Michael Beer – higher ambition leadership

The purpose of this paper is to present an interview with Professor Michael Beer of Harvard Business School, whose recent book is Higher Ambition: How Great Leaders Create Economic and Social Value, to learn what methods these leaders use.

The paper discusses his book, in whihc Beer and his co‐authors studied 36 corporate leaders who are recognized for inspiring their firms to create superior and lasting economic and social value. Beer calls this “higher ambition” management and says it is the key to transforming companies into high commitment, high performance organizations.

Beer and his co‐authors found evidence that creating social value unlocks the dormant creative energies that exist in all employees. Creating both social and economic value directly reinforces the primary motivators of people, purpose, autonomy and mastery.

The authors did not systematically investigate leaders and companies who did not fit the higher ambition (HA) definition. Thus it is impossible to conclude definitively that the HA practices described in the book are distinctive – that they do not also exist in companies that do not fit the HA definition. The authors did, however, use their consulting experience with many companies over many years and interviews with a few CEOs who were not HA leaders to contrast HA leadership practices with “common” and “best practice.”

Beer's advice for rising executives aspiring to become higher‐ambition leaders: find your anchor, choose your teachers and company, learn from experience, and engage in honest conversations.

Beer explains why a leader's higher ambition is essential to creating a resilient and sustainable enterprise and how top CEOs do it.