Denial : Why Business Leaders Fail to Look Facts in the Face--and What to Do About It

"Wise. Relevant. Riveting."--Jim Collins, author of Good to Great Denial is the unconscious belief that a certain fact is too terrible to face and therefore cannot be true. It turns challenges into crises, dilemmas into catastrophes. It's the single greatest obstacle business leaders face. Now Harvard business School professor Richard S. Tedlow tackles two essential questions: Why do so many sane, smart leaders often refuse to accept and act on the facts that threaten their companies and careers' And how do we find the courage to resist denial when facing new trends, changing markets, and tough new competitors' Tedlow highlights strategies the best leaders use to face hard facts and turn challenges into opportunities. His book will help you become one of them. An astute diagnosis of one of the biggest problems in business Denial is the unconscious determination that a certain reality is too terrible to contemplate, so therefore it cannot be true. We see it everywhere, from the alcoholic who swears he's just a social drinker to the president who declares "mission accomplished" when it isn't. In the business world, countless companies get stuck in denial while their challenges escalate into crises. Harvard Business School professor Richard S. Tedlow tackles two essential questions: Why do sane, smart leaders often refuse to accept the facts that threaten their companies and careers? And how do we find the courage to resist denial when facing new trends, changing markets, and tough new competitors? Tedlow looks at numerous examples of organiza­tions crippled by denial, including Ford in the era of the Model T and Coca-Cola with its abortive attempt to change its formula. He also explores other companies, such as Intel, Johnson & Johnson, and DuPont, that avoided catastrophe by dealing with harsh realities head-on. Tedlow identifies the leadership skills that are essential to spotting the early signs of denial and taking the actions required to overcome it. The Harvard Business School professor and author reveals the sources and consequences of denial in business, citing numerous examples from top organizations while identifying leadership skills for recognizing and countering harmful denial behaviors