s+b Blogs
August 16, 2019
How 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.
More Leadership
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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.
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 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 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 26, 2019The seven stages of strategic leadership
How to build the mental habits that enable you to make a living while making a better world.
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.
s+b BlogsJuly 15, 2019How to discover your organization’s story
Asking questions about what leaders and colleagues value can unearth authentic narratives.
s+b BlogsJuly 12, 2019Peter Drucker’s favorite leadership writer
As leadership memoirs go, the lessons and life-and-death stakes in Anabasis by Xenophon are hard to beat.
July 10, 2019The catalytic co-investor: How Siemens US keeps R&D alive
Barbara Humpton, US CEO of one of the largest and oldest engineering firms in the world, talks about continuous innovation, the future of AI, and the societal aspects of technology.
July 9, 2019Growing the family asset management company
With a focus on transparency, Halstatt has been transformed by a matriarchal line of CEOs.
s+b BlogsJuly 8, 2019How to give women a fair shot at advancement
At most companies, the competition for career success is systemically skewed in favor of men. Here’s how to change that.
July 1, 20192019 summer reading: 10 business books
A selection of books perfect for your commute — or the beach.
June 26, 2019Get ready for the “you’re it” moment
Growing into a meta-leader gives you the tools to skillfully manage any situation.
June 25, 2019Our Planet: Our Business, and our conversations
A new film shows the challenges and opportunities for businesses that want to help avoid environmental collapse.
s+b BlogsJune 21, 2019Why living your values takes work
Recent brain research shows how you can increase your credibility as a leader.
June 20, 2019Seven steps for highly effective deal making
Focusing on value creation from the start of an M&A transaction ultimately delivers the best performance.
s+b BlogsJune 19, 2019What it’s really like to be a public speaker
If you’ve thought about taking your expertise out on the road, here are some things to know before setting off.
s+b BlogsJune 18, 2019Strategy talk: How strategy differs for nonprofits
Organizations that don’t have a profit imperative still need to answer three critical questions.
s+b BlogsJune 17, 2019The fortune at the bottom of the org chart
How inexperienced and entry-level colleagues can deliver some of your biggest opportunities.
June 10, 2019How productivity tracking can empower employees
It’s important to know what your workforce is actually doing, yet many employees balk at being monitored. But if monitoring is done right, employees benefit.
June 5, 2019A crisis of legitimacy
Today’s toughest global challenges are unintended consequences of yesterday’s success. If our prevailing institutions can’t adapt, they could lose the right to lead.
s+b BlogsJune 3, 2019Learn to pivot like a dolphin
Get yourself unstuck by paying close attention to cues and experimenting until you figure out what’s needed of you.
s+b BlogsMay 31, 2019Update your leadership skills to bridge the digital–human divide
Classic “soft skills” need new definitions and applications for workplaces of the future.
May 30, 2019Diversifying the high-tech talent pool
Pinnacle Group CEO Nina Vaca’s top priorities are to keep growing fast and expand the talent pipeline.
s+b BlogsMay 29, 2019Managerial hubris brought down MacArthur
As the general’s example shows, too much confidence and pride are a recipe for leadership disasters.
May 23, 2019Create a workplace where everyone feels comfortable speaking up
It’s important for employees to express concern when they see something disturbing. Here’s how to make everyone understand that their voice is valued.
May 17, 2019Rolling toward responsible capitalism
Jean-Dominique Senard, the departing CEO of Michelin and incoming chair of Renault and of the Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi alliance, argues that the prevailing concept of corporate purpose needs an update.
May 15, 2019How new leaders can step out of the shadow of a legendary CEO
Five game-changing practices to help those waiting in the wings succeed. For further insights, read “Succeeding the long-serving legend in the corner office.”
