Strategic Human Resources Briefs

Study after study has found that companies with gender diversity at the leadership level outperform their less inclusive peers. How can we capitalize on such findings? It starts with developing a leadership pipeline—one filled with talented, ambitious women at every stage of the journey. But our latest analysis reveals that the pipeline slows to a trickle the further along the ranks we go.

In this year’s C-Suite Challenge survey, we asked 1,426 C-suite executives for their views on the Organization of the Future through 2025, including what skills will be needed to thrive in 2025 and beyond. The results outline a world of work where skill variety will become critical while organizations are reshaped by new business models.

Why is it that so many companies are ill prepared for the departure of the incumbent CEO, especially if that’s the result of poor performance, ethical issues, death or incapacitation? This article describes seven typical miscues in CEO succession planning, along with suggestions for how improved practices can lead to the preferred outcome: selection of a new CEO who is equipped to address the company’s critical challenges and opportunities and who enjoys the support of the Board.

Progress in the field of D&I is sluggish and often fleeting. To achieve our critical goals for individuals and businesses, we must be willing to question familiar assumptions and re-consider the relevance and effectiveness of today’s best practices.

Employee motivation is more a function of what you do rather than what you say. Your behavior and actions can have a cascading effect on the organization as you lead with your behaviors and show your priorities through your actions.

The stakes for getting D&I right are high, both for organizations and individuals. Unfortunately, many of our familiar D&I ‘best practices’ are inadequate amid ever-evolving demands and complicated contexts. To advance D&I outcomes, we need next practices.

Each day in the U.S., about 10,000 baby boomers retire. On the upside, this exodus opens considerable opportunities for young, rising stars to climb the corporate ladder. At the same time, their rapid advancement highlights the need for company leadership to often re-examine their strategies for developing future leaders.

According to research my company conducted, only 32.5% of America’s workforce is actually satisfied with this aspect of work. It comes as no surprise that several management gurus, including Peter Cappelli and Anna Tavis, advocate for upending the performance review process entirely. Regardless of your perspective, the fact that only three in 10 workers prefer the status quo should capture the attention of every manager looking to attract and retain the best and brightest.