Author Archives: Farnaz Hedayati

Virginia Marie “Ginni” Rometty has been at IBM since 1981 and now acts as Chairwoman and CEO for the company. IBM is number four on the “World’s Most Valuable Brands” list and employs 466,995 people (Forbes). Managing one of the world’s largest workforces isn’t easy, but Ginni gets it done. She has been on Fortune Read More

Management Monday: Avoiding Leadership Burnout Managers and leaders have opportunities to influence and inspire others around them, or to drag the atmosphere down. They have chances to positively influence the trajectory of their organization, or to set a tone that will lead to failure. It sounds like a lot of responsibility, which doesn’t make the Read More

Named on Fortune’s World’s 50 Greatest Leaders list, Tim Cook offers a less common but highly effective leadership style in the modern business world. What makes his style unique? His focus on operations, lack of interest in the limelight and humility. He is the kind of leader who uses his IQLA Lifetime Achievement Award acceptance Read More

Management Monday: Emotionally Intelligent Leadership Actions speak louder than words. The most impactful way to inspire emotional intelligence in a team or group is to lead by example. In X-Men Days of Future Past, Professor Xavier is able to influence a friend to make a good decision and spare lives. It is the professor’s patience Read More

Anne M. Mulcahy was chairperson and CEO of Xerox Corporation beginning in 2001 and 2002. She has also been a member of the boards of directors of Catalyst, Citigroup Inc., Fuji Xerox Co. Ltd. and Target Corporation (Wikipedia). Named ‘CEO of the Year 2008’ by Chief Executive magazine, Anne proved she could offer something special as a leader in the business world. Anne took on her Read More

Theme parks have taken a hold on modern society. They provide relief, fun, encouragement and inspiration for people around the world. They dazzle with genius rides and carefully constructed creations like a forty-three foot long Lego Star Wars X-Wing. However, these entertainment giants aren’t built overnight and they certainly don’t build themselves, not so unlike Read More

Common traits among successful leaders often include their commitment to fill needs and accomplish goals. Widely considered the father of hip-hop, Russell Simmons embodies those qualities. He co-founded Def Jam Records, which has signed artists like the Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Public Enemy and Run-D.M.C. He later banked $100 million by selling Def Jam Read More

Life is full of surprises and unexpected challenges. Business is also full of unpredictable circumstances. However, the negative impact of unforeseeable situations is greatly minimized when a plan is in place to deal with the problem. A great example of a strategic planner is Professor Xavier from X Men (loved character of the X Men Read More

Jo Rowling (also known as J.K. Rowling) is the United Kingdom’s best-selling author and the creator of Harry Potter, which has become one of the most successful franchises in history. The 2008 Sunday Times Rich List estimated Rowling’s fortune at £560 million ($798 million). Forbes ranked Rowling as the forty-eighth most powerful celebrity of 2007, and TIME magazine named her as a runner-up for its 2007 Person of Read More

Management Monday: How to Manage the Speaker Hiring Process A great speaker should ignite in their audience a feeling like they’re on The Amazing Race. Their hearts should be pumping, eyes wide and spirits ready to tackle the challenge that’s been presented before them. Bringing in a speaker is a means to not only provide Read More