Authenticity may be one the most sought after attributes. Whether we are talking music or hamburgers, “authentic” conveys a notion of purity. In a day of synthetic experiences, authentic says no additives or substitutes – just the real thing. When applied to leadership, this definition sometimes gets confusing. On the one hand, authentic leaders are […]
Listening may be one of the most important habits of effective leaders. Much of the advice about listening focuses on eliminating distractions and quieting yourself. Certainly good listeners are not constantly interrupting or critiquing the speaker. But researchers are finding that the best listeners go beyond passively nodding or wrapping up the conversation with a summary of what […]
Many firms nurture corporate cultures through careful hiring practices. For startups and young growing firms, these practices represent a one-time opportunity to start with a clean slate and build a culture. For example, Google screens for “Googliness” – defined as “a mashup of passion and drive that’s hard to define but easy to spot.” Zappos […]
Strengthening relationships with friends is a popular New Year’s Resolution. It comes as little surprise – research has documented a strong link between quality friendships and happiness, well-being, and even health. But surprisingly, friendships at work appear to be on the decline. A few hip corporate cultures encourage workers to authentically blend the personal and professional. For example, inside […]
We live in a data-rich era. Facebook can say more about someone’s personality based on their likes than many trained psychologists can. Target’s data-mining software famously predicted a teenager’s pregnancy by detecting a shift in her buying habits. And the company Palantir, one of Silicon Valley’s most talked about startups, has used data linkages to […]
It has become almost cliché to point out that the world of business — and business education — moves fast. But over the past several years, we have witnessed several rapidly developing, profound shifts that I believe will have a lasting impact on Owen’s future, as well as on the larger universe of management education. […]
This afternoon at 5 p.m. Central Time, the SEC Television Network will light up cable wires throughout the country with live sports, news, and commentary. The much-anticipated launch will reach an unprecedented 91 million households! The network, in partnership with ESPN, will give sports fans 24/7 access to their favorite games and generate nearly $1 […]
With Owen sitting in the heart of Vanderbilt’s main campus, nestled among buildings that were constructed in the 1870s, it’s easy to forget that on an academic timeline, we are a young school. Owen, founded nearly 100 years after Vanderbilt itself, for much of its history has been the sapling surrounded by mighty oaks. But, […]
May has been a month of exciting celebrations. Commencement is always one of my favorite events as we launch a new class into the business world to go do great things. We were lucky to have Eric Noll (MBA ’90) as this year’s speaker, made all the more meaningful by getting to see his daughter […]
If you happened to be around Owen this spring, you would have been forgiven for thinking you’d just landed in some exotic Latin American locale. In late March, accents of Portuguese, Spanish and English breezed through the lobby as teams from top MBA programs around the country vied for top honors in Vanderbilt’s inaugural (and […]