May 15, 2019Succeeding the long-serving legend in the corner office
According to the 19th annual CEO Success study by PwC’s Strategy&, boards and new CEOs can reduce the risk associated with handing off the baton after a long tenure. See also “How new leaders can step out of the shadow of a legendary CEO.”
s+b BlogsMay 10, 2019Don’t be a “leader”
Successful leaders must recognize that their role is much more than the endgame of a specialist. Leading requires constant learning and a balance of specialized and broad knowledge.
May 3, 2019Three ways to better understand disappointments at work
The next time you’re confounded by an unexpected or confusing situation at work, use these practical strategies to move forward with greater success. For further insights, read “Three ways to demystify disappointments at work.”
s+b BlogsMay 2, 2019The hidden perils of temp turnover
In the gig economy, more companies are employing temporary workers for greater flexibility. But that strategy comes at a cost.
April 30, 2019Bad meetings no more
In his new book, UNC-Charlotte professor Steven Rogelberg offers an evidence-based guide to holding better meetings.
s+b BlogsApril 25, 2019Three ways to demystify disappointments at work
When things don’t go the way you expect them to, you can use practical strategies to better understand the situation and move forward with greater success. See also “Three ways to better understand disappointments at work.”
April 22, 2019The confidence premium
In PwC’s annual global survey of chief executives, CEOs’ optimism about their own company’s prospects is a leading indicator of broader economic prosperity. How, then, can we best foster confident CEOs?
s+b BlogsApril 18, 2019In praise of the purposeless company
No purpose? No problem. Create customers, care for employees, be a good citizen, and make money instead.
April 18, 2019Social science’s lessons for business
Big data is giving a soft science a hard edge, from which business can gain important insights — if those insights are properly put in context.
s+b BlogsApril 16, 2019In defense of work–life balance
Even as the concept of integrating our professional and personal lives gains currency, it is important to demarcate borders between the two.
s+b BlogsApril 15, 2019How business schools can change the world
Experiential learning approaches that give management students exposure to adversity can help create empathetic leaders who are motivated to build a more equitable, sustainable future.
s+b BlogsApril 10, 2019Making universal basic income a reality
After years of hype, UBI could be poised to scale. But first, policymakers and businesses will have to address fundamental implementation issues.
s+b BlogsApril 5, 2019Draw yourself a leader
Visual thinking can give you fresh insight into your own beliefs about leadership.
s+b BlogsApril 4, 2019How to get your company’s people invested in transformation
Big change can’t happen without employee buy-in, which is easier to get if you’re an emotionally engaged leader.
April 4, 2019Empowering employees with creativity during a transformation
Dan Cable, professor of organizational behavior at the London Business School, argues that although managers need an element of control to get results, change efforts should happen with less work and more play. For more insights, visit the Transformation Talks podcast series.
April 4, 2019Trusting the executive team during a transformation
Moya Greene, former chief executive of Royal Mail, shares insights on how to approach a complex change initiative involving multiple stakeholders. For more insights, visit the Transformation Talks podcast series.
April 4, 2019Involving your whole organization in the transformation journey
Tim Davie, CEO of BBC Studios, talks about making change efforts meaningful by involving people at every level of the process. For more insights, visit the Transformation Talks podcast series.
March 28, 2019Leadership lessons from Game of Thrones
Paying attention to your values and persuasion style can help you avoid getting beheaded or stabbed to death.
March 27, 2019How to be confident when you’re not
Two strategies to help you be a more self-assured leader. For further insights, read “How to regain your confidence when it falters.”
s+b BlogsMarch 21, 2019Strategy talk: How long should a long-term strategy be?
The right time frame for a strategy depends on what its implementation will require.
s+b BlogsMarch 19, 2019Leadership lessons from a guitar hero
What the business world can learn about career success and longevity from rock virtuoso Jeff Beck.
s+b BlogsMarch 18, 2019How to regain your confidence when it falters
Two reflective strategies can help you manage dips in self-assurance and be a more effective leader. See also “How to be confident when you’re not.”
s+b BlogsMarch 15, 2019Want to change corporate culture? Focus on actions.
