s+b Blogs
December 5, 2019
To 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.
More Leadership
Archives by year:
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.
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, 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 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 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.
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.”
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 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.
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.
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, 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.”
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.”
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.
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.
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, 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.
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.
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.
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