July 8, 2020
Creating the right kind of urgency to bring about change
Most CEOs think improving products or creating a burning platform will ensure success in the face of disruption. But these actions are not enough.
More Leadership
Archives by year:
s+b BlogsJuly 7, 2020Four questions for a rapid leadership reset
Current conditions favor clear-eyed leaders who are open to change.
July 6, 2020Fit-for-context leadership
Hult International Business School professor Amit Mukherjee argues that new leadership practices are needed for a digital era.
s+b BlogsJune 26, 2020A dramatic example of adopting best practices
George Bernard Shaw’s 1905 play Major Barbara, the best stage drama written about business, has lessons that resonate with today’s audiences.
June 23, 2020The importance of peer feedback in the digital workplace
COVID-19 is accelerating companies’ shift to virtual working, but employers still need people-centric ways to assess employees’ strengths and weaknesses.
s+b BlogsJune 22, 2020Why now is the perfect time for a corporate book club
As COVID-19 continues to isolate people, companies can build employee engagement and community spirit through a shared reading experience.
June 17, 2020Leaders are building new muscles to deal with the pandemic
Getting better at prioritizing, innovating, and leading with humanity.
s+b BlogsJune 10, 2020Why managing uncertainty is a key leadership skill
The ability to cope with ambiguity is at a particular premium.
June 10, 2020A lesson in creating successful companies that care
The COVID-19 pandemic is highlighting how altruistic businesses adapt, remain flexible, and survive.
s+b BlogsJune 8, 2020Sports, health, and cash flow: A delicate balance ahead
How teams and leagues are finding ways to respond to the challenges of COVID-19.
June 8, 2020Deals will reshape industries in the time of COVID-19
Crisis creates business opportunities. This time, M&A activity will lead the way, and buyers will be in the driver’s seat.
June 5, 2020The environmental opportunity created by COVID-19
On World Environment Day, we look at six ways businesses can help avert rapid nature loss and tackle climate change.
s+b BlogsJune 4, 2020What PwC is doing to stand up against racism
Leaders of companies must act, using their privilege, platforms, and resources to help solve the most entrenched problems plaguing society.
June 2, 2020Making experiments pay
In The Power of Experiments, Harvard Business School professors Michael Luca and Max Bazerman provide an overview of the applications, promise, and perils of corporate experimentation.
May 27, 2020Why authentic informal leaders are key to an organization’s emotional health
Tapping into the collective wisdom of key employees can help a company build the capacity to weather the worst crises.
s+b BlogsMay 27, 2020The general wisdom of Ulysses S. Grant
A serial failure up until the Civil War, Grant had a talent for leadership that secured the Union. His strategy and style still offer valuable lessons for today’s executives.
s+b BlogsMay 22, 2020COVID-19, the flexibility stigma, and gender equality
The coronavirus pandemic could have a profound effect on gender equality at work and at home — if businesses learn the right lesson.
May 21, 2020Four ways to reflect that help boost performance
Powerful modes of reflection are crucial for leaders and their teams, especially when dealing with a crisis.
May 20, 2020The power broker
Chantelle Abdul grew Mojec International Holdings from a small family-owned business in Nigeria into an energy business that has helped modernize the country’s electricity market. Now, she’s thinking even bigger.
May 20, 2020The downside of resilient leadership
Self-sufficiency is a prized trait among executives, especially during times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. But it has drawbacks, too.
s+b BlogsMay 18, 2020Can you handle the truth?
Three ways for leaders to stop missing essential information from across their organization.
s+b BlogsMay 14, 2020Want your employees to behave on social media? Spell out the rules
Many employees are unaware of their firm’s policy on personal social media use, which creates perceptions of unfairness when they cross the line.
s+b BlogsMay 13, 2020To build agility, engage your organization one team at a time
Help your employees respond to COVID-19 and future crises by focusing on the established groups at the core of your business.
s+b BlogsMay 11, 2020No success without succession
The 1952 novel Executive Suite tells us what it takes to fill the shoes of an icon.
