Series: HBR Guide

A guide for women on how to overcome barriers in the workplace and move into leadership positions. As a woman, you may not be reaching the levels of leadership you desire. Despite the many efforts by organisations and managers alike, unconscious bias and assumptions are still working against you. How can you plan a career as an aspiring leader if...

Master the most critical professional skills with this five-volume set that covers topics from personal effectiveness to leading others. This specially priced collection includes books from the HBR Guide Series on the topics of Getting the Right Work Done, Better Business Writing, Persuasive Presentations, Making Every Meeting Matter, and Project Management. You'll learn how to: Prioritise and stay focused Overcome...

Emotional intelligence has been shown to be more important than other competencies in determining outstanding leadership. Emotions drive some of our most critical professional interactions—whether you're inspiring your team to higher performance, persuading your boss to see something from your point of view, dealing with difficult colleagues, or managing your own stress level. Indeed, knowing how to manage emotions has...

If you aren't working with a strategy, you're wasting your time. Strategy isn't just a set of plans handed down from the C-suite. To grow as a leader, you need to understand your company's strategy and align your thinking, projects, and team with organisational goals and vision. Master these abilities with the HBR Guides to Building Your Strategic Skills Collection....

AI is ready for business. Are you ready for AI? From financial modelling and product design to performance management and hiring decisions, AI and machine learning are becoming everyday tools for managers at businesses of all sizes. However, AI systems come with benefits and downsides—and if you can't make sense of them, you're not going to make the right decisions....

Are you a good boss - or a great one? Good bosses can handle the day-to-day work of running a team. Great bosses go beyond that, finding ways to help employees become better versions of themselves as people and professionals. But as a manager, how do you reach that next level? The HBR Guide to Being a Great Boss contains...

Discover and hire great talent. An open position on your team presents both a challenge and an opportunity. You need to understand what skills and capabilities will add value now and in the future, all while juggling the hiring process with the day-to-day demands of your job as a manager. The HBR Guide to Better Recruiting and Hiring provides the...

Break down the barriers to effective collaboration. For cross-functional projects to work, you need to bring together diverse ideas and resources from across your organisation. But office politics, conflicting objectives, and lack of clear authority can get in the way. HBR Guide to Collaborative Teams provides practical tips and advice to help you collaborate more effectively. Whether you're leading your...

You've got a great idea that will increase revenue or productivity—but how do you get approval to make it happen? By building a business case that clearly shows its value. Maybe you struggle to win support for projects because you're not sure what kind of data your stakeholders will trust, or naysayers always seem to shoot your ideas down at...

Tackle complex situations with critical thinking. You're facing a problem at work. There are many ways you can approach the situation, but each comes with its own pros and cons. How do you sort through all the information so that you know you're taking the right path? The answer is in how you think. The HBR Guide to Critical Thinking...

Don't let a fear of numbers hold you back. Today's business environment brings with it an onslaught of data, but leaving the analysis to others in your company just won't cut it. Now more than ever, managers must know how to tease insight from data—to understand where it comes from, make sense of the numbers, and use those findings to...

Put your strategy into action. Even the best competitive strategies mean nothing if they aren't executed well. Yet many organisations struggle when they move from defining a strategy to actually applying it. Somehow, all the careful planning falls apart, initiatives fail, and leaders are left wondering how to pick up the pieces. HBR Guide to Executing Your Strategy is here...

Drive transformation. Change is now constant. As a leader, you must serve as interpreter, project manager, cheerleader, and conduit. Plans evolve. Contexts shift. Progress happens in fits and starts. Through it all, you must push your team forward even when you encounter pushback. How can you ensure that your team has the information, the mindset, and the resources they need...

Take the stress out of giving feedback. To help your employees meet their goals and fulfil their potential, you need to provide them with regular feedback. But the prospect of sharing potentially negative news can be overwhelming. How do you construct your message so that it's not only well received but also expressed in a way that encourages change? Whether...

Learn how to make better, faster decisions. As a manager, you have to make decisions—from daily choices about team priorities to deciding which long-term innovation projects to pursue. But most decisions don't have a clear-cut answer, and assessing the alternatives and the risks involved can be overwhelming. You need a smarter approach to making the best choice possible. The HBR...

Find a way to work that works for you. The 9-to-5 office routine no longer exists. Many employees have the option to work anywhere, any time. But how do you find the flexible arrangement that's right for you? And how do you manage a team when they're all working in different places and on different schedules? HBR Guide to Managing...

This big initiative could make or break this fiscal year--or your career. A compilation guide for managers that explains how to conceive of, launch, and manage a successful strategic initiative. Strategic initiatives are where the rubber meets the road when it comes to putting strategy into action, and leading a critical initiative may be the key to propelling your career...

