Leadership
Dialogue About the Middle East Is Possible—Indeed, It’s the Only Way to Peace
A recent event held at Yale showed that discussions among Israelis, Arabs, and other concerned parties can help bring out points of commonality that may be the first steps on a path toward peace, argue Yale’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian.
Lessons on the Role of Business in Society, from a Timber Baron
Yale SOM leadership expert Jeffrey Sonnenfeld remembers George Weyerhaeuser, who led his family’s timber business for decades. He died earlier this year at 95.
CEOs Shouldn’t Be Afraid of Politicians Who Cry ‘Woke’
Stakeholder capitalism is not new, argues Prof. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld. Despite political backlash against “woke” CEOS, today’s leaders need to account for the broad strategic environment in which their companies operate.
Are the Companies That Promised Withdrawal from Russia Following Through?
In some cases, those pledges have not been fully honored, Jeffrey Sonnenfeld’s team has found. He writes that boards play a key oversight role in ensuring that companies genuinely end their exposure.
Some of the Biggest Brands Are Leaving Russia. Others Just Can’t Quit Putin.
Since the invasion of Ukraine, Prof. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and his team have been tracking which companies have withdrawn from Russia, which are making partial moves, and which are staying put.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