Leaders have the most impact when they take the company mission and values off the wall and translate them into everyday practice.
March 13, 2019Masters of the middle-market universe
The midsized companies in the U.S. that grow the fastest understand their strong suits and play their hands accordingly.
March 5, 2019Focus on corporate culture to prevent the next scandal
For boards, understanding and shaping the forces that drive behavior should move to center stage.
February 25, 2019You can’t benchmark culture
Your company’s ideal behavioral strengths are unique, and shouldn’t be borrowed or copied — not even from a high-performance enterprise.
February 20, 2019The World’s Second-Oldest Airline Prepares for a Digital Takeoff
CEO Hernán Rincón explains his goal to transform Avianca into a digital company that flies airplanes.
February 18, 2019Five Ways Companies Can Give People a Good Work Experience
Workers today want careers that fit their values, are enjoyable, and contribute to society. Here’s what business leaders can do to deliver on this idea of “good work.” For further insights, read “Good Work.”
February 18, 2019A Crucial Role for Human Resources
How HR leaders can play a vital part in providing a compelling environment for tomorrow’s workforce.
February 18, 2019Good work
Today’s employees want jobs that are intrinsically rewarding and that fit their values. And though the meaning of work is different for each person, companies that act now to address these demands will gain a lasting competitive advantage. See also “Five Ways Companies Can Give People a Good Work Experience.”
s+b BlogsFebruary 13, 2019Middle Managers Deserve More Respect
Most employees follow their lead — maybe more CEOs should too.
February 11, 2019The short life of enlightened leadership (and how to extend it)
Most companies that try to do well by doing good can’t make it last. Their leaders need to think more carefully about their philosophy and governance.
s+b BlogsFebruary 7, 2019Four tips from top soccer clubs on how to build cohesive teams
The keys to improving clubhouse comity also apply to the office.
February 6, 2019Inside Symantec’s Tech Transformation
Symantec chief information officer Sheila Jordan has spent four years leading IT during one of Silicon Valley’s most noteworthy corporate change efforts.
s+b BlogsFebruary 6, 2019Strategy Talk: How to Help Your Team Get More Creative
Leaders should draw on the past to spark ideas that are both novel and practical.
s+b BlogsFebruary 4, 2019How to Cultivate a Data-Inclusive Culture
Data is often the lifeblood of modern organizations, but a company’s culture must take both its risks and rewards to heart.
s+b BlogsJanuary 31, 2019How to Tell When It’s Quittin’ Time
To deter turnover, managers can watch for the behaviors that employees exhibit when they are considering leaving.
s+b BlogsJanuary 30, 2019Who Are Your Company’s Keystone Employees?
A framework borrowed from nature illuminates why these workers are valuable and why they should be nurtured.
January 23, 2019Making Critical Decisions with Confidence
Nancy McKinstry, CEO and chairman of Wolters Kluwer, explains how going digital is allowing a 183-year-old provider of specialist information and expert solutions to prosper in a data-driven world.
January 21, 2019The View from the Top of Women’s Tennis
Former United States Tennis Association president Katrina Adams believes that diversity is essential to winning, on and off the court.
January 17, 2019Muddling Through
Scott Belsky’s new book offers inspiration to leaders slogging through the life span of a successful business.
January 15, 2019How to Refocus the Role of the Chief Strategy Officer into a Competitive Advantage
Four ways to help your CSO create value. For more insight, see the 2018 Chief Strategy Officer Benchmarking Study from Strategy&, PwC’s strategy consulting business.
January 15, 2019Memo to the CEO: Is Your Chief Strategy Officer Set Up for Success?
Empowering the CSO and restoring strategy to the front line is imperative in a challenging environment. See also “How to Refocus the role of the Chief Strategy Officer into a Competitive Advantage.”
January 9, 2019How Robots Will Transform the C-Suite
Senior executives need to lead a workforce that seamlessly blends human talent and automation.
s+b BlogsJanuary 8, 2019Turning “Accidental Adversaries” into Allies
Transforming the hidden causes of conflict in strategic collaborations.