Is your workplace toxic? Toxic workplaces take many forms. Whether you're dealing with a narcissistic boss, a backstabbing colleague, endless microaggressions, or a culture of overwork and burnout, it can feel impossible to know what to do. Should you address the issue directly, play office politics, go to HR, or just keep your head down? The HBR Guide to Navigating...

Bring strategy into your daily work. It's your responsibility as a manager to ensure that your work—and the work of your team—aligns with the overarching objectives of your organisation. But when you're faced with competing projects and limited time, it's difficult to keep strategy front of mind. How do you keep your eye on the long term amid a sea...

Anyone can think more creatively and unlock innovation. Creativity is the key to innovation, but too many projects and teams are organised in ways that stifle new ideas. You need to ensure that creativity can thrive—and that you are part of the process. Fortunately, anyone can use method-driven approaches to teach and learn creativity. The HBR Guide to Unlocking Creativity...

Burnout is rampant. Recognise the signs and make the right changes. The always-on workplace and increasing pressures are leading to a high rate of burnout. Unmanaged, chronic work stress doesn't just lead to lower productivity and negative emotions—it can have dire personal and professional consequences. Are you and your team at risk? The HBR Guide to Beating Burnout provides practical...

No one will pay as close attention to your personal growth and development as you will. Whether you're lucky enough to work for an organisation that encourages a learning mindset for everyone, or you're in a place where only a handful of stars get all the heat and light when it comes to professional development, you are the best person...

Retirement is perhaps the greatest and most deeply personal career transition you'll ever make. Will you switch gears, slow down, or stop work entirely? Will you have the money, the good health, and the companionship you need to enjoy it? The HBR Guide to Designing Your Retirement provides the practical tips, research, stories, and advice you need to take stock...

Build a mentally healthy workplace. Mental health is just as important as physical health. Yet being honest about depression, anxiety, and other psychological conditions at work can feel risky—and hasn't always been welcome. How can you ensure that you and your colleagues feel as though mental health is supported at the office? The HBR Guide to Better Mental Health at...

Make the connections that will help you succeed - and advance faster. Networking doesn't stop once you've landed the job. Building a high-quality, diverse network is key to learning and growth, influencing others, and launching your ideas. But how do you move beyond small talk and cold emails to building a network that is strategic and effective, made up of...

We all wish we could sharpen key management skills—like writing more effective emails or proposals, focusing to-do lists on what really matters, giving more persuasive presentations, or dealing with a boss who makes you want to scream. But who has the time? The HBR Guides can help. In the HBR Guide to Project Management, learn how to set clear project...

Land the job of your dreams. You're ready to take the next step in your career. But securing the right role can take a lot of work—and a lot of time and energy. How do you move forward without getting overwhelmed by the process? The HBR Guide to Your Job Search is here to help. Whether you're new to the...

You can have it all. You can't have it all. Balance your work and your life. There is no balance. Prioritise! Manage your time! With so much conflicting advice and so many demands on your time, it's no wonder you feel overwhelmed by your commitments. No matter your age, your marital or parental status, or your profession, you juggle a...

We all wish we could sharpen key management skills—like writing more effective emails or proposals, focusing to-do lists on what really matters, giving more persuasive presentations, or dealing with a boss who makes you want to scream. But who has the time? The HBR Guides can help. In the HBR Guide to Finance Basics for Managers, learn how to speak...

Master your most pressing professional challenges with this seven-volume set that collects the smartest best practices from leading experts all in one place. HBR Guide to Better Business Writing and HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations help you perfect your communication skills; HBR Guide to Managing Up and Across and HBR Guide to Office Politics show you how to build the...

Stop searching for purpose. Build it. We're living through a crisis of purpose. Surveys indicate that people are feeling less connected to the meaning of their work, asking, "How do I find my purpose?" That's the wrong question. You don't find your purpose - you build it. The HBR Guide to Crafting Your Purpose debunks three common myths about purpose:...

We all wish we could sharpen key management skills—like writing more effective emails or proposals, focusing to-do lists on what really matters, giving more persuasive presentations, or dealing with a boss who makes you want to scream. But who has the time? The HBR Guides can help. In the HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations, presentations expert Nancy Duarte teaches you...

Productivity starts with you. Every day begins with the same challenge: too many tasks on your to-do list and not enough time to accomplish them. Perhaps you tell yourself to just buckle down and get it all done—skip lunch, work a longer day. Maybe you throw your hands up, recognise you can't do it all, and just begin fighting the...

Make every minute count. Your calendar is full, and yet your meetings don't always seem to advance your work. Problems often arise with unrealistic or vague agendas, off-track conversations, tuned-out participants who don't know why they're there, and follow-up notes that no one reads—or acts on. Meetings can feel like a waste of time. But when you invest a little...

