2017
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According to some dire and sensational headlines, many people will likely soon find themselves in the unemployment line, while a relative of a Roomba moves in to their office, taking over their job. Few topics have created so much fear, uncertainty and doubt in the workplace as recent developments in robotics and artificial intelligence. As…
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Specialists, Caretakers, and Chameleons: The C-Suite in 2021 [Russell Reynolds Associates]
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2 min read
It’s a challenging time for corporations. The first years of the twenty-first century have seen a period of rapid technological innovation, an explosion of entrepreneurial activity, and globalization on an unparalleled pace. Nations have experienced unexpected political upheavals. Markets have shifted and changed. So have the employees we lead. And executive teams have never looked…
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Uniquely Human: Talent Implications of Technological Disruption in the Workforce [Russell Reynolds Associates]
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1 min read
Few changes in the world have created more uncertainty in the workplace than the recent, seemingly sudden advancements in automation and artificial intelligence. The media headlines can be dire: Vikram Pandit, previously the head of Citigroup, has predicted that technology will eliminate up to 30 percent of banking jobs in the next five years. A…
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Artificial Intelligence: A Primer for Corporate Directors [Russell Reynolds Associates]
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1 min read
The term “artificial intelligence” has become part of common parlance – used casually in business publications and corner offices – but it often lacks definition. What does it really mean? Contrary to popular belief, it’s not synonymous with a takeover by an army of robots, nor does it equate to an endless dialogue with Siri…
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Leading a Legacy: How Outsiders Thrive as Family Business CEOs [Russell Reynolds Associates]
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2 min read
When Guy Laurence lost his job as CEO of Rogers Communications in October 2016, it quickly became the subject of newspaper headlines and evening news reports. Hired in December 2013 to run the family-owned Canadian business, Laurence was a successful, experienced executive. Previously the CEO of Vodafone UK, he came to Rogers with seemingly all…
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Jennifer Weber, chief human resources officer (CHRO) for Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has all the qualifications you might expect from a top-level HR executive – and then some. Before joining Lowe’s in 2016, Weber was executive vice president of external affairs and strategic policy for Duke Energy Corp.; a position she took after 20 years as…
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Career Crossroads: The Talent Migration from Finance to Tech [Russell Reynolds Associates and the Toigo Foundation]
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2 min read
By all accounts, the career paths of today’s professionals are dramatically different from the generations prior. Shorter tenures, an expectation of freedom and flexibility in work arrangements, a desire for tighter alignment between personal values and an employer’s mission are clear and defining differences of today’s workforce. But there’s more to the story around employment…
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De-risking Your Next GC Appointment: The Five Key Personality Factors for Success in the Role [Corporate Counsel]
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2 min read
Rapid technological change, rising globalization, and an increasingly intense and far-reaching regulatory environment continue to disrupt business models and impact organizations. The associated enterprise risks—including vulnerability to cyber assaults, a patchwork of privacy and anti-corruption mandates, and an infinite variety of industry-specific regulation—have elevated the role of the corporate general counsel (GC) in virtually every…
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When Leaders Are Hired for Talent but Fired for Not Fitting In [Harvard Business Review]
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2 min read
Over and over again, organizations are unable to appoint the right leaders. According to academic estimates, the baseline for effective corporate leadership is merely 30%, while in politics, approval ratings oscillate between 25% and 40%. In America, 75% of employees report that their direct line manager is the worst part of their job, and 65%…
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Over the last few decades, organizations have slowly transitioned from promoting employees based solely on technical ability to recognizing the critical importance of soft skills. No longer does the best accounting become the finance director; now it goes to a solid performer who can also manage stakeholders, develop employees, and communicate in an engaging manner.…
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What we want from our CEOs changes with every economic boom and bust. In the late ’90s it was the “vision thing.” After the tech bubble burst, it was a focus on growth at all costs. In the shadow of the global financial crisis, we wanted leaders who were comfortable with cost cutting and capital…
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The U.S. Naval Institute on Mentorship [Book]
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2 min read
Naval service is an apprenticed profession. Experienced sailors mentor their younger shipmates, passing down their hard-earned knowledge and skills, and working side-by-side with the next generation of sailors. This new addition to the Wheel Book series includes some of the best writing on mentoring in the sea services from the past 100 years, offering guidance…
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Inside the Mind of the Asian CEO [HQAsia]
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1 min read
Why do some people become CEOs and others don’t? Why do some Chief Executive Officers thrive while others fail? What separates an outstanding leader from an average one? For several years, our teams at Russell Reynolds Associates and Hogan Assessments have sought to understand the differences between average and best-in-class leaders at all levels in…