Kim B. Clark – författare

We live in a dynamic economic and commerical world, surrounded by objects of remarkable complexity and power. In many industries, changes in products and technologies have brought with them new kinds of firms and forms of organization. We are discovering news ways of structuring work, of bringing buyers and sellers together, and of creating and using market information. Although our fast-moving economy often seems to be outside of our influence or control, human beings create the things that create the market forces. Devices, software programs, production processes, contracts, firms, and markets are all the fruit of purposeful action: they are designed. Using the computer industry as an example, Carliss Y. Baldwin and Kim B. Clark develop a powerful theory of design and industrial evolution. They argue that the industry has experienced previously unimaginable levels of innovation and growth because it embraced the concept of modularity, building complex products from smaller subsystems that can be designed independently yet function together as a whole. Modularity freed designers to experiment with different approaches, as long as they obeyed the established design rules. Drawing upon the literatures of industrial organization, real options, and computer architecture, the authors provide insight into the forces of change that drive today''s economy.

Generative AI and the remote-work revolution show us every day that we''re in a new era. The rules and norms have changed—and so must leadership.

And yet, coercive bureaucracy, hierarchy, and control—old ways of thinking and working—are still with us, a deep-seated and powerful legacy. We are living through a profound transition from an old, industrial era to a new one that is digital, transparent, and complex.

In this important new book by former dean of Harvard Business School Kim Clark, written with his business school professor son, Jonathan, and management consultant daughter, Erin, the dynamic struggle between two competing paradigms of leadership is compellingly illustrated: an old paradigm that involves control and power over people versus a new one that enables and inspires power through people.

With rich examples and stories, the authors show how deeply ingrained the legacy model of leadership remains and how destructive it is, causing waste and loss of human potential, stifling innovation, and ultimately resulting in what the authors call "organizational darkness." They go on to articulate a new, positive model, one that consciously seeks to do good and to make things better; that cares for people, helping them to thrive; and that mobilizes people to solve tough problems. These three elements, they argue, are the soul, heart, and mind of leadership, and activating them requires careful attention to both the personal and the organizational dimensions of leadership.

The narrative is interwoven with probing analysis and reflection, and the authors speak clearly and frankly about the moral aspects and impact of leadership. They also provide a concrete frame and approach for scaling the new model and creating a vibrant leadership system.

Leading Through is a deep and essential account of the evolution of our leadership thinking and practice that is both timely and timeless.