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The Strategy Skills Podcast: Strategy | Leadership | Critical Thinking | Problem-Solving
473: MIT Professor Deborah Ancona on How Family Ghosts End Up in the Executive Suite
Aug 12, 2024
Deborah Ancona, a professor at MIT's Sloan School of Management and founder of the MIT Leadership Center, explores the intriguing concept of 'family ghosts' that shape leadership behaviors. She discusses how personal histories influence executives' styles, the struggle between resilience and perfectionism, and strategies for overcoming familial challenges. Ancona emphasizes the importance of self-reflection in navigating today's AI-driven landscape, encouraging leaders to learn from their experiences while fostering effective team dynamics.
50:05
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Quick takeaways
- Recognizing and understanding one's 'family ghosts' can significantly enhance a leader's decision-making and overall effectiveness in the workplace.
- The ability to navigate uncertainty through sense-making and adaptability is crucial for leaders, especially in rapidly evolving environments like technology.
Deep dives
The Journey of Leadership and Team Dynamics
Deborah Ancona's journey from psychology to leadership began with her interest in understanding team dynamics and performance. After pursuing a PhD, she focused on why many widely accepted theories on teams did not translate into effective practice, which led her to explore organizational structures conducive to team success. This exploration evolved into her founding of the MIT Leadership Center, where she now investigates individual leadership qualities as well as the impact of personal histories on executive behavior. Ancona's work emphasizes a holistic approach that considers both team and organizational effectiveness, indicating that the success of teams is deeply interconnected with the environments in which they operate.
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Discover
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