Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images A CEO recently posed a question to me that’s been keeping executives awake: “If my junior analyst can get the same AI-generated insights as my senior strategist, why am I paying for expertise?” It’s not hyperbole to say that we’re witnessing an unprecedented democratization of knowledge. Information that was…
Zoom etiquette. Inclusion practices. Vacation policies. Politics. These are the types of workplace conversations that can ignite heated arguments among employees, says Steven L. Franconeri, a professor of management and organizations (courtesy) at the Kellogg School who studies how people can have smarter and calmer disagreements. He has a theory about why emotionally charged disagreements…
Return-to-office mandates are often touted as the best way to rebuild corporate culture, but they are frequently a top-down directive that in practice can have the opposite effect. Bringing teams together in person in tactical ways, though, is still important. When done right, in-office time together can strengthen team bonds and boost morale. In this…
Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images Corporations are rushing to invest in artificial intelligence. But corporatewide AI policies alone can’t transform work, according to our recent research. For AI efforts to pay off, executives must set clear guardrails while enabling teams to write the rules that make tool adoption real. Only then will AI deliver…
Patrick George/Ikon Image The Research The authors conducted in-depth case studies of five companies that are recognized as global innovation leaders actively pursuing ambitious sustainability objectives in a range of industries. As part of this work, coauthor Ernesto Ciorra shared his firsthand experiences as the former chief innovation and sustainability officer at Enel, one of…
Cisco is well known for its data, networking, security, and collaboration products. On today’s episode of the Me, Myself, and AI podcast, Cisco’s president and chief product officer, Jeetu Patel, joins host Sam Ransbotham for a discussion about artificial intelligence, a “megatrend” Jeetu sees as perhaps more significant than the development of the internet or…
Tania Yakunova/Ikon Images A North Carolina engineering company slashed its waste to near-zero levels thanks to the active involvement and support of its employees. An Indiana consulting firm pioneered eco-friendly business practices, driven by the commitment and engagement of its employees. In Rhode Island, a local coffee shop enhanced its sustainability practices from bean to…
Scary as it is, it’s important for leaders to try new—and unproven—things. “Everyone falls. Great leaders get up and start running again,” says Sanjay Khosla, an executive coach and adjunct professor at Kellogg. In this episode of The Insightful Leader: clinging to comfort yields diminishing returns. We hear how three leaders broke the habit. Podcast…
Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images Picture this: You’re rappelling down the side of a burning building. Flames are everywhere. People are shouting for help. You look up to see who’s holding the rope — who’s keeping you from falling hundreds of feet to the concrete sidewalk below — and it’s … you, yourself! Feeling…
Marie Montocchio/Ikon Images Workplace developments like hybrid working and artificial intelligence have brought a cascade of sometimes destabilizing changes that many people have struggled to keep up with. Such changes can leave employees feeling as if the rug has been pulled out from under them. How can leaders stop change from undermining workers’ morale and…