Denial: Why Business Leaders Fail to Look Facts in the Face---and What to Do About It

Tedlow, Richard S.

ISBN 10: 1591843138 / ISBN 13: 9781591843139

Published by Portfolio, 2010

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Seller Inventory # Abebooks550235

Bibliographic Details

Title: Denial: Why Business Leaders Fail to Look ...

Publisher: Portfolio

Publication Date: 2010

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis:

An astute diagnosis of one of the biggest problems in business

Denial is the unconscious determination that a certain reality is too terrible to contemplate, so therefore it cannot be true. We see it everywhere, from the alcoholic who swears he's just a social drinker to the president who declares "mission accomplished" when it isn't. In the business world, countless companies get stuck in denial while their challenges escalate into crises.

Harvard Business School professor Richard S. Tedlow tackles two essential questions: Why do sane, smart leaders often refuse to accept the facts that threaten their companies and careers? And how do we find the courage to resist denial when facing new trends, changing markets, and tough new competitors?

Tedlow looks at numerous examples of organiza­tions crippled by denial, including Ford in the era of the Model T and Coca-Cola with its abortive attempt to change its formula. He also explores other companies, such as Intel, Johnson & Johnson, and DuPont, that avoided catastrophe by dealing with harsh realities head-on.

Tedlow identifies the leadership skills that are essential to spotting the early signs of denial and taking the actions required to overcome it.

About the Author:

Richard S. Tedlow is the Class of 1949 Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and the author of Giants of Enterprise (one of BusinessWeek’s ten best books of  2001) and The Watson Dynasty.