Yo-Jud Cheng

Darden Ideas to Action insights draw from faculty expertise, books, research, cases and white papers. Here: the most read stories of 2022. How can one build a brand? What happens when buzz turns to backlash? How does a strategist prepare for the unforeseeable? What inequalities to women face in feedback? And why is storytelling an essential skill?

Hype vs. discipline. Charisma vs. responsibility. The buzz around Adam Neumann’s WeWork went from enthusiasm for a unicorn with billions in venture capital to backlash for a company with a plummeted valuation and scrapped IPO. Yet with new leadership and governance structures, long-term profit may be in sight. What might we learn from WeWork?

Spotify is under scrutiny for content on Joe Rogan’s podcast and talent compensation. Darden experts explain how crises can be tempered with good governance — who’s on the board, how it thinks about risk, the business model, strategy, process and culture. Ultimately, “Governance is the way a firm organizes around and executes on its purpose.”

Issues of governance: It’s easy to focus on issues as they arise, rather than long-term vision and getting ahead of problems. A case that shows the importance of focusing on mission, strategy and communication with stakeholders: USA Track & Field, a nonprofit that oversees sports, training and events for professionals, coaches and students.

Building a successful organization requires more than hiring smart people with the right skills. It also requires a mutual sense of purpose — a strong company culture. Even before COVID-19, that was no small task. Darden experts weigh in on frameworks for improving the quality of culture, as well as building the kind that benefits all involved.

How can managers promote consistent ways of working among team members from diverse cultural backgrounds who are based all over the world? And how can leaders help workers develop solid relationships with their colleagues even though they may not meet them regularly — if ever? Darden Professor Yo-Jud Cheng sheds light on those questions.