May 6, 2020Staying ahead in Latin America’s turbulent oil and gas market
Felipe Bayón, CEO of Ecopetrol, Colombia’s biggest company, explains how the company is transforming to stay on top.
s+b BlogsMay 1, 2020Following sports in the time of COVID-19
A lack of professional sporting competitions is affecting fans, reshaping both their behavior and their relationship with teams.
April 30, 2020Forces of nature
Understanding how ecosystems grow, thrive, and regenerate can help leaders steer their organization in the future.
April 29, 2020Revealing leaders’ blind spots
There is very little overlap between the management areas leaders think they need to improve and the weaknesses identified by those they lead. Reconciling these differences will improve leaders and their organizations.
April 24, 2020How to help employees learn new skills amid a crisis
Companies can work to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of employee learning.
s+b BlogsApril 23, 2020Pride and the pandemic
Will your company’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic create institutional pride or destroy it?
April 21, 2020Spark and sustain growth by focusing on company culture
Businesses that identify organizational strengths will be better positioned to weather the disruptions of COVID-19.
April 16, 2020Fueling your company’s urge to surge
Occasionally, a business overtakes its competitors and moves from industry player to industry leader. Southeast Asia points the way for how to achieve this.
April 10, 2020In a crisis, companies must know their purpose
Boards must drive the effort to answer a fundamental question: Why does our organization exist?
April 8, 2020Leadership, courage, and the power of collective thinking
The former chief of defense of the armed forces of the Netherlands explains the challenges of leading in a crisis and why those who do must have the confidence to act.
April 7, 2020A test for leaders: Creating certainty amid uncertainty
How to help keep your employees focused, rather than spinning.
s+b BlogsMarch 31, 2020Leading through the duration of the COVID-19 emergency
Keeping your organization running during a crisis, like coronavirus, that persists over months requires planning, clear communication, and empathy.
s+b BlogsMarch 26, 2020Transformation requires trust
As a reform effort in Ethiopia shows, shifts in who wields control and how things work can create power struggles and apprehension, but the effects can be limited if leaders model trust.
s+b BlogsMarch 25, 2020Navigating your COVID-19 response
PwC’s new digital assessment tool, the COVID-19 Navigator, can help leaders understand the potential impact of the novel coronavirus on their business.
March 19, 2020What CFOs think about the economic impact of COVID-19
A new, biweekly PwC survey tracks the priorities emerging among companies’ financial leaders.
s+b BlogsMarch 19, 2020A deep dive into cause-related marketing
Corporate charity campaigns and donations are popular marketing tools. But do they pay off?
s+b BlogsMarch 6, 2020Seven key actions business can take to mitigate the effects of COVID-19
In the face of a global crisis, well-prepared businesses can help protect their workers and their bottom lines.
s+b BlogsMarch 6, 2020Caveat emptor, CEO
A short list of questions can help leaders avoid the potentially harmful consequences of flawed management studies.
s+b BlogsMarch 4, 2020Four different ways of knowing
Understanding the world around you can be difficult if you’re constrained by traditional thinking. New approaches to knowledge can help.
s+b BlogsMarch 2, 2020The dangers of “workism”
Businesses thrive when employees separate their work from their identity.
February 27, 2020Is your company paying a “dysfunction tax”?
The cost of poor management is difficult to measure but still worth estimating, because it may be higher than you think.
s+b BlogsFebruary 20, 2020Better than right: Turning mistakes into an advantage
A new breed of soccer managers is owning up to vulnerability, and it’s helping them to connect with their teams (and get results).
February 19, 2020Taking over a dynasty in a time of uncertainty and change
John Riady, the CEO of Indonesia’s Lippo Karawaci, is a young business leader with an eye for the future of his company and his region.
February 11, 2020Resilience is a skill that’s just as important as tech know-how
Amid significant changes to how people work and live, the ability to persevere is critical.
s+b BlogsFebruary 5, 2020The grandparent in the corner office
Grandparents who work and provide care are helping end stigmas surrounding flexibility and gender.
s+b BlogsFebruary 3, 2020Solving problems with a leap of faith
Teams can make real breakthroughs on complex challenges by opening themselves up to an invisible source of guidance.
