Resources

Build energising networks, not just transactional ones

Rob Cross and Robert Thomas

Harvard Business Review article by Rob Cross and Robert Thomas outlining how high performers cultivate diverse, energising networks rather than transactional ones. Provides a diagnostic and practical steps for building strategic relationships.

How Booking.com scales experimentation into management practice

Stefan Thomke

Stefan Thomke's HBR article on how Booking.com runs thousands of experiments and what leaders must do to scale that mindset. A blueprint for embedding experimentation into management practice.

Forecast team capacity and balance workload against demand

Atlassian

Atlassian's guide covers practical techniques for forecasting team capacity and balancing workload against demand. A useful operational primer for managers learning to match people and time to priorities.

When goal setting backfires and produces unintended harm

Lisa Ordóñez, Maurice Schweitzer, Adam Galinsky, Max Bazerman

A Harvard Business School working paper examining when goal setting fails and produces unintended consequences. Critical reading for managers to understand the nuances and risks of poorly designed goals.

Six concrete actions to build psychological safety

Laura Delizonna

A practical Harvard Business Review guide offering six concrete actions managers can take to build psychological safety, from approaching conflict as a collaborator to replacing blame with curiosity. Short, actionable, and grounded in research.

Evidence-based habits for reframing and bouncing back

Tara Parker-Pope

A practical NYT guide synthesizing research on resilience-building habits, including reframing, social connection, and self-compassion. Useful for leaders looking for evidence-based techniques to apply day to day.

From command-and-control to coaching with the GROW model

Herminia Ibarra and Anne Scoular

Herminia Ibarra and Anne Scoular argue that modern leaders must move from command-and-control to a coaching style, and outline the GROW model and other practical techniques. A concise, evidence-based primer.

Drive behaviour change without triggering defensiveness

Harvard Business Review

An HBR article outlining how to deliver feedback that drives behavior change rather than defensiveness. Critical for addressing underperformance early in a way employees can act on.

Scripts and tactics for tense workplace discussions

Rebecca Knight

A concise HBR guide with specific tactics for preparing for, opening, and navigating tense workplace discussions. Includes do's and don'ts plus a sample script managers can adapt.

Deep tactics on sourcing, interviews, and closing candidates

First Round Review

First Round Review's deep, tactical essay drawn from hundreds of interviews with top startup operators. Covers sourcing, interview loops, closing, and culture fit with concrete examples.

Forward-looking accountability conversations, not punishment

Ron Carucci

An HBR article that reframes accountability from punishment to a forward-looking conversation about commitments and capabilities. Offers concrete tactics managers can apply immediately.

Frequency, agenda-setting, what to discuss and what to avoid

Rebecca Knight

Rebecca Knight's HBR guide synthesises expert advice into concrete practices: frequency, agenda-setting, what to discuss, and what to avoid. A quick, credible primer for any manager wanting to level up their cadence.

Tactics for when stakeholders pull in different directions

Ron Ashkenas & Brook Manville

An HBR article offering tactical approaches when stakeholders pull you in different directions. Helpful for middle managers balancing executives, peers, and customers.

Deliberate practice and ongoing mastery for managers

Amy Gallo

This HBR piece offers a practical framework for deliberate practice and ongoing mastery — essential for managers who need to keep their domain expertise sharp. Short, actionable, and grounded in research on expertise development.

Align project portfolios with strategic goals

Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez

A practical HBR article on building a prioritization framework that aligns project portfolios with strategic goals. Useful for managers deciding where to direct people and budget across competing initiatives.

Research-backed strategies for specificity and follow-through

Harvard Business Review

A Harvard Business Review article summarizing research-backed strategies for goal achievement, including specificity, commitment, and progress tracking. Useful for managers refining how they frame and communicate team objectives.

First weeks: expectations, introductions, clarity

Rebecca Knight

A practical HBR guide covering concrete tactics managers can use in a new hire's first weeks, from clarifying expectations to facilitating introductions. Excellent tactical companion to more strategic onboarding frameworks.

Six leadership styles and when to switch between them

Daniel Goleman

Daniel Goleman's landmark HBR article identifies six distinct leadership styles and shows how the most effective leaders fluidly switch between them based on context. Essential reading for understanding situational flexibility.

Eight reasons change initiatives stall

John P. Kotter

Kotter's classic HBR article distils the most common reasons change initiatives stall. A quick, high-impact read for any manager about to lead or support a change programme.

Maturity in technical work: humility, mentorship, raising others

John Allspaw

John Allspaw's classic essay defines what mature technical expertise looks like in practice — humility, mentorship, and raising the quality of others' work. It's a foundational read for anyone using their craft to elevate a team.

Integration, stakeholders, and cultural alignment for new hires

Mark Byford, Michael D. Watkins, and Lena Triantogiannis

This Harvard Business Review article argues that traditional onboarding falls short and managers must focus on integration, stakeholder connections, and cultural alignment. It offers practical guidance for managers responsible for setting up new joiners for long-term success.

Framework for cross-functional collaboration and customer focus

Ranjay Gulati

This Harvard Business Review article by Ranjay Gulati offers a framework for breaking down organizational silos to deliver better customer outcomes. It's a foundational read for managers trying to foster collaboration across functional boundaries.

Power/interest grid for mapping and engaging stakeholders

MindTools

A concise, practical guide to identifying stakeholders, mapping their power and interest, and tailoring your communication strategy. Includes the widely used power/interest grid template.

