Leaders Are Burning Out: Stop Fixing People and Start Fixing the System
Burnout has moved from an individual flaw to a systemic crisis, with 91% of UK adults reporting high pressure and 77% of leaders showing exhaustion. Continuous digital connectivity and accelerating complexity have turned episodic peaks into relentless strain, exposing a leadership capacity gap that resilience programs can’t close. HR leaders are urged to stop offering band‑aid wellbeing fixes and instead redesign work structures, decision‑making processes, and recovery norms. The article argues that sustainable performance depends on systemic change, not personal coping mechanisms.
The Psychology of a Hiring Manager: How They Really Make Decisions
The post argues that hiring managers rely more on emotion than data when choosing candidates. First impressions, likability, gut instincts, mirroring, and perceived risk dominate the interview process, often before the final questions are asked. Unconscious bias further skews decisions,...
Stop Calling Yourself "CEO"
The article argues that using "CEO" as a blanket title, especially in solo‑founder or tiny startups, creates a misleading picture of a company’s structure and governance. It contrasts the legal and operational responsibilities of a Managing Director with the strategic,...
Cost Centre Trap
Learning and development (L&D) teams are often labeled cost centres because they are measured by activity‑based metrics such as course completions and hours delivered, not by business outcomes. This perception arises from a reactive role that treats L&D as a...
The Multifamily Operations Daily Huddle: The Responsibility of Visible Leadership
The article argues that regional managers in multifamily housing must be physically present on the property before daily debriefs, not merely after. Visible leadership—walking units, reading resident feedback, and joining leasing teams during peak hours—creates real‑time operational intelligence that dashboards...
EXCLUSIVE: New Film Independent President Juan Devis on His Story – and the Next Chapter
Film Independent announced veteran media executive Juan Devis as its new president, succeeding the late Josh Welsh. Devis, who grew up in Colombia and previously led KCET’s content and production unit, outlined a vision to evolve the nonprofit from a...
Why Can't They Just...? Revisited
The article revisits the perennial "why can’t they just…" question that surfaces across engineers, managers and senior leaders, using AI tool mandates as a case study. It argues that such questions often overlook deep legal, tax, strategic and cultural constraints...
The Cost of Being Right
The article argues that organizational culture is forged not by what leaders say, but by what they tolerate. Small, repeated lapses—such as ignoring interruptions, keeping underperformers, or excusing high‑performers’ bad behavior—solidify into lasting norms. Modern leadership’s emphasis on empathy and...
Field Notes From Transform 2026: What Leaders Are Figuring Out About AI
At Transform 2026, HR leaders confronted the gap between AI hype and day‑to‑day execution, asking what concrete changes their teams should make this week. The conference highlighted that “AI fluency” is often a vague mandate without clear expectations, leaving managers...
If Your COO Feels Like Support, It’s a Mistake
The article argues that positioning a COO as a support function undermines the role’s purpose. When a COO is seen as an assistant, authority becomes vague, decisions stall, and the CEO remains the bottleneck. A properly empowered COO owns end‑to‑end...
The Situation Room Is Boiling Over—And Trump Is Getting Burned
Donald Trump’s relationship with his own military leadership has deteriorated to the point where senior generals are reportedly barring him from the Situation Room during critical operations. In a recent Daily Beast podcast, analyst David Rothkopf described the president as...
What Are the Advantages of a Senior Management Development Program?
Senior management development programs combine case studies, simulations, role‑plays and networking to fast‑track experienced professionals into executive roles. They sharpen leadership, strategic thinking, communication and decision‑making skills through immersive, peer‑driven learning. Participants also gain access to alumni and industry‑leader networks...
Staffing Shortage: How Districts Are Responding
The Intelligence Council released a decision playbook on staffing shortages in U.S. school districts. Research of 37 districts shows the issue is a structural mismatch, not merely a hiring problem. Persistent vacancies degrade operating models, forcing leaders into trade‑offs. The...
I Extracted 27 Mental Models From One Munger Interview
Charlie Munger’s 2022 Singleton Prize interview was dissected into 27 actionable mental models, each reframed as a practical framework for investors and leaders. The models range from betting on structural edges and questioning conventions to concentrating capital on a few...
Meta Isn’t Laying Off 8,000 People. It’s Converting Them Into GPUs
Meta announced a cut of roughly 8,000 employees, about 10% of its workforce, framing the move as a conversion rather than a traditional layoff. The payroll savings—estimated at $2.26 billion annually—are earmarked for a massive GPU purchase, enough for roughly 70,000...
Probat Names Ryan Dodd North American CEO
Probat Group appointed Ryan Dodd as CEO of its North American operations, effective April 20, succeeding Ellen Nielsen who moves to CFO to oversee a Dallas‑centered consolidation. The restructuring merges the former Lincolnshire, Illinois plant, Bauermeister USA’s Memphis operation, and AC Horn’s...
Chesnara Makes Sue-Ann Ind Group CRO
Chesnara, the European life‑and‑pensions consolidator, appointed Sue‑Ann Ind as its group chief risk officer, effective 1 September 2026. Ind arrives after eight years as group CRO and executive director at International Financial Group and more than six years leading risk and...