January 30, 2020Is it time to retire the title of manager?
In an era of endless disruption, the word feels increasingly dated.
January 29, 2020Scaling the future
Silvio Kutić, CEO of Infobip, discusses the evolution of messaging technology and the ways in which artificial intelligence will change how we interact with the Internet.
January 28, 2020Leaders in waiting
PwC’s latest survey of family-owned enterprises finds millennials ready to step up, and highlights four paths they can follow to success.
January 27, 2020ROX3: Boosting returns on leadership, customer, and employee experience
You can transform your company by strengthening the links among all three types of activity.
January 22, 2020Innovating in traditional retail markets
How Bhaskar Bhat turned an Indian watchmaking startup into a lifestyle giant.
January 20, 2020The upside of trade-offs
Sarah Kaplan looks at how leaders can turn stakeholder scrutiny and difficult decisions to their advantage in her new book, The 360Ëš Corporation.
January 15, 2020Using technology to rewire a food business
Roberto Martínez, CEO of PepsiCo Foods Mexico, is capitalizing on digital tools to better understand the needs of new consumers. And he’s not forgetting about the power of empathy.
January 8, 2020Keeping pace with Africa’s fast-changing competitive landscape
How Segun Agbaje, CEO of Nigeria’s Guaranty Trust Bank, is building a financial institution for the digital age.
s+b BlogsJanuary 7, 2020The grass is always greener: Examples from the world of soccer on changing jobs
Businesspeople are changing jobs with the rapidity of soccer managers — a famously nomadic profession. But are they asking the right questions before they decide to move on?
December 23, 2019Start the New Year with a simplification month
Leaders can gain clarity by using January to simplify operations and focus on desired outcomes for the coming year.
December 19, 2019What you read: The 10 most popular s+b articles of 2019
How to think like a CEO, handing off the baton after a long tenure, and more of the most read stories this year.
s+b BlogsDecember 16, 2019Gain trust and project order in turbulent times
Leaders must understand four trends, and how they interact, to navigate uncertainty.
s+b BlogsDecember 13, 2019Help old habits die easier
A "stop-doing" culture frees employees from embedded routines and perspectives, which makes room for innovative thinking.
December 12, 2019How to be an outstanding leader
We look at how executives and those on their way to leadership roles can navigate today’s complicated business landscape.
December 11, 2019John Hennessy’s higher learning
The former Stanford president and current Alphabet chair distills leadership lessons from a long career in the heart of Silicon Valley.
s+b BlogsDecember 5, 2019To be a better leader, tell a different story
Business storyteller Annette Simmons explains how the right narrative can help leaders and listeners broaden their perspective and circle of concern.
December 4, 2019A guide to establishing your leadership presence
Express your own commitment as a leader in a more effective way. For further insights, read “10 principles for leadership.”
December 4, 201910 principles for leadership presence
Build muscle memory to support conviction, commitment, and resilience for yourself and your organization. See also “A guide to establishing your leadership presence.”
s+b BlogsDecember 3, 2019The question that helps businesses overcome unconscious bias
Asking what you know about other people can challenge your assumptions.
December 2, 2019The remedy for high turnover
In service industries, where employees frequently quit, upskilling frontline managers and redesigning the hiring and onboarding processes can help ease the pain.
s+b BlogsNovember 27, 2019Becoming your most charismatic self
Some people may be born with charisma, but it turns out managers can train themselves to become more compelling leaders.
s+b BlogsNovember 21, 2019Why your CEO’s personal risk taking matters
Boards are paying more attention to risky business outside the office.
November 18, 2019The leader’s secret weapon: Listening
Great leaders are invariably intent listeners, but they still need to make the practice a priority.