January 8, 2019Accidental Adversaries
Inside every company, people work across functions to meet their own goals and their firm’s priorities. But relationships that start out well often become adversarial over time. For more insight, read “Turning ‘Accidental Adversaries’ into Allies.”
s+b BlogsJanuary 7, 2019Ken Iverson’s Plain Talk
The management philosophy of the CEO who disrupted Big Steel is as relevant today as it was 20 years ago.
s+b BlogsJanuary 4, 2019Scoring under Pressure
Strategies for taking penalty kicks in soccer can provide helpful lessons for high-pressure business situations, too.
s+b BlogsDecember 20, 2018Transparency Is Key to Building Trust in Business
CEOs can boost consumer and employee confidence by asking these four questions about how their business operates.
December 19, 2018Transforming a Traditional Bank into an Agile Market Leader
In 2014, Piyush Gupta, CEO of DBS Bank of Singapore, asked his staff to think like the employees of a fintech startup and build the digital capabilities they would need to succeed.
s+b BlogsDecember 18, 2018Would You Walk through Fire for Your Company?
The science behind how intense experiences could help build better teams.
December 12, 2018Managing Africa’s money
Despite the continent's governance challenges, Standard Bank CEO Sim Tshabalala says Africa is open for business and ready to take advantage of rapid digitization.
December 11, 2018Long Live the Human Network Effect
Scaled-up, spontaneous networks can help solve tough problems when people come together.
December 7, 2018What happened after India eliminated cash
Two years ago, the Indian government abruptly wiped out most of the nation’s currency in hopes of ending black money and curbing corruption. Has the experiment worked?
November 28, 2018Leaders Should Focus on Human Dignity at Work
Conflict resolution expert Donna Hicks explores the poorly understood and underutilized power of dignity.
November 14, 2018How fearless organizations succeed
Amy Edmondson describes three steps leaders can take to create psychological safety, the prerequisite for greater innovation and growth.
November 13, 2018Managing Change in the Face of Skepticism
In companies with analytical cultures, employees are prone to rejecting change initiatives as “too squishy.” Tweaking the action plan can lead to success.
November 7, 2018Simplicity, Synergy, and Scale
Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chair of Tata Sons, sets a strategic course for the 21st century.
November 5, 2018Best Business Books 2018: Leadership
Engagement Announcements. See also Top Shelf Picks: Best Business Books 2018.
s+b BlogsOctober 31, 2018Good Leaders Don’t Disappear
By recognizing the counterproductive thoughts and behaviors that cause you to silence yourself, you can stay visible to your team and give your people more reasons to follow you.
October 29, 2018Leading a Bionic Transformation
Three new kinds of capital give companies a new source of leverage and power.
October 26, 2018A Guide for Designing a Successful Corporate Transformation
Four building blocks that are essential to every major change effort. For more insights, visit pwc.com/transformation.
s+b BlogsOctober 26, 2018Why It Doesn’t Always Pay to Be Decisive about Making Decisions
Waiting to make a choice can lead to more effective outcomes.
s+b BlogsOctober 25, 2018What happens when the salary-secrecy taboo is broken?
Employees who know what their bosses earn work harder, but the opposite is true if their colleague’s paycheck is bigger.
October 24, 2018Banish These Words from the Business Lexicon
They’re outdated, inaccurate, misleading, or simply eye-roll inducing. For more insight, read “How the Right Business Language Can Catalyze Change.”
October 24, 2018It’s Time to Vote Majority Rule Off the Company Board
Listen to the specialists on your board and adopt “qualified consensus” for decision making.
s+b BlogsOctober 23, 2018How the Right Business Language Can Catalyze Change
Leaders need to use great care when choosing the words that shape companies, industries, and societies. See also “Banish These Words from the Business Lexicon.”
