Blogs

"Personailty and techno-stress"

The Human Cost of Digital Technologies

As companies race towards digitisation, the expectation that people in organisations need to be permanently on-call is creating very human challenges. This blog reports on a research study lwhich looks at how individuals cope with technostress, and the mediating role personality plays.

INSEAD Knowledge, May 2016

"Harems and fawning power plays"

Leadership “Harem” Style

When there’s no specific goal or role for its members, and constructive discussion makes way for fawning power plays, executive teams become little more than harems for dysfunctional leaders.

INSEAD Knowledge, May 2016

"Insatiable desire for more can be destructive"

Seven Signs of The Greed Syndrome

It is said that without greed we would still be living in caves but, left unchecked, the insatiable desire for more and better material things can be destructive.

INSEAD Knowledge, Apr 2016

"Leaders need emotional intelligence to create meaning"

Evolving Leadership in the Digital Age

To have executives change character will always be an uphill struggle but they can learn to improve their behavioural reactions to difficult situations and develop greater emotional intelligence that will turn them into more effective leaders.

INSEAD Knowledge, Apr 2016

"When drive and commitment are too much"

Are You an Alpha Male Leader?

This blog looks at the place for alpha-like behaviour in organisations. It argues that the need the drive, competitiveness and commitment of such leaders should be balanced with models of leadership that connect, build and nurture.

INSEAD Knowledge, Mar 2016

"M&As: The untold story"

Making Mergers Less of a Crapshoot

This blog looks at the very human factors are at play in mergers and acquisitions. Paying attention to them can increase ones chance of success.

INSEAD Knowledge, Feb 2016

"A holistic approach to business education"

Finding Balance in Business Education

To create responsible leaders of the future, business schools need to adopt a more holistic approach to education.

INSEAD Knowledge, Nov 2015

"Denialism, office politics, productivity"

Blinded by Belief

This blog entry with the Harvard Business Review explores how denialists can have a devastating effect on office politics and productivity.

INSEAD Knowledge, Aug 2015

"The uses of humour in the workplace"

The Dark Side of a Funny Situation

This blog looks at the sources of humor and to distunguish between humour that is congenial and empathetic and humour that is dysfunctional and divisive.

INSEAD Knowledge, Jun 2015

"Fairy tales for today’s executives"

Leadership Lessons from the Brothers Grimm

This blog looks at the leadership journey as a fairy tale and cautions against the five deadly dangers of leadership.

INSEAD Knowledge, May 2015

"Let's talk about sex in the boardroom"

The Sexual “Cloud” in the Executive Suite

Manfred Kets de Vries explores whether sex and man’s unconscious drive for survival are keeping women locked out of the C-suite.

INSEAD Knowledge, May 2015

"Assessing psychological risk factors of leaders"

How Is Our Pilot Feeling Today?: A Courageous Conversation That Could Make a Difference

This blog presents a quick assessment of psychological risk factors for high performing individuals.

INSEAD Knowledge, Apr 2015

"Learning to manage in the gray zone"

The Importance of Seeing the World in Shades of Grey

This blog argues that executives who see the world in stark contrasts miss the nuances of situations and are less able to compromise to meet common interests.

INSEAD Knowledge, Apr 2015

"Managing those who won't see the middle ground"

How to Manage Someone Who Can't Handle Ambiguity

This blog entry for the Harvard Business Review explores how one can manage leaders who see things in black and white, unable to accept a middle ground.

Harvard Business Review, Mar 2015

"Differences as assets"

Being Normal Is Not About Fitting In

This blog entry explores the idea of accepting ones leadership strenghts instead of merely fitting in.

INSEAD Knowledge, Feb 2015

"Is it possible to know oneself?"

Turning Who You are into What you Do

This blog explores the question of whether it is possible to know oneself when so much of that knowledge is beyond conscious awareness.

INSEAD Knowledge, Jan 2015

"Turning high potentials to star performers"

Who are the Stars?

This blog discusses the qualities that turn high potentials into top performers.

INSEAD Knowledge, Dec 2014

"Are you suffering from the wealth fatigue syndrome?"

Pity the Super Rich

This blog entry explores the wealth fatigue syndrome. Instead, one should invest in enduring things that matter.

INSEAD Knowledge, Dec 2014

"Exploring the european identity crisis"

European Identity: Strength or Weakness?

This blog entry explores how, Europe, which is in a state of flux, is the continent heading for a national identity crisis.

INSEAD Knowledge, Nov 2014

"Reflective writing as carthartic process"

To Get Over Something, Write About It

This blog entry with the Harward Business Review looks at the therapeutic effect of writing.

Harvard Business Review, Nov 2014

"The triumphs and foibles of Alexander the Great"

11 Leadership Lessons from Alexander the Great

This blog entry explores how Alexander the Great shows us some timeless leadership lessons but also some glaring failures.

INSEAD Knowledge, Nov 2014

"What's your readiness to work & lead overseas?"

Are you Ready to Lead Overseas?

This blog addresses readiness to work and lead overseas, and whether you are ready to make this change.

INSEAD Knowledge, Nov 2014

Take a look at your strengths and development areas through the eyes of others.

Take a look at yourself in the leadership mirror

Many of today’s leaders lack self-knowledge. They are not very reflective of their actions; they may even suffer from hubris, lacking a sense of humility that allows them to clearly see where their weaknesses lie. Asking others what they think of our actions is not the best way of finding out. People are not always straight-forward and executives may be reluctant to be seen “seeking approval”. The INSEAD Global Leadership Centre has taken the findings of its leadership development work (gleaned over 10 years of leadership coaching), to develop the Global Executive Leadership Mirror (“The Global Mirror”), providing a lens through which executives can take a closer, 360 degree look at their own personal leadership behavior.

INSEAD Knowledge, Oct 2014

"How to deal with paradoxes"

Listening to inner anxiety caused by hidden paradoxes—how to improve your mental performance

This blog entry deals with the dilemma of living in a world of inevitable anxiety which does not always makes sense and how to listen to that reflexive inner voice.

Simon Sijbrands, Oct 2014

"Motivating teams with a psycho-dynamic approach"

Chief executives on the couch: Even successful leaders have hang-ups

This blog, published in the Financial Times, reports on a working paper by Manfred Kets de Vries on the Psychodynamic Approach to leadership studies.

FInancial Times, Aug 2014