Cutting-Edge Leadership

The best in current leadership research and theory, from cultivating charisma to transforming your organization.

by Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D.

Why Can’t We Get Rid of Our Boss From Hell?

Do you have a boss who is a nightmare? Is your boss incompetent? A tyrant, who makes your workplace a stress factory? Do you wonder why they don't fire your boss-from-hell? Here is why (and what you can do about the situation). Read More

Why Steve Jobs Is a Leadership Nightmare

Steven Jobs was one of the most successful entrepreneurial leaders of the last half-century. He will likely be remembered as one of business's iconic leaders. Many of my students admire him. That is the problem. Read More

Groundhog Day Syndrome: Why Time Goes Faster as We Age

In the movie, Groundhog Day, Bill Murray's character keeps reliving the same day over and over. As we age, time seems to pass more quickly. We find ourselves amazed that it's Groundhog Day again? Christmas already? And, of course, our birthdays seem to fly by. Read More

5 Most Common Ways People Ruin Their Work Careers

Even the most successful executives, professionals, leaders, and workers can suddenly "go off the track" and ruin their careers. Watch out for these in your own work career. Read More

Are You a Skilled Social Actor or a Social Chameleon?

We all engage in impression management - trying to put our best foot forward and "fit in" in social situations. Two psychological constructs address how people "perform" in social situations, and there are subtle, but important, differences. Which are you? Read More

How to Deal with a Difficult or Bullying Boss

We've all had bosses who are difficult to deal with. Bosses who are inconsistent or unprofessional, bosses who put you in a no-win situation, backstabbing bosses, or bosses who are downright bullies. Here are four strategies to use to deal with your difficult boss. Read More

Can Pat Robertson Keep God’s Secret?

According to televangelist Pat Robertson, God has told him who will be the next President. The problem is that God told Pat not to tell anyone. Is he communicating with God or just a victim of cognitive bias? Read More

Is Psychology or Common Sense More Accurate?

All too often, I have heard people say, “Psychology is all common sense.” But here is the problem: For every piece of folk wisdom, there is typically a completely contradictory piece of wisdom. Is it "opposites attract" or "birds of a feather flock together"? Read More

Using “Small Wins” to Advance Your Work Career

A new program of research has discovered a powerful motivator: the idea that "small wins" at work can increase your motivation, your productivity, and your work engagement and satisfaction. How does this work? Read More

Why Your Boss Doesn’t Realize He’s a Jerk

People often mention that their bosses are jerks, but that they are completely unaware of how awfully they treat others. How can that be? How do the jerks get into the system? Why doesn't the company get rid of jerks? Read More

Are You Emotionally Contagious? What's Your Body Language Style?

Why is it a more intense experience watching a scary or thriller movie with others than by oneself? Are you a person who can “infect” others with your emotions, or are you highly susceptible to emotional contagion in others? Read More

Four Serious Mistakes We Make in Reading Body Language

A common misperception is that body language, or nonverbal communication, is a true "language" - that certain nonverbal cues have specific meanings and definitions. Here are 4 common mistakes people make in interpreting body language. Read More

Sex and Smiling: When is a Smile Not a Smile?

Research shows differences in how much men and women smile, and important differences in how smiles are perceived. Some men may completely misinterpret the meaning of a woman's smile, and it can lead to trouble, particularly in the workplace. Read More

Why You Should Study Psychology and Why You Should Not

Being a college professor, I often am asked by students (and parents) about the employment possibilities - and salaries - for psychology majors. They are asking the wrong questions. Read More

4 Psychological Processes That Are Ruining America

Polls tell us that people believe that the United States is in an economic and social decline. While most fingers are pointed at the economy, there are some psychological processes which represent the "dark side" of human nature, and have made a bad situation worse. How to fix it? Read More

Why Leaders and the Powerful Become Arrogant, Break Laws, and Misbehave

Why do the rich and powerful, and many of our top-level leaders and the rich and powerful so often seem to screw up, break laws, and engage in outrageous behavior, including sexual escapades? How has abuse of power led to the Joe Paterno and Herman Cain fiascoes? Read More

What ‘Angry Birds’ Tells About Our Motivation at Work

Why will people happily spend hours playing video games, but lack motivation when it comes to their jobs? Millions of people get "addicted" to games like Angry Birds, but it is quite rare for people to become "addicted" to their jobs. Read More

Why Extraversion May Not Matter

Recent research evidence suggests that while extraversion is predictive of many positive social outcomes, it may not be extraversion itself that matters. Instead, it may be possession of social skills or competencies that are the better predictors of social outcomes. Let me explain. Read More

Your Potential for Workplace Happiness and Success? Assessing Your Psychological Capital

How happy are you at work? What is your outlook for the future? One way to answer these questions is to measure your psychological capital. Read More

Is Your Workplace a Stress Factory?

While jobs themselves can be stressful, the climate of the workplace can be a much bigger source of stress for workers. Here are 4 warning signs that your workplace is a stress factory. Read More

Why Facebook’s Recent Changes Outrage People

Lots of people are upset by the recent changes that Facebook made to its website. The look is a little different, and things function a little differently. This has caused people to rant and rave and some are even boycotting the site. What's going on? Read More

The 5 Reasons We Get Suckered and Ripped Off

Have you ever been ripped off, conned, cheated, or lied to, and never saw it coming? Afterward, did you say: "How could I have been so stupid?" These are the psychological reasons we are so easily fooled. Read More

Improving Your Workplace: Putting the “Human” Back in Human Resources

Have a problem in the workplace? Employees are taught and told to go to Human Resources. HR is supposed to be the advocate of the worker, but I often hear: “They didn’t do anything." “They made me feel like I was the problem.” What to do? Read More

Do Nice Guys Finish Last? Four Rules For Terminally Nice People

You have probably heard that "nice guys finish last." Are you too nice? Here are the advantages and disadvantages of being too nice, and rules to live by (and thrive). Read More

Four Reasons Why Your Boss Is So Clueless

Your boss doesn’t seem to know what’s REALLY going on in the workplace. Is it your boss's fault? What you should do about it. Read More

10 Rules for High-Performing Teams

A team is more than just a group of workers, located together, doing their jobs. Real teams are interdependent. That means they must rely on one another to get the job done. So what are best practices for effective teams? Here are 10 rules: Read More

What Is Brainstorming REALLY, and Does It Work?

Most people have heard of (or used) brainstorming techniques to generate creative ideas. Many believe that it was created by psychologists, and that it works. However, brainstorming was the brainchild of an advertising executive in the 1950s and research has questioned its effectiveness. Read More

Is the Presidential Election Really Just a Beauty Contest?

When we elect a president (or other government official) are we getting the best person for the job, or simply the person who looks best? Results from a stunning series of studies suggest that it's the latter. Read More

Are You a High-Potential Professional?

High-potential employees are highly motivated, productive, and go beyond the basics of their jobs. Professionals--doctors, lawyers, accountants, psychologists--can also be identified as "high potentials." Here are the characteristics of high-potential professionals: Read More

Are You Empathic? 3 Types of Empathy and What They Mean

You might recall President Bill Clinton's famous quote, "I feel your pain." It suggested that he had empathy and it made him seem more human and in touch with his constituents. Did he really mean it? And, is feeling someone else's pain a good thing, or a bad thing? Read More

Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D., is the Henry R. Kravis Professor of Leadership and Organizational Psychology at Claremont McKenna College.

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About Cutting-Edge Leadership

Discusses the latest research from leadership scholars and organizational psychologists, presenting the information in a useful, "how to" format. If you want the latest leadership and work-related knowledge, find it here.