HBR’s Most-Read Articles of 2024
Summary
HBR’s top five most popular articles of 2024, present an opportunity to reflect on the work you’ve done in the preceding months, and chart any necessary course changes. The list includes a case study of how Starbucks lost its way (and how it could pivot); a guide to how to shift your leadership style based on situation; and a playbook for assessing the quality of the questions you ask at work.
The waning days of summer present a prime opportunity to step back and reflect on the paths you’ve taken so far this year, whether they’re personal or professional, and ask yourself: Am I growing in the right direction? What are my blind spots? Where could I be doing better?
HBR’s five most-read articles of the year (so far) offer various ways to do that, from learning how to pivot your leadership style to finding the questions to ask that can lead to better outcomes to identifying lessons from a case study of Starbucks’s recent decline
How Starbucks Devalued Its Own Brand
by B. Joseph Pine II and Louis-Étienne Dubois
Starbucks once had a laser focus on creating exceptional customer experiences. But recently, it seems it has strayed from that strategy — and commoditized itself. In our most popular new article of 2024 to date, which was published a few short weeks before the company’s recent change in leadership, two strategy experts diagnose where exactly the coffee chain went wrong, and how it can get back to serving up distinctive customer experiences again.
6 Common Leadership Styles — and How to Decide Which to Use When
by Rebecca Knight
Effective leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all. Psychologist Daniel Goleman says that “being a great leader means recognizing that different circumstances may call for different approaches.” So how do you know which styles to deploy (and when)? This short guide takes a closer look at the six distinct styles managers can adapt based on the situation at hand.
The Art of Asking Smarter Questions
by Arnaud Chevallier, Frédéric Dalsace, and Jean-Louis Barsoux
Lawyers, doctors, and psychologists are formally trained to ask questions. Business leaders, however, usually have to learn as they go. Based on a decade of research and consulting, the authors, all professors at IMD, share the five types of questions that they believe are most likely to lead to smarter strategic decisions. They also explain how to assess the strengths and weaknesses of your own questioning style.
The New Rules of Executive Presence
by Sylvia Ann Hewlett
Developing leaders are often told to improve their executive presence. But what does that actually mean? Economist and consultant Sylvia Ann Hewlett writes about the traits that make up executive presence, and how they’ve changed over the past decade, according to her survey data. She also offers specific tactics for cultivating and demonstrating the traits that make up executive presence today.
6 Questions to Ask at the Midpoint of Your Career
by Rebecca Knight
At middle age, it’s common to wrestle with feelings of unmet career expectations, writes journalist Rebecca Knight. The time period also offers a profound opportunity to reevaluate your priorities and carve out an updated path forward. The first half of life is about “accumulating,” says Chip Conley, author of Learning to Love Midlife: 12 Reasons Why Life Gets Better with Age. “Do this! Try this! Accumulate friends, children, resume items, and stuff for your house,” he says. “The second half of life is meant for editing. It’s when you discern what’s truly important to you.” If you’re ready to do that, check out this article for six questions to ask yourself to take stock of your career in midlife
To study the full paper, please click on the link below:
https://hbr.org/2024/08/hbrs-most-read-articles-of-2024-so-far