November 14, 2019How being a cancer survivor has shaped my leadership coaching
Listening to your inner voice and understanding why you want to lead can help you become a better manager.
s+b BlogsNovember 14, 2019Taking a closer look at female board appointments
Firms facing pressure to add women to the board tend to increase the number of seats, not replace incumbent men — which dilutes the female directors’ power.
s+b BlogsNovember 6, 2019Inflexible work arrangements
When it comes to encouraging and enabling remote work, company practices lag policies.
s+b BlogsNovember 4, 2019Why women must break out of their comfort zone to advance
Women often feel secure in knowledge-based roles, and their bosses are at ease keeping them there. But to grow a career, it’s necessary to acquire a new set of skills.
s+b BlogsNovember 1, 2019Lucky you!
Acknowledging that your success is a function of both good fortune and talent may not be flattering, but it could make you a better leader.
October 31, 2019How powerful people slip
Neuroscience reveals the counterproductive side effects of authority. Attention to inclusion measures can help you avoid the pitfalls.
October 30, 2019Preparing for a shake-up in global finance
Large companies are probably ready for the obvious effects of the impending shift away from LIBOR, but hazards could be lurking in unexpected places.
October 25, 2019Command and control: Lessons in high-stakes leadership
In his new book, historian Andrew Roberts delves into the experiences of wartime leaders to produce lessons for heads of business.
s+b BlogsOctober 18, 2019Past performance is no guarantee of future results
Lessons from the past may be the only available guide for navigating the present and future, but CEOs need to take them with a grain of salt.
October 16, 2019A sustainable approach to the beauty business
João Paulo Ferreira, CEO of Natura, Brazil’s largest cosmetics company, uses the secrets of the Amazon to fuel an ambitious, environmentally responsible expansion agenda.
October 15, 2019How to think like a CEO
Top leaders share a particular habit of mind that sets them apart.
October 8, 2019How businesses can deliver on trust in the digital age
The first step to rebuilding trust is to be aware that change and complexity are constant and that everyone — customers, regulators, employees, and the general public — are potential stakeholders.
October 8, 2019Strengthening the foundations of trust in the digital age
The speed of technological change requires new thinking about how institutions and businesses deliver on trust.
October 7, 2019Growth strategies for an uncertain world
Internationalization can help businesses rethink their global footprint and governments attract trade and enterprise.
s+b BlogsOctober 4, 2019How to engage men in corporate wellness programs
Communicating the link between health and workplace performance may help close the gender gap in participation.
s+b BlogsOctober 3, 2019Can you be a shaper of great institutions?
Former Tata Group director R. Gopalakrishnan, who's written a new book, says the best leaders focus on building both a better business and a better world.
s+b BlogsOctober 2, 2019How leaders can bridge the empathy gap in a crisis
Executives tend to err on the side of caution, rather than compassion, when disaster strikes. Here are four ways they can do better.
September 26, 2019Why aren’t successful people happier?
Yale psychologist Laurie Santos delves into the social sciences to understand how people can overcome the internal obstacles and biases that prevent them from living their best life — and how leaders can set an example.
September 25, 201910 principles of workforce transformation
How to raise the skills of your employees to meet your digital challenges. See also “A guide to workforce transformation.”
September 25, 2019A guide to workforce transformation
How to raise the skills of your employees so that they can move successfully into the future. For further insights, read “10 principles of workforce transformation.”
September 23, 2019They lead, we coach: A multigenerational approach to innovation
With mentorship, the digital natives in generation Z can help create a competitive advantage.
September 18, 2019Creating a fairer market for capital in South Africa
As head of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Nicky Newton-King has pushed companies to look beyond shareholder return and earn the trust of the community.
September 13, 2019Difficult, uncomfortable, and courageous conversations
At the 2019 meeting of CEO Action, chief executives talk about the challenge of fostering diversity and inclusion in their companies and industries.
September 11, 2019Diagnose your risk of unforced errors
Create an early warning system to avoid self-sabotaging behaviors. For further insight, read “Develop a personal early warning system to avoid making bad leadership choices.”
s+b BlogsSeptember 10, 2019Career management lessons from Friends
Making the most of even the most marginal opportunities.
s+b BlogsSeptember 5, 2019People are more trustworthy than you think
When leaders routinely default to an attitude of mistrust, they create a negative loop that undermines relationships and hinders change.
s+b BlogsSeptember 3, 2019Strategy talk: What’s the link between strategy and “doing good”?
