SERIAL CEO  

Margaret Heffernan


My Worst & Best Board Meetings

Conflict can be helpful at an advisor meeting. What's more important? Disciplined use of time. The last article of a four-part series on boards.  Read story

Boards: The Right Person To Lead One

The best chairman or chairwoman is a mentor, sounding board, and listener.  Read story

Boards: What Makes A Strong Director?

What to look for when you choose board members. And what to avoid. The second of a four-part series.  Read story

Boards: Why Bother With One?

A group of advisors can be extraordinarily useful. Tricks to make sure yours is. The first of a four-part series.  Read story

How to Keep Up Morale in 2012

Ra-ra cheers don't work. Neither do wildly aggressive goals. What does?  Read story

Celebrate Your Mistakes; You'll Learn

The best businesspeople don't know everything. They're the ones who are brave and truthful enough to admit mistakes--and learn the most from them along the way.  Read story

You Say You Want to Grow Your Company?

Don't run like crazy just to stay in the same spot. Instead, stop, think, and focus. Four reasons why.  Read story

The Power of A Dissenting Voice

Be wary of unanimous decisions and bold when you face them. Neuroscience and sociology, and a recent meeting I attended, underscore this point.  Read story

Negotiation: Why Sometimes Failure Is the Best Outcome

Negotiating is not about sealing the deal, but framing the optimal relationship. Sometimes that's impossible.  Read story

You Can't Predict Talent; Foster It

I admit I can't discern star hires from average Joes. Instead, here's four ways I help my people thrive.  Read story

Ikea's Former CEO on How to Collaborate

A variety of strategies can help your team work well together. But one is more important than the rest: Get rid of the soloists.  Read story

Eileen Fisher Goes Abroad

Breaking into an international market is time-consuming, and risks becoming a big distraction. What can you learn from how Eileen Fisher did it?  Read story

Export or Die: How Divine Chocolate Broke into the U.S.

A U.K. chocolatier part-owned by Ghanaian cocoa farmers contends with currency fluctuations as it expands abroad.  Read story

How Do You Decide On Price? Experiment.

The story of how two professors landed on the price at which a California winery would sell the most Cabernet Sauvignon.  Read story

It's Not Love, It's Business

A friend of mine recently began looking for her next career move. To date, every CEO she has met with has articulated an intention to sell the business wi...  Read story

When a Start-up Should Hire a Corporate Executive

Here's how you can tell if a corporate type is ready to make the transition to a scrappier venture.  Read story