to Fill a Moral Void

    Yale SOM’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and journalist Roya Hakakian write that continued business activism can help bring about positive change in the Middle East.

    Attendees at the Future Investment Initiative conference on October 23, 2018, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo: Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images.