How to find the best way for your business to have a positive social impact.
s+b BlogsAugust 28, 2019Develop a personal early warning system to avoid making bad leadership choices
By understanding the mistakes you’re most likely to make — and when you’re most likely to make them — you can maximize your effectiveness and opportunities. See also “Diagnose your risk of unforced errors.”
August 27, 2019Beware this insidious word in the workplace
How a seemingly neutral word can undermine people’s motivation.
August 21, 2019Creating a culture of learning
Steelcase CEO Jim Keane explains how giving people work-space choices can make workplace behavior more human.
s+b BlogsAugust 20, 2019Authority alone won’t get leaders very far
There’s a difference between having followers and having subordinates, and effective leaders need followers, whose cooperation is built on trust.
s+b BlogsAugust 16, 2019How to win over a team of experts
Specialist employees can resist a boss who knows less than they do. But working through a pain point can turn things around.
August 14, 2019Forging partnerships to create a tipping point in sustainability
Paul Polman, former chief executive of Unilever, explains why partnerships among government, civil society, and business are urgently needed.
August 13, 2019Why your customers should be central to your innovation efforts
Ditching the “science fair” mentality toward innovation will help transform ideas into commercial reality.
August 12, 2019More than a feeling: How do you measure culture?
Simple metrics that demonstrate momentum are key to turning good intentions into replicable business results.
August 8, 20196 steps to upskilling your people
A comprehensive way to build talent and fill jobs in our rapidly changing digital economy. For further insights, read “A strategist’s guide to upskilling.”
s+b BlogsAugust 8, 2019Keep your CSR programs on track
Corporate social responsibility can be tricky, especially for multinationals. A new study lays out some guidance.
August 7, 2019Leading with a mission mind-set
How Beth Mooney, CEO of KeyCorp and chair of the Cleveland Clinic, earns trust in banking and healthcare.
August 6, 2019Survival skills for the digital age
Three principles can guide you when the connectivity of the digital era becomes overwhelming.
s+b BlogsAugust 5, 2019To strengthen innovation, make sure every voice is heard
Companies should be as process-driven about disruptive ideas as they are about other aspects of business.
s+b BlogsAugust 2, 2019How to manage mavericks
The best soccer coaches are able to produce elite performances from hard-to-manage players. Businesses should take note.
s+b BlogsJuly 30, 2019The secret to getting things done
Leaders should stop asking themselves how to get people to act and instead find ways to tap into intrinsic motivation.
July 29, 2019Incentives for a strong leadership culture
Three key pay and performance metrics can help define and influence an organization’s values.
s+b BlogsJuly 29, 2019Find your pillar before you pivot
Ground yourself in your organization’s values, principles, and strategy when considering a sharp turn.
July 25, 2019A strategist’s guide to upskilling
Companies and local governments can unlock opportunity by working together to raise the quality of talent. See also “6 steps to upskilling your people.”
s+b BlogsJuly 25, 2019Getting full value from external talent
More and more leaders recognize the need to manage contingent workers, but their companies and cultures often undercut their efforts.
s+b BlogsJuly 23, 2019Develop better leadership habits to thrive in an age of information overload
Learning to do more in-depth thinking and taking full advantage of hidden decision-making opportunities can reduce anxiety.
s+b BlogsJuly 22, 2019Not Winston Churchill’s finest financial hours
The legendary leader’s political successes were continually undermined by his financial and business failures.
s+b BlogsJuly 19, 2019It’s time for CMOs to rally a cross-functional approach to customer experience
Businesses have realized the importance of building an outside-in culture. Now chief marketing officers have an opportunity to lead by engaging their C-suite colleagues in the change.
July 16, 2019The wisdom of Charles Handy
In his new book, the renowned business thinker and philosopher passes on his experiences of life, work, and how not to fall into the management trap.
s+b BlogsJuly 15, 2019How to discover your organization’s story
Asking questions about what leaders and colleagues value can unearth authentic narratives.
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