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Related Experiment Videos

Reclaim your job.

Sumantra Ghoshal1, Heike Bruch

  • 1London Business School, U.K. sghoshal@london.edu

Harvard Business Review
|March 20, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Managerial success hinges on overcoming fear of decision-making and embracing initiative. Effective leaders manage demands, generate resources, and strategically pursue organizational goals by trusting their judgment.

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Area of Science:

  • Management Science
  • Organizational Behavior
  • Leadership Studies

Background:

  • Many managers cite external factors like time or resources as barriers to success.
  • However, internal psychological barriers, particularly fear of decision-making, are often the primary obstacles.
  • A significant portion of executives struggle with productivity despite clear goals and knowledge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the core reasons behind managerial inefficiency.
  • To demonstrate strategies for enhancing managerial productivity and effectiveness.
  • To encourage a proactive, entrepreneurial approach to management.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of common managerial complaints and perceived limitations.
  • Examination of psychological factors hindering decision-making and initiative.
  • Study of effective management strategies, including resource generation and environmental scanning.

Main Results:

  • Fear of making decisions and the desire to be indispensable impede managerial success.
  • 90% of studied executives underperform due to a perceived lack of control and initiative.
  • Effective managers act as corporate entrepreneurs, trusting their judgment and aligning personal goals with organizational objectives.

Conclusions:

  • Overcoming the fear of decision-making is crucial for managerial effectiveness.
  • Developing strategic thinking, managing demands, and generating resources are key to success.
  • Cultivating initiative and a long-term perspective transforms managers into purposeful leaders.

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