s+b Blogs
June 17, 2019
The fortune at the bottom of the org chart
How inexperienced and entry-level colleagues can deliver some of your biggest opportunities.
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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.
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 29, 2019Organizational effectiveness goes digital
New technologies offer leaders an agile way to assess their company’s health and embark on improvement.
s+b BlogsMay 24, 2019Rethinking Brand You
Excellence provocateur Tom Peters sharpens the career advice he’s been giving for the past 20 years.
May 22, 2019Why Net Promoter Score is past its prime
The metric was useful in simpler times, when companies were beginning to understand the importance of customer experience. But it’s time to replace it.
s+b BlogsMay 22, 2019The new company towns
Cash handouts and high-speed Internet are attracting people to unlikely places now that remote working is on the rise.
May 20, 2019How to create happier employees
Professor Jochen Menges on the ways companies can develop well-being initiatives that genuinely make people feel better.
s+b BlogsMay 20, 2019Why office spaces should include Wi‑Fi‑enabled buses
As traffic gets worse and commuting times lengthen, companies could improve productivity and employees’ well-being by providing dedicated transit.
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.”
May 14, 2019The case for general excellence
In his new book, Range, David Epstein argues that although specialization has its virtues, businesses need people with wide horizons and ranges of interests in order to succeed.
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.
s+b BlogsMay 8, 2019Uniting creatives and consultants
If professionals want to change the world, they need to master the Four Cs.
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.
April 26, 2019Uncovering the hidden talent on your staff
Worried about a skills gap? CEOs can try these strategies to find the employees who have what it takes to transform a business.
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 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 18, 2019In praise of the purposeless company
No purpose? No problem. Create customers, care for employees, be a good citizen, and make money instead.
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 5, 2019Draw yourself a leader
Visual thinking can give you fresh insight into your own beliefs about leadership.
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.
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.
s+b BlogsApril 2, 2019What is an office for?
The rise of remote working is making companies more focused on the spaces they create to bring people together.
March 29, 2019ROX: How to get started with the new experience metric
Make sure you understand “return on experience” — the new way of tracking the results of your investments in customer and employee experiences — and how to implement it.
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 26, 2019Have we reached “peak” chief digital officer?
Companies are recognizing that digital transformation needs to be part of their core strategy and are creating fewer CDO positions than they were two years ago.
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 11, 2019Why paternity leave is needed to promote gender equality
To level the playing field at the office, it is essential that companies promote work–life balance and family-friendly policies for all employees.
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.
s+b BlogsMarch 4, 2019The silver lining of an aging population
Economists often warn that an abundance of elders will be problematic for the economy. But new research shows that such a demographic shift could be a good thing.
March 1, 2019Finding your company’s cultural sweet spot
In her new book, psychology professor Michele Gelfand explains some of the differences between social groups, and the conflicts that erupt among them.
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 21, 2019A Guide to Modernizing Your Company’s Technology
An essential pocket guide for your digital transformation, from legacy technology systems to the platforms of the future. For more insight, read “10 Principles for Modernizing Your Company’s Technology.”
February 21, 201910 Principles for Modernizing Your Company’s Technology
Today’s technology platforms are not just new versions of legacy systems. They allow you to design a completely new digital enterprise — as long as you follow these guidelines. See also “A Guide to Modernizing Your Company’s Technology.”
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.”
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, 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.”
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.
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.
February 5, 2019Team Human vs. Team AI
To make artificial intelligence live up to its promise, we need to understand and reframe the values implicit in the technology.
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 22, 2019What You Can Learn from Your Employee Networks
Many companies support resource groups that bring people together, but stop short of assessing their value.
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.
s+b BlogsJanuary 10, 2019Stop Dropping the Baton during Business Transitions
How to avoid the destructive effects of handoffs.
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.”
January 7, 2019HQ 2.0: The Next-Generation Corporate Center
Major companies are transforming their core and rethinking their functions.
s+b BlogsDecember 18, 2018Would You Walk through Fire for Your Company?
The science behind how intense experiences could help build better teams.
December 11, 2018Long Live the Human Network Effect
Scaled-up, spontaneous networks can help solve tough problems when people come together.
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 20, 2018How to Fail the Right Way
Improvising in a structured manner will help ensure big bumps in the road don’t throw you completely off course. For more insight, read “How to Fail Successfully.”
s+b BlogsNovember 20, 2018How to Fail Successfully
When problem solving breaks down and you have to wing your way forward, you might think you’ve failed. But a disciplined response can get you back on track. See also “How to Fail the Right Way.”
s+b BlogsNovember 19, 2018Closing the Skills Gap Could Be as Simple as ABC
More collaboration between businesses and schools is vital to ensure that the next generation of workers is “future-fit.”
s+b BlogsNovember 16, 2018Why Gendered Risk Management Is a Risky Business
Research shows that men and women have similar tolerances for taking chances.
s+b BlogsNovember 15, 2018Try a New Hiring Framework to Attract Knowledge Stars
Traditional HR practices won’t suffice when firms seek to attract the sometimes quirky, and always necessary, idea people.
