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Values

The Art and Science of Delivering Impact

To take on the problems associated with poverty in New York City, Emary Aronson ’97, chief knowledge officer of the Robin Hood Foundation, takes a data-driven and heart-led approach. She describes how the organization has focused on outcomes and been able to pivot quickly to lead emergency relief efforts.

A truck submerged in water with the Manhattan skyline in the background
  • Government Can Be the Solution

    For investment banker Carol Samuels ’86, a key value is helping government make a difference in people’s lives, by applying financial tools and long-term thinking.

    The newly renovated Leodis V. McDaniel High School in Portland, Oregon.
  • Keeping Community in the Investment Equation

    In this series, leaders tell stories about drawing on their core values in critical moments. For Lofton Holder ’90, grounding investing acumen in a connection to community builds trust and delivers returns.

    A man sitting at a table on the street in New York City
  • Suzanne Lagarde ’14 on Giving Back

    We talked with Dr. Suzanne Lagarde ’14, CEO of Fair Haven Community Health Care, about delivering healthcare to those who need it most.

    Dr. Suzanne Lagarde at Fair Haven Community Healthcare
  • Jane Mendillo ’84 on Partnership

    Jane Mendillo ’84, a member of the board of directors of General Motors and the former CEO of the Harvard Management Company, on how her partnership with her husband, Ralph Earle ’84, has formed the foundation for her life and career.

    An illustration of couple showing each of their careers
  • Collection No. 5

    Values Propositions

    All leaders encounter complex situations without easy answers, where they must navigate conflicting priorities, cultural differences, and human emotion. We talked with Yale SOM alumni about how they draw on their core values in critical moments.

    Illustration of a maze
  • For CEOs, Integrity Is the Best Policy

    A new study co-authored by Yale SOM’s Thomas Steffen analyzed tens of thousands of shareholder letters to reveal whether executives’ actions typically live up to their promises. It found that firms whose CEOs scored well on this measure of integrity tended to perform better, while facing lower audit fees.

    An illustration of a CEO writing a letter with a portrait of Abraham Lincoln on the wall
  • Curtis Chin ’90 on Navigating Right and Wrong across Cultures

    Curtis Chin ’90, Asia Fellow at the Milken Institute, on finding solutions to cross-cultural ethical dilemmas.

    Traffic in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1995. Photo: Forrest Anderson/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images.
  • James Robertson ’99 on the Fallout from Doing the Right Thing

    James Robertson ’99, former CEO of the India HIV/AIDS Alliance, on facing the consequences of a tough ethical call—and the unexpected upside that can result.

    James Robertson and his team at the India HIV/AIDS Alliance
  • Ranji Nagaswami ’86 on Telling Hard Truths

    As chief investment adviser for New York City, Ranji Nagaswami ’86 delivered the unvarnished truth when she discovered unwelcome news about the city’s pension funds.

    New York City Hall at night
  • Ken Ofori-Atta ’88 on Going Where You Can Make a Difference

    Ken Ofori-Atta ’88, finance minister of Ghana, on integrity and the risks required to strengthen society.

    Ken Ofori-Atta at 2018 Capital Market Week in Accra, Ghana. Photo: Owula Kpakpo/Wikimedia.