SERIAL CEO  

Margaret Heffernan


What Makes Method's Sale to Ecover So Different?

Acquisitions often fail. So what makes Method founders Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry believe the sale to Ecover could buck the trend?  Read story

'Maker Movement' Could Change How You Manage

Technology is cheaper than ever, and advice easier than ever to get, so people are innovating all the time, every day. This could transform how you treat emp...  Read story

On Labor Day, While You're Not Working

Take a moment to remember all the people, seen and unseen, known and anonymous, on whose work your success depends.  Read story

How to Live With Jet Lag: 7 Tricks

There's no cure-all for jet lag. But there is a sane way to travel.  Read story

Make Meetings Productive: 3 Better Ways

No one likes meetings, but they're necessary. So how can you get the best from them?  Read story

Don't Be Stupid. Skip the Red Eye & Get Some Sleep

Before you do any damage, stop encouraging your staffers to take red-eye flights and pull all-nighters. Here's why.  Read story

What the Olympics Has to Do With Your Business (Not Much)

The Olympics are inspirational. Just don't model your business after them. Five reasons why.  Read story

4 Hidden Signs of a Healthy Company

Your balance sheet alone won't tell you if your company is thriving or on the verge of failure. Here's what you really need to look out for.  Read story

Forget Interviews; Hire Anyone

Interviews are a poor indicator of success. Why not abandon this expensive, old-fashioned practice and just hire the next person who walks in the door?  Read story

In London, Remote Working Experiment Begins

The two weeks of the Olympic Games will be the biggest experiment in remote working Britain has ever seen. I bet we'll see productivity increase, morale rise...  Read story

Motivating Teams: What You Can Learn from Science

You don't need money. Here are four motivational techniques from professor Uri Alon, a molecular cell biologist at the Weizmann Institute of Science.  Read story

True Leaders Peel Vegetables

If you want to get the best and most from people, you need to see them as equals and be as willing to serve them as they are to serve you.  Read story

Marissa Mayer: What Has the New Yahoo CEO Gotten Herself Into?

Marissa Mayer's ascendance to the CEO post at Yahoo may look smart for the company. But is it good for her?  Read story

Reminder: Strategy & Planning Are Not Optional

You don't want your company to be among the walking dead. Know what you offer, to whom, and why.  Read story

3 Simple Ways to Make People Happy at Work

Learn these strategies to make your employees happy, and extravagantly execute them. You'll create a better business.  Read story

Bob Diamond Didn't Know What Was Going on at Barclays?

Former Barclays CEO Bob Diamond says he didn't know what was going on inside his company. Do you know what's happening at yours?  Read story

Entrepreneurs Rule the World

What was the TEDGlobal topic in Edinburgh this morning? The $10 trillion market of street vendors and traders, the second-largest economy in the world.  Read story

How to Manage Clever People

Artists, designers, and programmers are different, difficult, and--depending on your strategy--delightful.  Read story

Strong Leaders Establish Trust

You can earn the trust of your employees, suppliers, and customers. First, ask yourself if you deserve it.  Read story

Fire an Employee Nicely. Here's How.

No boss should enjoy losing an employee. But you can help smooth out the exit.  Read story

Forget Recruiters: Invest in Your People

Internal hires are known quantities. Don't assume they can only do what they have done before.  Read story

Recruit Right--Even Those You Turn Away

Seize the moment to build your firm's reputation. Treat all job candidates well during and after the interview process.  Read story

Is Organization the Enemy of Creativity?

Nope, even Michelangelo embraced constraints. But don't take it too far; process shouldn't be perfect. Here's why.  Read story

Inspire Your Workforce: Be Curious

A five-step assignment to convey your interest in your team, and spur a sense of belonging.  Read story

Risks and Rewards of Staff Surveys

You may think you know what's going on with your team. But survey data is far better than anecdotal observation.  Read story

How to Give Feedback: 7 Tactics

What's a cheap, fast, and easy way to stoke employee productivity and interest? Tell them how they're doing.  Read story

Taking On an Ambitious Project? Be Honest

It won't get you anywhere to gloss over the challenges of a new business venture. Three reasons why.  Read story

Want to Start a Business? First, Find a Partner

Going it alone is too hard and too slow. Here are five fundamentals of a strong co-foundership.  Read story

Willful Blindness: Murdoch's (And Your) Leadership Risk

Anyone in power may be blinded by employees who seek to please. Who can you rely on to ask those disagreeable questions?  Read story

What’s Wrong with Performance Targets?

Let's start with a kibosh on smart thinking, internal collaboration, and external relationship-building.  Read story

Rupert Murdoch: Don't Lead Your Family Business Like Him

Why you should prioritize talent and ethics above everything--and everyone--else.  Read story

Mark Zuckerberg and the Perils of Soloists

What it means for Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg--and entrepreneurs everywhere--that the Facebook founder is so comfortable maneuvering on his own.  Read story

Make Good Decisions: 4 Tips

Wise decision making is not a constant, research shows. But you can set yourself up for success in these straightforward ways.  Read story

Secrets of the Most Productive People I Know

The path to productivity is not a new assistant or project management software. It's these four shared characteristics.  Read story

Encourage Employees to Speak Up

Silence is not golden. To really know what's going on, you need people around you to say what's on their minds (even if it's not what you want to hear).  Read story

Problem with Open Office Plans

Does easy communication outweigh noisy distraction at the workplace?  Read story

Don't Wish for Obedient Employees

Instead, like the military, nurture an environment of moral courage, one in which team members break stupid rules, and suggest smarter solutions.  Read story

Turn a Hunch Into a Strategy

A low-cost, low-effort way to test your instincts--and prove a meaningful insight--before it's too late.  Read story

Is a Fraudster in Your Midst?

Whistleblowers are your best way to find out. Make sure you've set up a way to learn early if something's amiss.  Read story

Is Former Goldman Sachs Exec Destined for Entrepreneurship?

Sheer rage has motivated countless entrepreneurs. Many knew what they wanted a firm to stand for long before they knew what they wanted it to sell.  Read story