PJ Neal

Thoughts from a more-than-occasional writer

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Board Recruitment in 2017: What and Where Are the Opportunities? [Directors & Boards]

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    2 min read

    Directors & Boards was founded at a time when corporate governance was entering a period of significant transformation, publishing its first issue barely two years after the Model Business Corporations Act fundamentally redefined the role of the board. No longer was it true that “the business and affairs of a corporation shall be managed by…

  • We Need a More Comprehensive Study of Presidential Pay [Chronicle of Higher Education]

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    1 min read

    Your article, “39 Private-College Leaders Earn More Than $1 Million,” (The Chronicle, December 4) states, “The average pay of private-college leaders, including those who served partial years, was $489,927 in 2014.” That’s a jaw-dropping number. It’s also clearly an inaccurate statement. Read my full letter to the editor of the Chronicle of Higher Education.

  • Creating Sustained Value: Finding and Supporting Long-Term CEOs [Russell Reynolds Associates]

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    2 min read

    When Jeff Bezos founded Amazon as an online bookstore in the mid-1990s, he did so with a clear vision for how he wanted to manage the enterprise. “We believe that a fundamental measure of our success will be the shareholder value we create over the long term,” he wrote to shareholders in 1997. “This value…

  • Indispensable Tensions: Leadership Span and the Science of C-Suite Success [Russell Reynolds Associates]

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    1 min read

    In the astonishing global financial crisis of 2007–2008, thoughtful observers learned an important lesson: Leadership is a vastly consequential force in human affairs, particularly when it goes wrong. Indeed, in a world ruled by large organizations, a small number of CEOs make decisions that have far reaching social and economic consequences, determining the fate of…

  • A Bedrock of Trust [Book Chapter]

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    1 min read

    Leadership must be built upon a bedrock of trust. This need is obvious in combat, when soldiers must trust their officers to make sound judgment and not to risk the lives and safety of their men needlessly or carelessly. In turn, officers must trust their soldiers to do their duty, and to strive to fulfill…

  • A Bedrock of Trust [Strategy Bridge]

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    2 min read

    Leadership must be built upon a bedrock of trust. This need is obvious in combat, when soldiers must trust their officers to make sound judgment and not to risk the lives and safety of their men needlessly or carelessly. In turn, officers must trust their soldiers to do their duty, and to strive to fulfill…

  • Ready. Set. Lead. Preparing New Public Sector Managers to Lead [Harvard Business Publishing]

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    1 min read

    New managers matter. They’re on the front lines with your workforce, your stakeholders, your customers, and your fellow public servants. They have tremendous potential. And some of them will become your organization’s future executives. In tapping these employees for the managerial ranks, your organization is recognizing this. But while you’ll be relying on your new…

  • Armed with Knowledge: The Wartime School at Harvard Business School, 1941 – 1946 [Master’s Thesis]

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    1 min read

    This thesis examines the experiences of the Army and Navy student-officers who attended the six Wartime Schools hosted at Harvard Business School during World War II, and seeks to answer the question, in what ways did the Wartime Schools students engage with, and become part of, the Harvard community? Drawing upon the official University records…

  • Intelligence in Public Literature: The Zhivago Affair: The Kremlin, the CIA, and the Battle Over a Forbidden Book [CIA Studies in Intelligence]

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    2 min read

    Nearly 25 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, memories of the Cold War are beginning to fade in American memory. Bomb shelters built in the shadow of the Cuban Missile Crisis are rusting out across the United States. Russia is rusting out, too, with a GDP today smaller than that of Brazil, and…

  • Front Line Managers as Leaders: Is Your Organization Maximizing Millennial Talent? [Training Industry]

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    1 min read

    Having the right management team, with the right skills and capabilities, is critical to the success of your organization. Your managers are on the front lines with your workforce, customers, competitors and your markets every single day, and their performance is directly tied to your organization’s near-term and long-term success. Today’s strong individual contributors –…

  • New Managers as Leaders: Closing the Skills Gap [SmartBlog on Leadership]

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    1 min read

    Today’s business world is fast-paced and complex. Opportunities emerge quickly (and disappear rapidly), new threats emerge continuously, and globalization opens up new markets that require intimate local knowledge. In this volatile and ever-changing environment, new managers matter. They’re on the front lines with your workforce, your customers, your competitors, and your markets. They have tremendous…

  • Millennial in Training [Workforce]

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    1 min read

    Facebook Inc.’s Mark Zuckerberg is 30. Tech entrepreneur and investor Sean Parker is 35. With that in mind, how old is your next boss — or for that matter, your current boss? Baby boomers are retiring in droves, and Generation X isn’t far behind. Next up in the C­suite: the generation that gave us Zuckerberg…

  • Ready. Set. Lead. Preparing Your New Managers to Lead [Harvard Business Publishing]