We all wish we could sharpen key management skills—like writing more effective emails or proposals, focusing to-do lists on what really matters, giving more persuasive presentations, or dealing with a boss who makes you want to scream. But who has the time? The HBR Guides can help. In the HBR Guide to Managing Up and Across, learn how to build...

When you're swamped with your own work, it's hard to make time to coach your employees—and to do it well. But if you don't help them build their skills, they'll keep coming to you for answers instead of finding their own solutions. In the long run, investing in their development pays off. Whether you have a star on your team...

Negotiations are a critical part of our professional and personal lives. Whether you are working on a team project, pitching a new product, trying to get a raise, or even just planning a family event, you want to get to "yes" quickly, without stress or confrontation. HBR Guide to Negotiating gives you the skills and confidence you need to negotiate...

Stop your top talent from walking out the door. Employees have a sea of options when it comes to where and how they work, and if they're not getting what they want, they'll move on. If the threat of having your top performers working for the competition isn't bad enough, high turnover can inflict serious financial and emotional costs on...

While some of us enjoy a lively debate with colleagues and others prefer to suppress our feelings over disagreements, we all struggle with conflict at work. Every day, we navigate an office full of competing interests, clashing personalities, limited time and resources, and fragile egos. Sure, we share the same overarching goals as our colleagues, but we don't always agree...

Leverage gen AI to save time, innovate faster, and lead effectively. You're probably aware that generative AI can output quality text and create stunning images in seconds. But smart managers are now using gen AI for high-level work: problem-solving, driving innovation, strategic thinking, and dozens of other applications. Managers who develop their generative AI capabilities will soon be leaping ahead...

A set of guides to help you recognise good work and encourage progress at the workplace. If you manage a team, you need to be able to measure and manage their performance. From establishing a performance review cycle and building towards your year-end assessment, to providing individual feedback and coaching and establishing group cohesion and accountability, this collection teaches you...

We all wish we could sharpen key management skills—like writing more effective emails or proposals, focusing to-do lists on what really matters, giving more persuasive presentations, or dealing with a boss who makes you want to scream. But who has the time? The HBR Guides can help. In the HBR Guide to Getting the Right Work Done: Learn how to...

The guide for professionals in their 30s to 50s on breaking out of a career rut and finding their way toward the next satisfying chapter of their work lives. HBR Guide to Changing Your Career gives readers the confidence and advice they need to know that they can successfully change careers midway through their working lives. It offers tools to...

It's not a revelation that work-related stress can bleed into every area of your life—making you irritable, disturbing your sleep, killing your diet—and that all these problems lead to even more stress on the job. But how do you stop the vicious cycle? HBR Guide to Managing Stress at Work (HBR Guide Series) will give you the tools and insights...

Dysfunctional teams are maddening—yet are a reality of organisational life. How often have you sat in team meetings, complaining to yourself, "What a colossal waste of time. Why does it take forever for this group to make a simple decision? What are we even trying to achieve here?" But as the team leader, you have the power to change things...

Set your company up for long-term success Every company needs a strategy. A focused strategy aligns decision-making throughout the organisation and helps establish a competitive edge in the marketplace. But with so many options to consider, how do you define a unique strategy that will ensure growth? Whether you're starting a business from scratch or leading an existing company facing...

Efficiently and effectively assess employees' performance. Are your employees meeting their goals? Is their work improving over time? Understanding where your employees are succeeding—and falling short—is a pivotal part of ensuring you have the right talent to meet organisational objectives. In order to work with your people and effectively monitor their progress, you need a system in place. The HBR...

Are your employees stuck in a rut? Do they seem dissatisfied or unmotivated? As a manager, there are ways that you can encourage your team to work more productively, efficiently, and enthusiastically. By understanding what drains your employees and detracts from their job satisfaction, you can change the way you interact and communicate with your team to ensure that they...

Every organisation has its share of political drama: Personalities clash. Agendas compete. Turf wars erupt. But you need to work productively with your colleagues—even the challenging ones—for the good of your organisation and your career. How can you do that without compromising your integrity? By acknowledging that power dynamics and unwritten rules exist—and constructively navigating them. Whether you're a new...

Connect with your team, even when you're far away. Virtual meetings. Video calls. Emails and chat messages. These technological conveniences can be helpful when you're working remotely. But the actual experience of getting your work done while remaining an effective part of a far-flung team can be frustrating. How can you make remote work work for you? The HBR Guide...

You can have it all. You can't have it all. Balance your work and your life. There is no balance. Prioritise! Manage your time! With so much conflicting advice and so many demands on your time, it's no wonder you feel overwhelmed by your commitments. No matter your age, your marital or parental status, or your profession, you juggle a...