The 180-Degree Turnaround (HBR Article Collection)

HBR OnPoint collections include an overview and 3 full-text HBR articles, each with a synopsis and annotated bibliography. Does your firm seem bogged down by an indefinable force, even if it's not on the brink of disaster? Do all your financial savvy, sound strategies, and product innovation appear useless? Your company may have a culture of indecision--an inability to make up its collective mind. The symptoms vary: People may be confused about how to execute key decisions. Or they hesitate to state that the emperor has no clothes--until he's left the meeting room. Untreated indecisiveness can spawn chronic underperformance. The antidote? Decisive dialogue--clear, honest, and creative interactions. Reward those who say what they're really thinking. Ask probing questions to reveal new and diverse information. Ensure that people leave meetings knowing what's expected of them. If your firm edges closer to the brink of failure--marked by finger pointing, turf protecting, and paralysis--initiate a psychological turnaround by restoring people's confidence in themselves and each other. Augment dialogue with three additional antidotes: respect, collaboration, and initiative. The three Harvard Business Review articles in this collection: "Conquering a Culture of Indecision" by Ram Charan (HBR reprint R0104D), "Leadership and the Psychology of Turnarounds" by Rosabeth Moss Kanter (HBR reprint R0306C), and "Retention Through Redemption" by D. Michael Abrashoff (HBR reprint R0102L).