Name what you and your team are experiencing under pressure

Scott Berinato (interview with David Kessler)

David Kessler's HBR interview reframes pressure and uncertainty as forms of grief and offers concrete coping practices. A short, widely-cited piece that helps managers name what they and their teams are experiencing.

Most development comes from experience, not formal training

Center for Creative Leadership

The Center for Creative Leadership explains the influential model that 70% of development comes from on-the-job experience, 20% from others, and 10% from formal training. A useful mental model for designing development plans that go beyond courses.

Separate urgent from important tasks with a simple grid

A simple but powerful prioritization framework that separates urgent from important tasks. Provides practical guidance for managers who struggle to decide what deserves their attention first.

Why focusing on strengths beats critical feedback

Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall

This HBR article challenges conventional wisdom on critical feedback and argues for focusing on strengths and specific moments of excellence. It's a thought-provoking counterpoint that sharpens how managers think about developmental conversations.

Narrative is more persuasive than data alone

Harrison Monarth

A concise Harvard Business Review article explaining why narrative is more persuasive than data alone. Useful primer for managers seeking to influence stakeholders and align teams.

A structure for one-to-ones that evolves as relationships mature

Will Larson

Will Larson shares a practical structure for one-to-ones from an engineering leadership perspective, including how meetings should evolve as the relationship matures. Useful for managers wanting to move beyond status updates into coaching.

Structure career talks to uncover aspirations and skill gaps

Lattice

Lattice's practical guide outlines how managers can structure career conversations to uncover aspirations, identify skill gaps, and create development plans. Useful for managers looking for a repeatable approach to progression discussions.

Build curiosity and pattern recognition across domains

Vikram Mansharamani

This Harvard Business Review article explains how leaders can develop deep curiosity and pattern recognition across domains. It offers practical habits for becoming a versatile, T-shaped leader.

A taxonomy of blockers and how to resolve each one

Scrum.org

Scrum.org's guidance on impediment removal is directly applicable to any manager, not just Scrum Masters. It provides a useful taxonomy of blocker types and tactics for resolving each, including escalation paths.

Reframe requests to build collaborative dialogue

Wayne Baker

An HBR article that reframes how managers communicate requests and build collaborative dialogue. It's a quick read with insights that immediately improve day-to-day interpersonal communication.

Three modes every 1:1 falls into — recognise and respond

Michael Lopp

Michael Lopp's classic essay on the three modes every one-to-one falls into and how to recognise and respond to each. Practical, witty advice that helps managers actually listen rather than just check boxes.

Admitting uncertainty and mistakes builds trust and stronger teams

Emma Seppälä

This HBR article by Emma Seppälä summarizes research showing that leaders who admit uncertainty and mistakes build more trust and stronger teams. A concise, evidence-based case for why vulnerability is a strategic management capability.

Project Aristotle: psychological safety above all else

Charles Duhigg

This landmark New York Times Magazine article details Google's Project Aristotle, which found psychological safety to be the single most important factor in high-performing teams. A foundational piece for understanding why this skill matters.

The distinct roles of analysts, statisticians, and ML engineers

Cassie Kozyrkov

Cassie Kozyrkov, Google's former Chief Decision Scientist, clarifies the distinct roles of analysts, statisticians, and ML engineers. A must-read for managers who want to use data well without confusing rigor with exploration.

Good listening is active and two-way, not silent nodding

Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman

This HBR article debunks the myth that good listening means staying silent and nodding. Based on research with thousands of executives, it reframes listening as an active, two-way process that builds others up.

Top managers spend their time clearing roadblocks

Ryan Fuller and Nina Shikaloff

This Harvard Business Review article draws on Gallup research to show that top managers spend significant time clearing roadblocks and enabling their people. It offers concrete daily habits that distinguish unblockers from micromanagers.

Avoid the false growth mindset — apply the concept authentically

Carol Dweck

Carol Dweck clarifies common misconceptions about growth mindset in the workplace, including the 'false growth mindset.' Particularly valuable for managers who want to apply the concept authentically rather than superficially.

How culture forms and how to be deliberate about it

Michael D. Watkins

Michael Watkins synthesizes expert definitions of culture and how it actually forms in organizations. Useful grounding for managers who want to be deliberate rather than accidental about culture.

EQ as the foundation for reading situations and people

Daniel Goleman

Goleman's exploration of emotional intelligence as the foundation that enables leaders to read situations and people accurately. Critical groundwork for knowing when to shift styles.

Internal vs external awareness — replace why with what

Tasha Eurich

A landmark Harvard Business Review article distinguishing internal from external self-awareness and debunking common myths. It provides actionable guidance on seeking honest feedback and replacing 'why' questions with 'what' questions for deeper insight.

Compassion builds more loyalty and performance than harshness

Emma Seppälä

This Harvard Business Review article summarizes research showing that compassionate responses to mistakes build more loyalty, trust, and performance than harsh ones. A concise, evidence-backed case for leading with care.

Which DEI interventions actually work vs backfire

Frank Dobbin and Alexandra Kalev

Dobbin and Kalev draw on decades of data to show which DEI interventions actually work and which backfire. Crucial reading for managers who want evidence-based approaches rather than performative initiatives.

Different environments need different strategic approaches

Martin Reeves, Claire Love, and Philipp Tillmanns

This HBR article by BCG's Martin Reeves argues that different environments require fundamentally different approaches to strategy. It helps managers diagnose their context before crafting a vision, avoiding one-size-fits-all thinking.