Manager Forums
Manager Forums are a way for you to gain insights from Stanford thought leaders on critical topics and issues you encounter as a people manager.
Format and participants: Live (no cost) sessions are held via Zoom. Manager Forum events are not recorded. Registering through STARS is required. All people managers from across the university are invited to participate in Manager Forums, but enrollment is limited.
Wednesday, Oct. 21 | 10 – 11 a.m. PT | virtual
Level Up: Why Hierarchies Are Broken and How to Fix Them
Join us for our October session with Nir Halevy, professor of organizational behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. Halevy’s research focuses on social influence processes in negotiations, organizational hierarchies, and social networks. He also studies decision-making, group processes, and intergroup relations. He has taught courses and workshops on these topics to thousands of students, executives, engineers, physicians, and scientists. He is the author of “Level Up: Why Hierarchies Are Broken and How to Fix Them” and creator of the strategy game Promotion!
Workplace hierarchies can evoke fear, anger, and envy in employees who feel caught in competition with coworkers and under relentless pressure from dominant bosses. The ensuing uncertainty and instability harm employee well-being and undermine organizational performance. Stanford social influence expert Nir Halevy argues that this is because we’re doing hierarchy wrong. When done right, hierarchies can be beneficial, and not just for whoever is at the top. In “Level Up”, Halevy draws on scientific evidence, interviews, and real-world stories to explain how you can diagnose a broken hierarchy and help fix it, introducing a framework and concrete solutions that apply to employees across ranks and roles. Join us for an interactive conversation that will teach you how to navigate and shape organizational hierarchies.
Please join us for this engaging and practical session.
Enroll in the October session in STARS.
Please note that when you enroll, you will receive a meeting invite from STARS.
Upcoming Sessions
Topics and guest presenters are still being confirmed, but please mark your calendars so you don't miss out on this year's lineup of events. Note that the schedule is subject to change.
- November 18, 2026 | 10 - 11 a.m.
Previous Manager Forums Resources
Manager Forums guest speakers — all leaders in their fields — consistently provide you with insights to help you build employee motivation, frameworks to coach and optimize team effectiveness, and tools to create a culture of innovation. Review the resources page for past session materials and get a refresher on topics such as:
- Working Genius
- Job-crafting and Purpose-led Performance
- The Stanford GSB Leadership Model
- EFECT Coaching Framework
- Getting More of What you Want in your Negotiations
- The Systems Leader Framework