April 18, 2019
Social 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.
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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, 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.
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.
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, 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.
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.
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 8, 2019Turning “Accidental Adversaries” into Allies
Transforming the hidden causes of conflict in strategic collaborations.
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, 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.
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.”
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?
August 20, 2018The Case for Competition
When team members face off, it’s the whole organization that wins.
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 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 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.”
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.”
s+b BlogsJune 19, 2018Is the World Becoming Safer for Whistle-Blowers?
In recent years, a host of legal changes have afforded more protection for people who call out wrongdoing in their organizations.
s+b BlogsJune 14, 2018Abby Wambach’s Speech Is a Rallying Cry for Women in the Workplace
The U.S. soccer star’s exhilarating commencement address at Barnard College puts the lessons she’s learned on the field into perspective for women trying to get ahead in the business world.
s+b BlogsJune 12, 2018Seven Tips for Managing Procrastinators
It’s not your job to cure procrastinators. Your job is to get them to do their jobs.
June 7, 2018Approaching Diversity with the Brain in Mind
Leaders may think awareness programs are suitable for quelling unconscious bias, but they are just the start.
s+b BlogsJune 6, 2018Desperately Seeking Workers
With roughly equal numbers of open jobs and unemployed people, companies are scrapping their talent plans and looking for workers wherever they can find them.
s+b BlogsMay 31, 2018The Balancing Act of Corporate Social Responsibility Programs
Employees often take a pay cut to participate in CSR programs, but many do so to gain career skills.
May 30, 2018Why Teams Should Argue
Strong teams include diverse perspectives, and healthy working relationships and successful outcomes hinge on honest communication. But there are ways to make sure you “fight right.” See also “How to Fight in a Productive Way.”
May 29, 2018Why AI Will Create Jobs
Even in a world of robots, continuous education can keep people employed.
May 24, 2018Three Questions to Help You Become a “Yes, And” Leader
Approach every conversation as an opportunity to improvise. For more insight, read “Using Improv to Transform How You Lead.”
May 24, 2018Art Is Good for Business
Supporting the arts can help companies address many modern concerns.
s+b BlogsMay 24, 2018Using Improv to Transform How You Lead
By embracing the concept of “yes, and,” managers can improve how they communicate. See also “Three Questions to Help You Become a ‘Yes, And’ Leader.”
May 23, 2018How Innovation Happens
Innovation is like a garden — you need to create an environment where it can flourish.
May 23, 2018Don’t Fight Regulation. Reprogram It
Business and government should regard the rules as an operating system: a platform, updated collaboratively, that encourages innovation and the common good.
s+b BlogsMay 22, 2018Build Your Leadership Resilience. It’s an Act of Defiance.
To develop the skills you’ll need to respond to adversity with strength, follow these three steps.
May 15, 2018How Journaling Can Help Leaders Achieve Their Goals
Tips for clarifying your thoughts and testing new ideas. For more insight, read “Journaling Can Boost Your Leadership Skills.”
s+b BlogsMay 15, 2018Journaling Can Boost Your Leadership Skills
Stepping away from the screen and putting pen to paper allows the brain to reflect, process, and find patterns. See also “How Journaling Can Help Leaders Achieve Their Goals.”
May 11, 2018An Ode to the Thief of Time
In his new book, Andrew Santella explores procrastination, and why it is that whenever there is a job to do, you can count on someone putting it off. See also “Summer Reading: 8 Business Books – in Pictures”
April 30, 2018How Strategic Leaders Reframe Deceptive Messages
Four steps that can help you lead your organization past its self-defeating limits. For further insights, read “Conversations That Kill Your Culture.”
April 26, 2018Changing the Conversations That Kill Your Culture
Deceptive messages can undermine your enterprise from within. Relabel and reframe them to develop positive narratives. See also “How Strategic Leaders Reframe Deceptive Messages.”
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