Egon Zehnder

About: Egon Zehnder is a based out in . It is known for research contribution in the topics: Point source & Leadership. The organization has 15 authors who have published 14 publications receiving 387 citations. The organization is also known as: Egon Zehnder.

Gender and leadership? Leadership and gender? A journey through the landscape of theories

Abstract: The purpose of this article was to examine the following three questions: Are women’s leadership styles truly different from men’s? Are these styles less likely to be effective? Is the determination of women’s effectiveness as a leaders fact‐based or a perception that has become a reality? Conclusions revealed: Question one: Yes, women’s leadership style is, at this point, different from men’s but men can learn from and adopt “women’s” style and use it effectively as well In other words, effective leadership is not the exclusive domain of either gender and both can learn from the other Question two: No, women’s styles are not at all likely to be less effective; in fact, they are more effective within the context of team‐based, consensually driven organizational structures that are more prevalent in today’s world Question three: The assessment that a woman’s leadership style is less effective than a man’s is not fact‐based but rather driven, by socialization, to a perception that certainly persists The inescapable reality is that, within the senior ranks of corporate north America (and elsewhere), women remain conspicuous by their absence

Hiring without firing.

Abstract: Hiring executives has always been a daunting task--and today's economy makes it tougher than ever. The global scope and breakneck pace of business, the shrinking supply of job candidates, and the constant shift of organizational structures have increased the stakes exponentially; one wrong hire can quickly derail a company. Yet recent studies indicate that between 30% and 50% of executive-level hires end in firings or resignations. What makes hiring go wrong so often? And how can executives substantially improve the outcome of the process? This article provides some surprising answers to those questions. Fernandez-Araoz presents ten common hiring traps and many real-world examples of how those traps have scuttled business plans in a variety of industries worldwide. A large consumer goods company, for instance, slipped into the delegation gaffe trap when it handed over the screening and interviewing process to a mismatched team of managers that had an agenda different from the CEO's. And the ignoring emotional intelligence trap tripped up a U.S. telecommunications company that hired a CEO with a great track record--only to fire him less than a year later when his lack of cross-cultural social skills was discovered. Hiring well is a strategy-perhaps an organization's most important one, the author says. To sidestep the hiring traps, he suggests ways to systematically assess the company's needs and to determine how those needs mesh with the open job description--before candidates walk through the door. Fernandez-Araoz's search strategy incites managers with hiring responsibilities to be creative, determined, and courageous when embarking on a candidate search.

Design principles for an innovating company

Abstract: Executive Overview There can be no more formidable challenge for a young company than to learn how to compete in the emerging global technology marketplace. When that company must also run the FDA regulatory gauntlet, falter, and then come back to win big, there is the basis for a good story. When a bench chemist accidentally licked his finger almost twenty years ago in a G.D. Searle lab, there was little reason to suspect that the product which would finally come to market would become one of the most profitable and widely-used food products in U.S. history. This article is not meant to lift the veil on the story behind this product, but to help other U.S. companies learn how to compete on what I call the new playing field for corporate innovation. The commercialization of aspartame, or NutraSweet as it is known, is a story filled with lessons for young technology-intensive companies facing this challenge.

Relational uncertainty and communication efficacy as predictors of religious conversations in romantic relationships

Abstract: This study investigated the associations among relational uncertainty, communication efficacy, and the frequency and comfort of discussing religious topics in romantic relationships. Participants included 204 young adults currently involved in a romantic relationship. Results indicated that relational uncertainty was inversely associated with the frequency and comfort with which dating partners discuss religious (and/or spiritual) topics. Communication efficacy, however, was positively associated with both outcomes. Moreover, effects for uncertainty and efficacy were moderated by levels of intimacy and perceived similarity in religious affiliation. Consequently, the results provide meaningful extensions to emerging theories of relational uncertainty and information management in romantic relationships.