I was scared when I entered my very first class in organizational behavior in the PhD program at the University of Michigan in September 1980. It wasn’t only the class full of brilliant students who intimidated me but, much more so, it was the part-smiling part-snarling giant of a man who stood at the front of the room — six foot five or so, in his stocking feet (he often discarded his shoes in class). He asked us to pair off and introduce ourselves to each other and then all the pairs had to find another pair to whom we then introduced our first pair-mate. This simple procedure made us all feel connected; a part of something larger than ourselves.
Remembering Richard Hackman
What I learned from the great theorizer and teacher of teams.
January 11, 2013
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New!
HBR Learning
Team Management Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Team Management. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Build a better team and achieve more of what matters.