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    1 min read

    New managers matter. They’re on the front lines with your workforce, your customers, your competitors, your markets. They have tremendous potential. And some of them will become your organization’s future executives. In tapping these employees for the managerial ranks, your organization is recognizing this. But while you’ll be relying on your new managers to take…

  • From Unique Needs to Modular Platforms: The Future of Military Robotics [US Naval Institute Proceedings]

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    2 min read

    “They are unbound by human limitations. They can remain airborne for long durations, do not require life support systems, do not need to eat or sleep, and they will never say no to a mission.” It’s no wonder political and military leaders are increasingly resting their futures on unmanned systems. From the mature Unmanned Aerial…

  • Enterprise Risk [Tapestry Networks / Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    The Southeast Audit Committee Network first spoke about enterprise risk in October 2005. Some things have changed: the primary source of contention is no longer, as VantagePoint noted then, “finding the best logical home for ERM efforts, be it the audit committee, the full board, or some other committee, such as governance or a special…

  • International Financial Reporting Standards [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    2 min read

    As directors are increasingly aware, over the past several weeks, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has taken initial steps that could begin the process of moving U.S. companies away from reporting financial information in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP) and toward the use of IFRS. On August 27, 2008,…

  • Savoir S’adapter Au Rythme Des Changementes En Periodes de Transformations Rapides [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    2 min read

    Dans le monde entier, de nombreuses sociĂ©tĂ©s subissent le contrecoup de la conjoncture Ă©conomique actuelle et des conditions difficiles qui prĂ©valent sur le marchĂ© du crĂ©dit, sans avoir su prĂ©dire les incidences s’y rattachant, incidences auxquelles elles Ă©taient d’ailleurs fort mal prĂ©parĂ©es. «Bien des fausses rumeurs prĂ©tendent que les sociĂ©tĂ©s canadiennes ne sont pas touchĂ©es»,…

  • Auditor Attestation of Internal Controls: A Canadian Perspective

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    1 min read

    Because independent attestation of the effectiveness of internal controls can provide increased insight into a company, the perception of reduced personal liability, and the addition of a productive source of tension, members of the Canadian Audit Committee Network recommended it on a voluntary basis for Canadian companies that are not subject to mandatory attestation. The…

  • Keeping Pace in Times of Rapid Change [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    Companies around the world are being impacted by current economic and credit market conditions in ways they did not predict and for which they are largely unprepared. “We hear a lot of false stories about how we’re not affected because we’re Canadian,” one audit chair remarked, but members report the contrary. They are being challenged…

  • Litigation Risk and the Audit Committee [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    Given the increasing volatility in the financial markets and the staggering sums now sought by plaintiffs, audit committees must be more committed than ever to diligent oversight and planning for litigation risks to ensure the company’s future well-being. The audit committee has abundant internal and external resources available to it and must make sure it…

  • Driving Maximum Value From the Audit and the External Auditor [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    Members want an open, trusting relationship and a way to sustain that trust and candor over time. Accounting firms also want a good relationship, but want to be sure they can fulfill their statutory obligation to maintain independence. Audit committee chairs face a growing number of challenges in their relationship with the external auditor, but…

  • Tirer Le Meilleur Parti de La Verification et de La Relation Avec Le Verificateur Externe [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    Les membres dĂ©sirent Ă©tablir une relation ouverte basĂ©e sur la confiance et trouver un moyen de cultiver cette confiance et cette franchise au fil du temps. Les cabinets d’experts-comptables veulent Ă©galement dĂ©velopper de bonnes relations, tout en s’assurant qu’ils peuvent satisfaire Ă  leurs obligations rĂ©glementaires en matiĂšre d’indĂ©pendance. Les relations avec le vĂ©rificateur externe posent…

  • Information Technology Governance [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    As the economy enters into a period of potential slowdown, IT spending may not increase as much as it has in the past, but even so, technology market research consultancies predict growth in spending in the 4–6% range. The IT function is clearly of continuing importance. It brings with it many advantages – lower costs,…

  • Commentary on the Governance of Sustainability [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    During research for the November 2007 issue of InSights, it became clear that there is a high level of interest in the governance of sustainability on both sides of the Atlantic. Members of both networks are interested in what emerging best practice looks like on their own side of the ocean and on the other…

  • The Evolution of Internal Audit [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    Charged with substantial compliance responsibility in recent years, most internal audit departments have deviated from their traditional role as the audit committee’s “eyes and ears.” However, internal audit is now beginning another transformation, evolving toward a more value-added role providing guidance to the audit committee and assistance to the business units. Consequently, the audit committee…

  • La VĂ©rification Interne, Une Fonction En Ă©volution [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    Ayant Ă©tĂ© chargĂ©e de lourdes responsabilitĂ©s en matiĂšre de conformitĂ© au cours des derniĂšres annĂ©es, la fonction vĂ©rification interne de la plupart des entreprises s’est Ă©loignĂ©e de son rĂŽle traditionnel, en vertu duquel elle reprĂ©sentait en quelque sorte les yeux et les oreilles du comitĂ© de vĂ©rification. Or, cette fonction s’engage maintenant dans un nouveau…

