The single biggest barrier to effective leadership is, in my view, the leadership industry itself. Instead of telling people the skills and behaviors they need to be effective in getting things done, we tell them almost the opposite - blandishments… — Jeffrey Pfeffer Copy Share Image
All of Robert Caro's biographies are exceptional, in part because of Caro's fundamental ambivalence about power. He sees its necessity and use for getting things done, even as he is often repelled by watching power at close range. His masterpiece… — Jeffrey Pfeffer Copy Share Image
Trust is about keeping commitments, but in many instances, circumstances change and organizations therefore shed commitments, things such as retiree medical benefits, pension obligations,… — Jeffrey Pfeffer Copy Share Image
Business school graduates from the best schools earn large salaries and frequently rise to positions of great power. It would be nice if they… — Jeffrey Pfeffer Copy Share Image
The individual attributes of warmth and competence are often perceived to be negatively correlated. That doesn't mean they actually are, but that's how people… — Jeffrey Pfeffer Copy Share Image
Today, if the CEO thinks it's a good idea, it's done everywhere; if the CEO thinks it's a bad idea, it's done nowhere. We… — Jeffrey Pfeffer Copy Share Image
Almost no one as I think most leadership books are a joke. They are, as I note in Leadership BS, frequently based on wishes… — Jeffrey Pfeffer Copy Share Image
Authenticity seems like sort of a joke. Actually I believe it was the late comedian George Burns who said, "if you can fake sincerity,… — Jeffrey Pfeffer Copy Share Image
Everyone faces defeats, setbacks, reversals of fortune. But just like water wearing away rock, persistence triumphs. Resilience is one of the most important qualities… — Jeffrey Pfeffer Copy Share Image
Many companies believe incentives, financial incentives, are the answer to every problem or issue. But people are motivated by much more than money. In… — Jeffrey Pfeffer Copy Share Image
Leaders are not modest, and more importantly, the extensive social science research on narcissism, self-promotion, and similar constructs shows that these qualities and behaviors… — Jeffrey Pfeffer Copy Share Image
I completely reject the idea that working adults need to be treated like infants or worse and not told the realities, harsh or not,… — Jeffrey Pfeffer Copy Share Image
The stories leaders and others tell, few of which are true, are a lousy foundation on which to base any sort of science, and… — Jeffrey Pfeffer Copy Share Image
