Psychology of Leadership Harvard

Psychology of Leadership Harvard
he course is concerned with the psychological aspects of strategic leadership.

Its premise is that by knowing more about human thinking, strategic leaders can choose superior strategies and better execute them. For instance, strategists frequently deny the need to abandon obsolete strategies, with grave consequences for their companies. The root cause of their denial lies in the human mind’s tendency to avoid evidence that disconfirms deeply held beliefs. By understanding the cognitive and emotional processes that underlie denial and how they can be countered, strategic leaders can avoid falling into this trap. Consider a related example. Identifying a new winning strategy generally requires disciplined imagination or creativity. An understanding of the cognitive processes that lead to the creative spark can thus greatly help strategic leaders who need to find new a new strategy for their company. Consider yet another example. Executing a new strategy frequently requires major cognitive changes in the organization. For instance, middle managers might need to abandon old assumptions about the identity of their company and espouse new ones. Strategic leaders thus need to understand the psychology of persuasion to motivate organizational members to pursue new strategies.

As these examples suggest, the proper management of relevant mental processes – one’s own and others’ – is essential to strategic leadership. Yet, what it takes to manage these processes is not yet codified in the “standard” toolkit available to strategic leaders. Drawing on recent developments in the cognitive, neurobiological, and social sciences, this course will make students aware of mental processes that are especially crucial to the job of strategic leaders, and will help them put this awareness into practice. The course puts equal weight on increasing such awareness and applying it to real-life situations. Its ultimate purpose is to offer a toolkit for managing relevant mental processes.