by Jim Champy , Nitin Nohria
We often think of ambition as a linear rocket ride—up, up, and up. But Jim Champy (co-author of Reengineering the Corporation) and Harvard Dean Nitin Nohria argue that ambition is actually an arc. It has a beginning, a middle, and—most dangerously—an end.In today’s 5-minute briefing on “The Arc of Ambition,” we explore the lifecycle of great leaders. Discover why the skills that get you to the top (boldness, defiance) are often the exact traits that destroy you if you stay too long. We’ll introduce the three phases of the arc and why the final phase—Letting Go—is the one most leaders fail.
James Champy is a world-renowned business consultant and organizational theorist, widely recognized as a pioneer of the business process reengineering movement. As the co-author of the seminal bestseller Reengineering the Corporation, he has shaped modern management practices globally. Champy’s …
Nitin Nohria is a distinguished academic and the former Dean of Harvard Business School, where he served from 2010 to 2020. A global authority on leadership and organizational behavior, he has authored over 16 books and hundreds of articles. His extensive research into corporate governance and …

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