CEOs of JetBlue, Warby Parker, IBM, and More Share Their Vision for the Future Workplace
At the Semafor World Economy summit, CEOs from JetBlue, Warby Parker, IBM, US Steel and others outlined how they are reshaping recruitment, AI adoption and workplace culture. They stressed hiring for values, proactive attitudes and behavioral traits rather than traditional...
Erik Sandersen Appointed New CEO of Norfund
Erik Sandersen, a 25‑year finance veteran, has been appointed chief executive officer of Norfund, Norway’s development investment fund, effective 1 July. Sandersen, who has led Norfund’s financial inclusion department for a decade, will oversee the fund’s three mandates: the original development...
Leadership Unplugged: Beate Hjeltnes, CEO of Norwex
Beate Hjeltnes, after nearly three decades with Norwex, stepped into the CEO role in May 2025. Drawing on a finance‑and‑audit background, she emphasizes a people‑first, sustainability‑driven leadership style. Under her watch Norwex launched a clean‑beauty skincare line, completed a post‑COVID...
Focus That Delivers: Setting Quarterly Priorities That Actually Move The Business
Leaders who adopt quarterly planning can convert vague ambitions into a handful of high‑impact priorities that drive measurable results. By starting each quarter with a clear business focus, breaking goals into weekly actions, and aligning teams through shared dashboards, organizations...
How to Build the Presence That Gets You Sponsored
Mariana Entiño’s third article in the Executive Communication series explains why high‑quality work alone rarely earns a promotion. She distinguishes sponsorship—senior leaders publicly championing a name—from mentorship, and shows that sponsors need concrete evidence of performance and presence. The piece...
Why Your First Five Hires Make or Break Startup Execution
The article argues that a startup’s first five hires are far more than extra headcount—they form the execution architecture that will dictate decision flow, ownership, and scaling potential. Once these hires arrive, the founder’s sole control gives way to a...
Radical Honesty Isn’t a Policy. It’s a Habit.
The essay argues that radical honesty should be treated as a daily habit, not a formal policy, illustrating the point with personal stories of a lying boat captain and a compulsive liar. It credits Netflix’s early culture—shaped by co‑founder Reed...
What Leaders Could Learn From the NFL Draft
The NFL draft illustrates how elite teams prioritize long‑term upside over immediate roster gaps. By selecting prospects who can peak in three years, they invest in development rather than short‑term fixes. This mindset translates to business, where leaders should assess...
The VinePair Podcast: What Can Bev Alc Learn From Fast Food?
The VinePair Podcast explores how beverage‑alcohol brands can learn from recent fast‑food setbacks, especially Wendy’s sales decline tied to an inexperienced CEO. While legacy chains struggle, fast‑casual concepts like Taco Bell and Raising Cane’s are expanding. Hosts argue that deep...
The No Excuses for a Day Challenge with Sam Silverstein
Sam Silverstein, founder of the Accountability Institute, introduced the “No Excuses for a Day” challenge on Amazing Business Radio, urging individuals and organizations to spend a full day without making excuses. The discussion highlighted how a no‑excuse culture, driven from...
5 Questions That Unleash Humility
The article presents a five‑question framework to cultivate humility in leaders, emphasizing curiosity, gratitude, and openness to alternative views. It argues that humility drives continuous learning, better decision‑making, and stronger team dynamics. By turning abstract virtues into concrete prompts, the...
🚨 A Rare Opening
Executive coach Parin announces that a long‑standing partnership with a CEO will end in July, creating a single coaching slot available in August. The opening targets leaders navigating high‑growth or high‑stakes transitions who want a proactive, pressure‑free sounding board. Parin...
Top 12: The Most-Read Myers Reports From March 2026
The Myers Report released its "Top 12" most‑read articles for March 2026, highlighting a systemic shift in business priorities. Across the pieces, empathy emerges as a core infrastructure tied to margin and trust, while integration is trumping pure innovation as the...
The ITSM Industry’s Repeating Failure Pattern
Paul Wilkinson’s ABC cards have, for two decades, highlighted a single persistent ITSM failure: IT teams sprinting toward a launched rocket while clutching outdated tools, symbolizing a lack of business‑impact awareness. Survey data from 2021 and again in 2025 shows...
John Ternus Has Left Big Shoes to Fill
Apple announced that longtime CEO John Ternus will step down after a 15‑year tenure. Under his leadership, device shipments rose from 2.5 bn to 4.5 bn, while services now account for over 40% of AI‑related revenue. The company faces mounting pressure to...
Why Your Team Lacks Accountability (and How to Fix It)
The post argues that team accountability is a systemic issue, not a personal trait, and that managers often create dependency by micromanaging. It explains how over‑helping erodes ownership and outlines a four‑step framework—explicit ownership, redirecting questions, resisting rescue, and using...
How Can We Make AI Accountability Something Systems Can Actually Do?
