Human Capital Briefs

The ordinarily decisive George Washington was paralyzed by indecision. It was the summer of 1776, and the Continental Army was being routed by the British in New York. Sick from dysentery and smallpox, 20 percent of Washington’s forces were in no condition to fight.

Monday’s Hobby Lobby decision by the United States Supreme Court marks the first time the government has recognized that some for-profit corporations have religious rights. Usually, Supreme Court decisions clarify matters; but in this case, the ruling has thrown commentators into a confused frenzy.

A lot of CEOs are being shown the door. These companies are in trouble, and their boards must select new CEOs under highly charged circumstances. At least some of them are bound to make the mistake we’ve seen so many times: pushing ahead with a sense of urgency around their new CEO selection.

Ties of friendship between corporate directors and CEOs can compromise firms’ integrity, but public disclosure of the ties can make the problem worse. In a study of 56 board members, 46% of those who were asked said they’d be willing to substantially cut R&D if it meant triggering a hefty bonus for the chief executive.

The U.S. Supreme Court today ruled that the government cannot force “closely held” corporations to offer insurance coverage that provides birth control to employees, a stipulation of the Affordable Care Act passed by Congress in 2010.

Working on a team scattered across the globe can be challenging. Sometimes, without the subtle cues you get working face-to-face, you don’t even know a conflict is brewing until it blows up. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

In one of my previous posts, I reflected on the power of storytelling, and how the use of the right story can help describe the important values, beliefs and attitudes of a culture. What is perhaps more difficult and less accessible for most of us is our own cultural story, and how to tell it.

Will Netflix’s shareholders be sorry that they voted to let Reed Hastings carry on as both CEO and chairman? most people assume the right answer is to keep the two roles separate, in the interests of diversity of thinking and proper CEO oversight.

We know we want leaders who are smart, decisive, transformative, and possessed of a singular vision. But there’s an often-overlooked factor that can make the difference between success and failure: a leader’s ability to go far outside the organization to get help in solving problems.