Dr. Deborah Kolb quoted on MSNBC online
In “Underground leadership book goes mainstream”, Dr. Kolb comments on Swanson’s Unwritten Rules of Management, a guide that sets forth maxims developed by William Swanson, the chief executive of Raytheon Co., that perhaps seem obvious but are often ignored. Excerpts from the guide will be published in the July issue of Business 2.0.
For example, Swanson says that managers should “look for what is missing,” and to don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know” and then find the answer.
Deborah Kolb, the Deloitte Ellen Gabriel professor for women and leadership at Simmons School of Management states that “looking for what is missing is a great piece of advice. That is where you can find innovation and focus on things you can claim as your own.”
But Dr. Kolb questioned saying “I don’t know” too often. “There may be situations where it opens up inquiry,” she said. “But people may lose confidence if they look to you for guidance. If you’re a woman in a leadership position and say ‘I don’t know,’ people may ask why you’re in that role.”
The full MSNBC article can be found here
Filed under In the Media and SOM News
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