  • The Audit Committee’s Role in Major Transactions [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    A major transaction requires participation and hard work from all board members. While audit committee members have a special role to play in reviewing the financial implications of a deal and monitoring post-transaction performance, the burden of oversight must rest with the whole board. With the support of independent experts, and through proper monitoring before…

  • Navigating Challenging Situations [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    One member closed out our discussion by sharing the maxim “Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment.” Although navigating challenging situations is difficult, it can improve directors’ confidence in their ability to handle adversity and frequently leads to changes that improve future performance. Read the full paper, published by Tapestry Networks and…

  • Savoir Composer Avec Les Situations Difficiles [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    En guise de conclusion Ă  la rĂ©union du RCCV, l’un des membres a rappelĂ© la maxime suivante : «Le bon jugement dĂ©coule de l’expĂ©rience, et l’expĂ©rience repose en bonne partie sur le mauvais jugement.» En dĂ©pit de la difficultĂ© de composer avec des situations difficiles, celles-ci peuvent amener les administrateurs Ă  avoir davantage confiance en…

  • Information Technology Governance [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    For many firms, IT is increasingly becoming “the engine that drives the business,” but the new opportunities IT creates also bring with them new risks. Clear communication and strong relationships must exist to make sure that nothing is overlooked in IT governance efforts. Even though few directors consider themselves IT experts, they can draw on…

  • Information Technology Governance [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    In a world in which “IT is pervasive,” companies are experiencing new opportunities and risks associated with information technology. Clear communication and strong relationships must exist to make sure that there is no governance overlap and that nothing is overlooked. Even though few directors consider themselves IT experts, they can draw on many sources of…

  • La Gouvernance Des Technologies de L’information [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    Dans un monde caractĂ©risĂ© par l’omniprĂ©sence des TI, les entreprises font face aux nouvelles possibilitĂ©s et aux nouveaux risques qui en dĂ©coulent. Des communications claires et des relations solides doivent prĂ©valoir, de façon Ă  favoriser l’élimination des chevauchements en matiĂšre de gouvernance et Ă  faire en sorte qu’aucun aspect ne soit escamotĂ©. Bien que peu…

  • InSights for Audit Committee Members: Priorities for the 2007 Proxy Season [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    Institutional shareholders are more actively seeking to influence corporate governance practices. While this could lead to greater conflict between shareholder and corporate interests, there is no reason to assume that confrontation is inevitable. Leading institutional shareholders have a clear interest in supporting and enhancing the financial strength of the corporations in which they invest, and…

  • En QuĂȘte D’une Approche Pratique de La Gestion Des Risques [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    «Il y a vingt ans, la gestion des risques ne consistait qu’à trouver un bon courtier d’assurance», a rappelĂ© l’un des membres du RCCV. Les temps ont bien changĂ©, et les processus organisationnels ont subi toute une transformation. DĂ©sormais, les entreprises doivent se doter d’une mĂ©thode de gestion des risques plus systĂ©matique et tenant compte…

  • Risk Management: In Search of a Practical Approach [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    One member noted that 20 years ago, “risk management was [nothing more than] getting a good insurance broker.” Times have changed, and organizational processes have changed too. Companies need to address risk in a more systematic manner, considering changes in risk as well as the interrelationships between risks. The audit committee chair can play a…

  • The Changing Face of the Audit Committee [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    Since the passage of Bill 198 in Canada and Sarbanes-Oxley in the United States, it has become increasingly difficult and, some would say, ever more risky to serve on the audit committee of a public company. However, the audit committee has never been more important, making the commitment of the audit committee chair a crucial…

  • Le Nouveau Visage Du ComitĂ© de VĂ©rification [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    2 min read

    Depuis l’adoption du projet de loi 198, au Canada, et de la loi Sarbanes-Oxley, aux États-Unis, il est devenu de plus en plus difficile et – aux dires de certains – de plus en plus risquĂ© d’exercer le rĂŽle de membre du comitĂ© de vĂ©rification d’une sociĂ©tĂ© ouverte. NĂ©anmoins, le comitĂ© de vĂ©rification est maintenant…

  • L’attestation Des VĂ©rificateurs Sur Le ContrĂŽle Interne – Perspective canadienne [Tapestry Networks and Ernst & Young]

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    1 min read

    Compte tenu qu’une attestation indĂ©pendante de l’efficacitĂ© des contrĂŽles internes permet de mieux juger de la situation d’une sociĂ©tĂ©, de donner l’impression que le niveau de responsabilitĂ© personnelle des membres de la direction et des administrateurs est abaissĂ© ainsi que d’induire dans le processus un niveau de tension accru, de façon productive, les membres du…