October 22, 2018The four building blocks of transformation
How to lead the disruption of your own enterprise. See also “A Guide for Designing a Successful Corporate Transformation.”
October 19, 2018How to Deal with “Difficult People”
Three ways to work across deep divisions. For more insight, read “There’s No Such Thing as Difficult People.”
s+b BlogsOctober 19, 2018There’s no such thing as difficult people
A shift in mind-set can enable us to improve our working relationships with those we struggle with. See also “How to Deal with ‘Difficult People’.”
s+b BlogsOctober 12, 2018Google in Paperback Form: The 50th Anniversary of the Whole Earth Catalog
The entrepreneurial credo at the heart of Stewart Brand’s underground publication has shaped our world.
October 10, 2018Leading a Company That Wants to Change Lives through Sports
Adidas CEO Kasper Rørsted explains how to align business strategy and execution during a shift in global consumer demand.
October 5, 2018Be prepared for disruption: Thinking the new unthinkables
Having a purpose that engages the next generation is a key challenge for leaders today.
October 3, 2018Changing the Game for Women
Increasing the number of women at every level of an organization is possible if its leaders are ready to use practical solutions.
September 28, 2018Why corporate wellness programs fall short
They focus on the individual, not the system.
s+b BlogsSeptember 27, 2018No Person Left Behind
What can be done when business and society marginalize those with cognitive decline?
September 26, 2018Start Small and Think Globally
Brazilian media and private equity leader Eduardo Sirotsky Melzer has a message for high-tech, middle-market companies in emerging economies: This could be their moment.
s+b BlogsSeptember 18, 2018Leaders: Break Through Your Learning Blockers
Spot and resist the bad habits that hinder your innovation potential.Take our quiz to find out if you are seeking opportunities to grow: “Are You Increasing Your Learning Agility — Or Are You Missing Out?”
September 18, 2018Are You Increasing Your Learning Agility — Or Are You Missing Out?
To be a more agile leader, nurture the habits that accelerate your learning capacity and be aware of the ones that block new experiences. For more insight, see “Leaders: Break Through Your Learning Blockers.”
s+b BlogsSeptember 13, 2018Making Change Contagious
Nuanced findings in network science suggest that the conventional wisdom about diffusing new ideas may hinder, not help, their spread.
September 12, 2018Five Smart Behaviors That Helped France Win the 2018 World Cup Can Help Businesses, Too
Lessons from this year's champions on how to find, motivate, and make the most of your talent pool.
September 11, 2018The four X factors of exceptional leaders
Understanding what differentiates a great leader from a good leader will help companies make the right choices for the top jobs.
s+b BlogsSeptember 10, 2018Increasing Your Global Fluency
For recent grads and seasoned executives alike, on-the-ground experience in foreign locales can help you bridge your global skills gap and increase your ability to innovate.
September 6, 2018Financial Services Need Not Be Such a Tough Industry for Women
A new survey finds women in FS face more challenges at work than their counterparts in other industries.
September 5, 2018Your Company’s Purpose Isn’t to Save the World
Many companies confuse purpose programs with corporate responsibility. Here’s how to craft an authentic and effective purpose statement.
s+b BlogsAugust 30, 2018Making Change Is Not a Matter of Willpower
Research emphasizes the need to uncover old habits that are blocking transformation.
s+b BlogsAugust 28, 2018Leadership Lessons of the Tango
What the Argentine dance can teach high-performance teams.
s+b BlogsAugust 21, 2018A Practical Plan to Become a More Agile Learner
To gain experience and build your transformation readiness, turn these learning accelerators into habits. Take our quiz to find out if you are seeking opportunities to grow: Are You Increasing Your Learning Agility — Or Are You Missing Out?
s+b BlogsAugust 20, 2018Workplace Perks: Wasteful Indulgence or Powerful Profit Driver?
A study of firms in 43 countries finds that treating employees well pays off.
August 20, 2018The Case for Competition
When team members face off, it’s the whole organization that wins.
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