AffectLog was founded to bridge the gap between high‑level AI ethics frameworks and the day‑to‑day reality of EdTech deployments. The startup delivers a federated, privacy‑preserving risk‑analytics suite that computes compliance against more than 300 regulatory constraints, including the EU AI...
Capability / Function / Department
Executive leaders often redesign org charts before understanding the firm’s true mechanics, confusing capabilities, functions and departments. The article argues that a capability—an integrated mix of people, processes, technology and data—should be the DNA of any organization, while functions act...
What Makes Retail Leadership Excel
Retail leadership can make or break department‑store fortunes. The article contrasts the collapse of Saks Global, driven by Richard Baker’s missteps, with the sustained success of Bloomingdale’s under Marvin Traub, Michael Gould, and now Tony Spring. Traub’s visionary branding, Gould’s...
Letter #327: John Ternus (2024)
John Ternus, Apple’s incoming chief executive, addressed the Penn Engineering Class of 2024 in a commencement speech that blended personal anecdotes with forward‑looking advice. He highlighted the importance of meticulous engineering, humility, and lifelong learning while underscoring Apple’s carbon‑neutral operations...
That Was Tim, This Is Ternus: Some First Thoughts on Apple’s CEO Transition
Apple announced that Tim Cook will step down as CEO in July 2026, moving to an executive chairman role focused on government relations. John Ternus, the long‑time hardware chief, will assume the CEO seat, gaining a four‑month mentorship runway with...
Hold De Meo
Luca de Meo, Kering’s newly appointed CEO, unveiled an aggressive turnaround plan aimed at doubling the group’s operating margin within the next few years. The strategy leans heavily on supply‑chain discipline, borrowing just‑in‑time principles from fast‑fashion leader Zara. De Meo’s team toured...
How HR Can Lead the Charge in Building an Amazing Culture — And Why Most Organizations Are Getting It Wrong
Ian Khan argues that culture is the invisible operating system that drives every decision and must be treated as a strategic asset, not a peripheral HR project. Drawing on interviews with 500+ C‑suite leaders and his Future Readiness Score (FRS),...
‘Community Letter From Tim’
Apple announced that CEO Tim Cook will step down in September 2026 to become executive chairman, while longtime hardware chief John Ternus will assume the CEO role. Cook’s transition marks the end of a 15‑year tenure that saw the iPhone, services,...
Tim Cook to Exit as Apple CEO, Replaced by John Ternus ↦
Apple announced that Tim Cook will become executive chairman of the board, while John Ternus, senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, will assume the chief executive role on September 1, 2026. The board approved the transition unanimously, emphasizing a deliberate succession plan....
Stop Deciding $400k Career Moves in the Shower
Senior executives often spend weeks agonizing over counter‑offers, yet gain no new insight. The blog argues that the root cause is a missing decision framework, not ambiguous information. It outlines five common mistakes—unweighted pros‑cons, ignoring the status‑quo, over‑focusing on pay,...
Pfizer at a Crossroads: Leadership, Strategy, and the Risk of a Narrative Cliff
Pfizer’s post‑COVID era is marked by falling legacy sales, looming patent expirations on drugs such as Eliquis and Prevnar, and a $43 billion Seagen acquisition that has yet to coalesce into a clear growth narrative. While the company boasts a broad...
Ford CEO Farley Says Tesla Is Not Who to Look at for EV Expertise
Ford CEO Jim Farley told listeners on the Rapid Response podcast that American automakers should look to Chinese rivals, not Tesla, for the next wave of affordable electric vehicles. He highlighted BYD’s cost structure and manufacturing expertise as the benchmark...
A New Funding Cycle Is Resetting District Strategy
The U.S. Education Department and Labor launched FY26 SEED and Charter grant competitions, signaling a shift of federal education dollars toward state‑controlled, workforce‑oriented outcomes. North Carolina’s governor proposed a $397 million teacher‑pay package that would raise starting salaries 13% and increase...
A Terror To The Wicked
In this essay, the author revisits C.S. Lewis’s 1940 piece “The Necessity of Chivalry” to argue that true leadership requires a blend of martial sternness and courteous meekness. He links Lewis’s knightly ideal to recent controversial statements by former President...
“VUCA on Steroids”: Why Your ‘Front Office’ Needs a Culture Reset, Not Just AI
The article argues that front‑office transformation starts with culture, not AI, emphasizing leadership vision and a customer‑first mindset. It calls for integrating marketing, sales and service into a unified, intelligence‑led growth engine rather than isolated cost centers. Buchanan of EY...
Teaching Law Leadership – Upcoming Program
The Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Section on Leadership is hosting a live webinar titled "Revisiting the Teaching of Lawyer Leadership: Empirics, Skills, and Values" on April 29, 2024. The hour‑long Zoom session, moderated by the section’s former chair,...
@RonanFarrow and @AndrewMarantz: Sam Altman May Control Our Future—Can He Be Trusted?
Ronan Farrow and Andrew Marantz examine Sam Altman's stewardship of OpenAI, drawing on internal documents and over 100 interviews. The investigation highlights a tension between Altman's public framing as a guardian of humanity’s most powerful technology and internal accusations of...