These days, difficult decisions abound – Is it time to reopen? How do we do that safely? – and they’re made tougher when complicated by cognitive dissonance. Linda Henman explains how to reduce dissonance and discusses a sure-fire way to make the tough call. In 1957, Leon Festinger introduced “cognitive dissonance,” a research-based theory that posits that internal psychological consistency helps us...

Changing your perceptions and your own behavior can be key to overcoming a challenge. Linda Henman encourages leaders to turn off behavior “autopilot” to make sure what they’re doing is really working. Too often discussions of attitudes, values and beliefs center on the person, making us blind to the power of the situation. Marketers advocate finding the right psychographic for a product....

This month marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 13, the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program. No one has forgotten that part of history, but we would do well to revisit the lessons we learned 50 years ago during this time of uncertainty. Linda Henman discusses the mentality a leader needs to lead his or her team through unexpected...

Every decision starts with a belief. That is, we base our decisions on what we know to be true — what we believe. As Linda Henman writes, sometimes, however, we believe something that isn’t true.  Both intellectual and emotional, beliefs influence our behavior when facts and reason alone don’t. How do we develop our beliefs? Our early relationships, experiences, events and situations...

We are a nation divided, and not just by politics. When run-of-the-mill conflict has us viewing our opposition as the enemy, the business consequences can be dire. Linda Henman offers a way forward. During the Vietnam War, Americans experienced polarization that we had not felt since the Civil War. In 70s, 80s and 90s, we experienced relative unity. Now, however, the nation...

In a strong economy, M&A activity ramps up. Linda Henman discusses what a huge swath of businesses should consider if selling is in their near future. The family-owned business has been a longstanding institution for centuries, but as baby boomer founders and owners look to retire, what can we expect? Many things have changed since these founders, heirs and current owners opened...

The world is in better shape than we might think – an encouraging thought at the outset of a new decade. Linda Henman asserts that worry and a victim mentality impair our ability to take necessary risks. When conducting research for his bestselling book, Factfulness, Dr. Hans Rosling asked simple questions about global trends and systematically received wrong answers — so wrong...

When you allow circumstances to define you, you lose the ability to respond objectively – and effectively – to a crisis. Linda Henman offers two contrasting examples of crisis management in practice: Merck missed the mark, but Tylenol triumphed. While we were writing The Merger Mindset, my co-author, Dr. Constance Dierickx, identified a new genre of people: the chronically aggrieved. These people...

Linda Henman offers some guidance on making the kinds of decisions that keep senior leaders awake at night. Among this sage advice: consensus isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and it’s probably time to put those sacred cows out to pasture.   Global economic turmoil has taught numerous lessons — the most important one: When leaders make good decisions, little else...

The way a leader responds amid uncertainty says a lot about his or her tolerance for ambiguity. Linda Henman explains why those who enjoy an element of ambiguity make decisions differently than those who can’t tolerate it. Most humans hate ambiguity, and as Nat King Cole once said, “That’s a natural fact.” While most would choose to avoid uncertainty, a select few...

Linda Henman presents six lessons from a calculated risk-taker, WWII Lt. Col. James Doolittle, whose leadership changed the course of history.

Courage and confidence are prized among key decision-makers. Arrogance, not so much. Like boxers in the ring, business leaders must be prepared for the eventuality of a “hit.” Linda Henman writes about the cost of approaching a merger or acquisition with too much confidence. In response to a question about his strategy for an upcoming fight, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson responded, “Everybody...