Organisational Behaviour

April 2024

Ros Atkins and the 50:50 Project at the BBC (C)

By Siri Chilazi, Aneeta Rattan, Oriane Georgeac

In the summer of 2022, the 50:50 Project leadership was taking stock after three tumultuous years. It wasn’t just the Covid-19 pandemic; leadership transitions, organisational structure changes, and questions about mission and scope were adding up for 50:50 and the BBC as a whole. The 50:50 Projec...

December 2023

Satya Nadella at Microsoft: Instilling a Growth Mindset (French language)

By Herminia Ibarra, Aneeta Rattan

When Satya Nadella took over as CEO of Microsoft in 2014, he inherited a firm fading toward irrelevance, plagued by internal fights and inertia. Earlier that year his wife, Anu, had given him a best-selling book by Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck entitled Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, su...

July 2023

Alessandro Riccombeni Case A: Lessons in leadership

By Randall Peterson, Nick Mickshik

This case is aimed at helping executives understand the reasons why they may ‘derail’ when promoted to a new position or when they secure a new job that does not accord with their expectations of it. Case A describes the situation Alessandro Riccombeni found himself in when, having seemingly se...

July 2023

Alessandro Riccombeni Case B: Resolving the impasse

By Randall Peterson, Nick Mickshik

This case is aimed at helping executives understand the reasons why they may ‘derail’ when promoted to a new position or when they secure a new job that does not accord with their expectations of it. Case A describes the situation Alessandro Riccombeni found himself in when, having seemingly se...

June 2022

Anne Boden at Starling Bank: Disrupting an industry

By Herminia Ibarra, Luisa Alemany, Nick Mickshik, Ken Mark

The case describes the start-up and evolution of UK-based digital bank Starling. Founded in 2014, Starling offered personal and business accounts, and lending products, promising a better customer-service experience, faster approvals and a more digital-friendly approach than traditional banks. By 20...

March 2022

Marin Alsop: Dream job or nightmare – Compact Case

By Carrie J. Fletcher, Randall Peterson, Vyla Rollins

This case study follows the career of world-renowned orchestra conductor Marin Alsop. As a gay woman in a blatantly male-dominated (and often sexist) field, Alsop faced significant challenges in her rise to the top of the profession. At virtually every turning point on her unconventional path, Alsop...

March 2022

Marin Alsop: Showing them success – Compact Case

By Carrie J. Fletcher, Randall Peterson, Vyla Rollins

This case study follows the career of world-renowned orchestra conductor Marin Alsop. As a gay woman in a blatantly male-dominated (and often sexist) field, Alsop faced significant challenges in her rise to the top of the profession. At virtually every turning point on her unconventional path, Alsop...

March 2022

Marin Alsop: A study in inclusive leadership – Compact Case

By Carrie J. Fletcher, Randall Peterson, Aneeta Rattan

This case study follows the career of world-renowned orchestra conductor Marin Alsop. As a gay woman in a blatantly male-dominated (and often sexist) field, Alsop faced significant challenges in her rise to the top of the profession. At virtually every turning point on her unconventional path, Alsop...

August 2021

Fatima Akilu: Staying true to her values (B)

By Randall Peterson

In 2016, four years into her role as Director for Behavioural Analysis and Strategy at Nigeria’s Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Fatima Akilu was summarily dismissed from her position, amid accusations of corruption at the organisation, and subsequently charged with fraud. Nigeriaâ€...

August 2021

Fatima Akilu: The rise of a quiet leader (A)

By Randall Peterson

In 2015, Fatima Akilu found herself sitting at the kitchen table with her sister, shocked and saddened by what has just happened to her, wondering what to do next. Should she fight to defend her reputation? Or return to a quiet life away from the big government role she has just been fired from? Fa...