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Leadership

What Bob Iger’s Critics Get Wrong about His Performance at Disney

Disney is embroiled in a proxy fight with activist investor Nelson Peltz ahead of its annual shareholder meeting next week. Prof. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and co-author Steven Tian write that Peltz and other critics of CEO Bob Iger are relying on a series of myths that don’t hold up to scrutiny.

Bob Iger
  • Temporary CEOs Can Introduce Permanent Problems

    Yale SOM's Jeffrey Sonnenfeld writes that putting off a leadership transition is usually the consequence of governance failures—and can have negative repercussions long after a permanent leader is installed.

    An illustration of a clock pushing a man with a suit off the edge of a surface
  • Office Romance Policies Aren’t Working

    Yale SOM leadership expert Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and author Joanne Lipman write that Jeff Zucker's departure from CNN illustrates the inconsistency and ambiguity of corporate policies on workplace relationships.

    A hand reaching toward a heart in a bear trap
  • Beyond Resolutions: Research-Based Suggestions for 2022

    We asked faculty from the Yale School of Management for their advice—philosophical, professional, and personal—for our readers for the coming year.

    A colorful mosaic
  • A Year Later, Most CEOs Are Keeping Their Post-Insurrection Promises

    Recent news stories have asserted that corporate leaders are reneging on their pledges to withhold contributions to members of Congress who voted against certifying election results on January 6, 2021. But Yale SOM's Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, who hosted one of the meetings where those pledges were made, writes that CEOs remain deeply troubled by threats to democracy, and that campaign records show that most corporate PACs aren't giving to election objectors.

    Senator Josh Hawley gestures to demonstrators as he enters the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
  • Are Leaders Rewarded for Taking Risks?

    In a new study, Yale SOM’s Oriane Georgeac, Gerben van Kleef of the University of Amsterdam, and their co-authors find that in certain situations, risk-taking can strengthen a leader—but it can also backfire.

    An illustration of a politician riding a unicycle in front of a cheering crowd
  • No, Machiavelli Did Not Say It’s Better to Be Feared Than Loved

    The leadership lesson attributed to Machiavelli’s The Prince is one of many truisms that are frequently distorted for ideological purposes, writes Yale SOM’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld. Such distortions can lead to flawed decision-making in the boardroom, according to Sonnenfeld.

    A distorted image of Machiavelli
  • How Leaders Can Fend Off Unwanted Email Introductions

    Leadership expert Jeffrey Sonnenfeld offers advice for CEOs who are repeatedly ambushed by former associates playing online matchmaker.

    A hand holding an envelope coming out of a computer screen
  • When Should CEOs Speak Out?

    Many corporate leaders are overcoming their hesitancy about wading into divisive social issues. Prof. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld offers some guidelines for when and how business leaders should weigh in.

    A black megaphone labeled "CEO" in gold
  • Leadership Lessons for Biden after the Afghanistan Withdrawal

    Yale SOM's Jeffrey Sonnenfeld offers advice for the president on recovering from his missteps, drawn from Sonnenfeld's decades of studies of business and political leadership.

    President Joe Biden leaving the podium after speaking at the White House about the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
  • The Compromise Infrastructure Bill Reflects the Public’s Priorities

    The infrastructure bill that advanced in the Senate this week doesn’t please partisans on either side. But an analysis from Yale SOM’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld shows a rough correspondence with the objectives favored by the public in polls.

    Senator Kyrsten Sinema speaking at a news conference on July 28, 2021. Photo: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images.