“The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second-best time is now.” There are many versions of this off-cited quote. It rings true in countless situations—from getting in shape or saving for retirement to building new relationships. If you have not already started to act, now is the best time to […]
Faster has become the unifying mantra across industries and companies, old and new. The accelerating velocity of business drives managers to keep pace. Ever changing technologies and business trends like cloud services, rapid prototyping, and AI enablement impact every corner of business life. Organizations relentlessly search for innovative breakthroughs that reduce cycle time, speed up […]
Media coverage of organizations (large and small) places so much attention on the leader that it is easy to believe that leadership is a solo journey. Achievement can fuel that belief. In the wake of success and growing attention, leaders can fall victim to their worst selves, resulting in overconfidence, narcissism, a loss of self-control, […]
Every leader faces uncertainty and change. That has always been true, but it seems ever more salient today. Industries like tech live on rapid change—it drives progress. The automotive industry traditionally appeared to undergo more gradual changes. No longer. The auto industry is transforming before our eyes, with challenges arising from the erosion of globalization […]
For decades, work was well-defined and stable. Workers went to the office to fill roles that were standardized and predictable. Firms developed multi-year forecasts and succession plans to ensure smooth transitions and growth. All of that started to change with the information economy. Technology and changing worker expectations allowed full-time work to be broken down […]
Management scholars have long noted the virtues of optimism. Leaders who bring the optimism to daily organizational challenges inspire teams to move forward, even in the toughest situations. We have certainly all experienced some tough situations in the past few years. Having overcome global health and social upheavals, leaders are facing yet another wave of […]
Learning from others is an important skill at every career stage, perhaps now more than ever, as technological advancements like AI and automation, demand ongoing skill development. For young professionals, learning an industry and finding mentors to help develop leadership skills are important career investments. However, when I write about the value of mentors, I […]
Every organization has a culture. It is not always documented or even discussed, but it’s there, and it affects outcomes. Leaders can supercharge performance when they align it with strategic goals and resources like technology and people, but culture can also sabotage new initiatives that conflict with tightly held organizational norms and beliefs. For Stuart […]
Managers are problem solvers. The best problem solvers rise through the ranks and become organizational leaders. As they rise, the problems become larger until, one day, a career-defining problem outstrips their capabilities. Facing a problem that you can’t solve might be one of the most important career tests. Like failure or significant loss, it teaches […]
Culture is an often-unseen element of an organization, one that influences how people interact and accomplish, while reflecting true values and unwritten rules of success. Employees who align with the culture find support and belonging that leads to quick success. Those who don’t understand the culture or feel included can become isolated and ineffective. Culture […]