Human Capital Briefs

CEO succession is an inherently bumpy process. Even when the outgoing leader has performed well and seems ready to retire, the transfer of power is fraught with sensitivities. It’s hard for anyone who thrives in the all-consuming job of a CEO to hand over the reins.

Coca-Cola is one of the many companies that are making efforts to tackle the world’s greatest societal challenges. Muhtar Kent, the Chairman of the Board and CEO of Coca-Cola since 2009, talks about how the beverage company is imbedding sustainability into its business.

Companies like Zappos do a great service with their HR innovations, but that doesn’t mean you should simply copy them. HR and organization leaders should use them to pose good questions and have smart discussions.

No area of the business world is more illogically gender imbalanced than law firms. Law firms who want to hold onto their female recruits can do so – but they need to behave differently.

In delivering research briefings around the world, I am always struck by how many of our issues remain the same. The one issue that is the most frequent and the most daunting seems to be that of developing leaders.

Although narcissists tend not to care about the societal benefits of pro-environmental activities, their attitudes change if their “green” behaviors are likely to be seen and admired by others.

I’ve asked Chris Worley, colleague and co-author of our new book, The Agility Factor, to write about his seven year study of agility. His response follows.

Let’s say you are growing geographically and are struggling to hire enough people who align with your culture and expectations. At GE, we have created mid-career leadership programs as one answer to these challenges.

Jill Abramson is out at The New York Times, and the circumstances of her departure have lots of observers feeling all flavors of depressed, angry, and tired. We’ve seen this movie before.

The Walmart bribery scandal is one of the most closely-watched cases of alleged malfeasance by a global company. The piece, which won a Pulitzer Prize for reporter David Barstow, raised a host of personal accountability and corporate governance issues for the company.