Viewed in Heidrick & Struggles Carve-outs are strategic opportunities to unlock value and sharpen corporate focus—but only when done right. For CFOs and the C-suite, success means balancing speed, precision, and long-term vision while shaping a fully independent entity from the ground up. Leadership tests From leadership selection to system design and stakeholder communication, carve-outs… More
Read more...Culture
Unlocking corporate vitality with people, technology, and org charts

Viewed in BCG BCG’s Vitality Code reveals a roadmap for sustainable, value-creating growth by mastering four dimensions: strategy, technology, people, and culture. At the heart of the framework is a proprietary index built on 24 measurable biomarkers—used to identify how firms like Workday, Nubank, Databricks, and Siemens Healthineers outperform peers in shareholder value creation and… More
Read more...Should a CEO’s direct reports shape strategy beyond the CEO’s goals?

The top leadership team’s role isn’t just to execute the CEO’s goals—it’s to optimize the enterprise’s ability to succeed.
CEOs often conflate the team’s purpose with hitting targets like increasing sales or cutting costs, but its unique mission lies in balancing ambition with pragmatism.
Read more...Reinventing the role of VP Talent Management for lasting impact

Viewed in Egon Zehnder For VPs of Talent navigating today’s workforce complexities, reimagining talent management is essential. Here are some focused strategies for impactful, modern talent practices: Redefine Talent Pipelines: As competition for leadership intensifies, developing agile, adaptable pipelines is key. Prioritize initiatives that keep high-potential leaders engaged, like customizable career paths and targeted development… More
Read more...Is your organization ready for AI-driven transformation?

Viewed in Egon Zehnder As AI reshapes the business world, its impact on organizational structures is becoming more tangible. For seasoned leaders, the key now is not just to acknowledge this shift, but to actively prepare your organization to harness the opportunities AI brings. Here are a few thoughts to consider as you shape your… More
Read more...Preventing last-minute job offer withdrawals

Viewed in Egon Zehnder When a new hire withdraws after accepting a job offer, it can disrupt business operations and damage morale. This scenario often stems from personal life changes, perceived company instability, or receiving a more attractive offer. For instance, a candidate might stay with their current employer if offered a significantly better compensation… More
Read more...Strategies for building trust in the C-Suite

Viewed in Russell Reynolds Emma Combes and Dee Symons discuss the crucial role of trust within the C-suite and provide four actionable strategies for CEOs to cultivate an environment of trust among their top executives: Foster Inclusive and Transparent Leadership Rather than promoting competition and tension, CEOs should unite their team by sharing information with… More
Read more...The hidden value of HR on corporate boards

Viewed in Heidrick & Struggles The significance of HR expertise on corporate boards cannot be overstated, especially during times of significant organizational change or growth. Companies undergoing transformations, such as IPOs, acquisitions, or large-scale changes, greatly benefit from having individuals with HR experience on the board. Similarly, start-ups and rapidly expanding companies find valuable insights… More
Read more...Rethinking board motivation

Viewed in Egon Zehnder The article unveil the evolving landscape and challenges facing board directors today, emphasizing changes in their motivations, roles, and compensation. The authors highlight several key findings: Motivation Board directors are increasingly motivated by the desire to make a real impact on the boards they serve, shifting their focus from monetary rewards… More
Read more...Strategies to avoid early executive turnover

Viewed in Korn Ferry Many executives are now early leaving their new leadership roles within 44 days, causing disruption, talent loss, and decreased morale. The financial investment in recruitment, onboarding, and training is substantial. Leadership disruptions impact long-term company performance. Cultural Fit Mismatches in culture, unrealistic expectations, inadequate onboarding, and role ambiguity lead to early… More
Read more...If Your Co-Workers Are ‘Quiet Quitting,’ Here’s What That Means

Viewed in The Wall Street Journal The TikTok generation has landed in the workforce, and their approach to work life and their careers is a marked break with that of preceding generations. Wall Street Journal reporter Lindsay Ellis addresses one of these dramatic changes after actually viewing some younger workers’ TikTok videos describing the newest… More
Read more...Going deeper: Why the future of leadership is beneath the surface

Learn why effective leadership requires looking beyond the surface to understand deeper organizational and individual dynamics.
Read more...The Working Future: More Human, Not Less

Viewed in Bain & Company In 2022, you would be hard-pressed to find any major business book, study, or article whose thesis is that the future of the workforce is likely going to fairly indistinguishable from how it existed in the recent past. Experts can get it wrong There has emerged a nearly monolithic thesis… More
Read more...The Power of a Challenger Mindset

Discover how adopting a challenger mindset can lead to remarkable business results by embracing reasonable risks and unconventional approaches.
Read more...The Boss Factor: Making the World a Better Place through Workplace Relationships

Viewed in McKinsey & Company As a growing number of companies reflect on their obligations to society’s betterment beyond their traditional focus on providing desirable products and services at a profit, they need not look far from home. “Because of the connection between happiness at work and overall life satisfaction, improving employee happiness could make… More
Read more...Inclusive cultures have healthier and happier workers

Viewed in BCG Boston Consulting Group (BCG), currently the world’s second largest management consulting firm, takes a close look at the ongoing challenge of inclusiveness in work environments in this survey and accompanying article, and it includes some good news: In an age where a sense of inclusiveness is important among employees, the firm’s October… More
Read more...Psychological safety: Digging deep within

Viewed in EgonZehnder Before 1990, the phrase “psychological safety” did not exist in business phraseology. Defining psychological safety In this EgonZehnder article the authors draw its definition from a book, The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety, by business strategist Timothy R. Clark, who defined it as “a condition in which human beings feel included, safe… More
Read more...It’s time for leaders to get real about hybrid

Viewed in McKinsey & Company We most definitely are in era where the idea of “reimagining things” has gained hold. Reimagining That includes, as this report by management consultant giant McKinsey contends, the way we work. There is, as McKinsey documents, historical precedent for these evolutions of this nature. “In the 1800s, the Industrial Revolution… More
Read more...Rethinking the board’s role in strategy, risk and culture

Viewed in Russell Reynolds Associates There seems a singular common denominator running through most business analysis and commentary these days: Business is changing rapidly and hugely, and it will never again be the same. For the most part, it is the global pandemic, which now has taken over four million lives, that is cited as… More
Read more...Agility for the Long Term

Viewed in Heidrick & Struggles It is not particularly common to see over ninety percent of executives agree on anything these days. Need for Agility But such consensus does exist on one perceived business necessity: the need for agility in business management. Heidrick & Struggles, the Chicago-headquartered executive search giant, surveyed executives and found, in… More
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