HBS Professor Reveals Keys to Leadership Success in Uncertain Times
Harvard Business School professor Ranjay Gulati’s career research has focused on identifying the factors that separate winners from losers during periods of uncertainty. His findings challenge the notion that successful leadership during difficult times requires innate courage.
According to Gulati’s research, the ability to act decisively while guiding businesses through challenging circumstances is not an inherent trait but rather a capacity that anyone in a leadership position can develop.
Developing Bold Leadership Skills
In his latest research, previewed in a recent Harvard Business Review Executive Agenda, Gulati explores the concept of becoming a bold leader. His work suggests that leadership courage is not determined by genetics but instead represents a skill set that can be cultivated through practice and experience.
The professor’s findings indicate that decisive action during uncertainty follows specific patterns that can be learned and implemented by executives at all levels. This research challenges traditional views that some people are simply “born leaders” while others are not.
Gulati’s work examines how leaders who successfully navigate uncertain times share common approaches to decision-making, risk assessment, and organizational alignment. These approaches appear to be teachable rather than innate qualities.
Executive Succession Challenges
The HBR Executive Agenda also features insights from leadership consultant Ann Hiatt on the complex issue of executive succession planning. Hiatt addresses a challenging scenario: what happens when company founders or long-term leaders can no longer keep pace with the organization’s growth and changing needs.
This situation presents unique challenges for organizations, especially those experiencing rapid growth or industry disruption. Hiatt provides practical advice for handling these sensitive transitions.
Creating dignified transition paths for company builders
Identifying and developing next-generation leadership talent
Maintaining organizational stability during leadership changes
Practical Applications for Current Leaders
The combined research from Gulati and Hiatt offers actionable insights for executives currently facing uncertainty or planning for future leadership transitions. Their work suggests that organizations should focus on developing leadership capabilities throughout their ranks rather than relying solely on recruiting “naturally courageous” leaders.
For companies facing potential succession issues, Hiatt’s guidance provides a framework for addressing the emotional and practical aspects of leadership transitions. This includes creating processes that honor the contributions of founding leaders while ensuring the organization can continue to evolve.
The research also highlights how leadership development programs can be structured to build decision-making skills in uncertain situations, suggesting that simulations and controlled exposure to challenging scenarios may help prepare future leaders.
“Success doesn’t require a genetic predisposition toward courage,” notes Gulati, emphasizing that bold leadership can be cultivated rather than simply inherited.
As organizations continue to face unprecedented levels of change and uncertainty, this research offers hope that effective leadership can be developed systematically rather than relying on finding rare individuals with natural leadership abilities.
The findings suggest that companies would benefit from investing in leadership development programs specifically designed to build decisiveness and courage during uncertain times, while also creating clear succession pathways that acknowledge when new leadership approaches may be needed for continued growth.