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 12, 2018When Cultural Values Lead to Groupthink, the Company Loses
As a business shapes its public reputation, hidden conflicts can undermine its effectiveness.
s+b BlogsNovember 8, 2018How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Us Better at Being Human
The surprising ways machine learning can pick up when we fail.
November 8, 2018Human Creativity in the Age of Smart Machines
The story of how one organization helped the chronically homeless demonstrates the inherent value of observation, empathy, and perseverance.
November 5, 2018Best Business Books 2018: Management
Revising the Managerial Playbook. See also Top Shelf Picks: Best Business Books 2018.
s+b BlogsNovember 2, 2018The Four Things Startups Need Their Lawyers to Know
Make sure the attorneys you bring on board will be able to meet your company’s unique needs.
s+b BlogsNovember 1, 2018London’s Tech Allure Is Being Challenged by Brexit
But recruiting talent from beyond the European Union may be a solution.
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 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’.”
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 20, 2018The Flywheel Philosophy
Companies are embracing stakeholder value to produce results.
s+b BlogsSeptember 14, 2018Progress Doesn’t Always Follow a Straight Line
Contentious pipeline projects all over the world offer examples of how complex problems require complicated solutions.
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.
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.
August 27, 2018Using Neuroscience to Make Feedback Work and Feel Better
Research shows that using feedback is how organisms — and organizations — stay alive. Here’s how leaders can make the most of the anxiety-producing process.
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.
s+b BlogsAugust 15, 2018Collaborating Isn’t the Only Option
Working with diverse others doesn’t have to mean compromising your values. But if you just can’t do it, there are other ways to solve difficult problems. See also “Four Ways to Deal with Problematic Situations.”
August 15, 2018Four Ways to Deal with Problematic Situations
How to resolve issues without compromising your values. For more insight, read “Collaborating Isn’t the Only Option.”
s+b BlogsAugust 7, 2018How Transformation-Ready Leaders Learn
Take the time and effort to look for new ways of doing things, and turn away from old habits that block that process. Take our quiz, “Are You Increasing Your Learning Agility — Or Are You Missing Out?”, to find out if you are seeking opportunities to grow.
s+b BlogsAugust 2, 2018Why Wandering Works Wonders for Managers
There are lots of whimsical ways to stay grounded, but simply walking around the workplace is still the best.
s+b BlogsJuly 23, 2018The Leadership Maker Movement
Four ways to catalyze high achievement amid turbulence and rapid change.
July 20, 2018Digital Nomads
A quick look at the challenges faced by location-independent freelancers, and the opportunities they present for organizations. For more insight, read “Designing a Future for the Untethered Workforce.”
s+b BlogsJuly 19, 2018Chaos Is Not a Viable Leadership Style
Sowing seeds of confusion and discord is no way to run an organization.
July 18, 2018Designing a Future for the Untethered Workforce
The gig economy — and the growing group of digital nomads within it — requires a wider variety of new products and services than businesses and governments are currently prepared to deliver. See also “Digital Nomads."
July 17, 2018How Can You Make Your Company’s Culture Go Viral?
By carefully selecting the change-driving behaviors that are right for your organization, and the mechanisms to spread them, you can drive cultural evolution. For further insights, read “Make Your Company’s Culture Go Viral.”
July 17, 2018Make Your Company’s Culture Go Viral
How to spread the critical few behaviors that drive strategy forward. See also “How Can You Make Your Company’s Culture Go Viral?”
s+b BlogsJuly 11, 2018When Your Team’s Path Forward Isn’t Clear, Carve It
Disagreement can make solutions to our most difficult problems hard to see. But with practical tools and a shift in mind-set, diverse groups can create new realities.
July 10, 2018The Enthusiasms of Tom Peters
In his exuberant new book, the management guru sums up 50 years of experience with exhortations to pursue excellence.
July 9, 2018Why You Need to Keep Your Customers Close
Subscription models can bring a steady revenue stream for companies that understand the customer life cycle.
s+b BlogsJuly 2, 2018The Unfunny Side of Wisecracking Bosses
Although supervisors’ humor can boost workplace morale, too many jokes or the wrong sort can leave employees feeling disengaged and more apt to break the rules.
June 25, 2018Virtually Alone: Real Ways to Connect Remote Teams
As workplaces increasingly embrace the telecommuting model, leaders can take several steps to bridge cultural and interpersonal gaps.
June 20, 2018Danny Meyer’s Recipe for Success
How the restaurant mogul behind Union Square Cafe, Shake Shack, and many other dining destinations uses culture to drive scale. See also “Building a Culture of Hospitality: Danny Meyer’s Team Prepares for Service.”
June 20, 2018Hospitality in Action: Danny Meyer Sets the Table at Union Square Cafe
Scenes from Union Square Cafe as the staff gets ready to open for the day show the company’s culture of “enlightened hospitality” in action. For more insight, read “Danny Meyer’s Recipe for Success.”
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