An Interview with Susan Stern, Founder of Stern Strategy Group Susan Stern shares how she made her dream of an honest, respectful and responsive client services agency a reality. Starting a business is a great endeavor but leading a successful business for nearly 40 years is even better. When Susan founded Stern Strategy Group in…
Business leaders are facing mounting pressure to convert to emissions-lite practices and technologies as part of a global effort to achieve “net zero” carbon emissions by mid-century. Even the U.S. government has deemed climate change an existential national security issue. But is that taking things too far? “The world is not going to end in…
After more than a year of working remotely, many employees are beginning to return to a shared workspace. While that will require some adjustments, most organizations – especially those that were digitally transformed during the lockdown – will be focused on getting employee skills up to speed. While the right skill sets are obviously important, MIT senior…
Now that the pandemic has uprooted old ways of doing business, how do we rebuild and come back stronger? Even before the crisis, digital transformation pioneer and MIT scholar George Westerman was teaching organizational leaders how to drive competitive advantage through technology and how to stay ahead of the digital curve. A rare kind of strategist whose experience…
Last year, more than $332 billion were spent on digital marketing campaigns worldwide, yet few organizations know how to accurately measure their return on that investment. “I’ll let you in on a dirty little secret. Digital ads don’t work nearly as well as their advertisers say they do,” says MIT digital scientist and business analytics expert Sinan Aral, author of…
Climate change will be the defining context for business this decade and beyond. The long-term survival of any organization hinges on their understanding of the climate crisis and their leadership’s commitment to true solutions. Dr. Katharine Wilkinson’s recently published book “All We Can Save: Truth, Courage and Solutions for the Climate Crisis” (One World, September…
The retail industry was trying to adapt to the disruptive effects of online giants like Amazon even before the pandemic took hold. Since then, the impact of the crisis has dramatically changed how people shop and how retailers connect with consumers in a marketplace where conditions are constantly shifting. This new environment presents both challenges and opportunities,…
The COVID-19 pandemic is illuminating some hard truths about workplace cultures, leadership and people management, posing unique challenges to businesses. Fortunately, Stanford University Professor, Jeffrey Pfeffer – a renowned authority on leadership strategy – has a deceptively simple solution: increase profits and improve performance by putting people first. While it may sound counter-intuitive, Pfeffer’s message to leaders in…
The world’s biggest problems – climate change, crumbling infrastructure and declining social services – can seem unsolvable. But, is there a way to finally overcome long-standing obstacles and make meaningful change happen? According to civic innovator and Harvard Business School Professor Mitchell Weiss, governments that adapt the skills, traits and practices of entrepreneurship are better equipped to innovate and…
Even before the pandemic, leaders in almost every sector of business and government were trying to keep up with the demands of an ever-changing digital landscape. That pressure has since been compounded by growing economic, social and political tensions. Such conditions call for the expertise of Linda A. Hill, the Wallace Brett Donham Professor of Business…
In the last two decades, the internet – and its powerful and ubiquitous derivative, social media – has changed our world at such warp speed that it sometimes feels like a runaway train. If ever there were a conductor to slow us down and get us back on track, it’s MIT digital scientist Sinan Aral. Aral’s…
The pandemic has presented companies across the world with distinct workforce challenges. Businesses already operating online have had to quickly staff up to meet increased demand, while those in retail, hospitality and service industries have had to lay off or furlough customer-facing employees due to a lack of demand. And then there are the low-paid “essential workers” who are…
Some organizational leaders, particularly CFOs and COOs, may be surprised to learn that focusing on sustainability can drive long-term growth and yield high returns. But this comes as no surprise to Harvard Business School (HBS) Professor Rebecca Henderson whose new book, “Reimagining Capitalism in a World on Fire” (Public Affairs, April 2020) is continuing to receive high praise around…
The current crisis has people searching for credible leaders who can provide fact-based analyses, realistic forecasts and practical strategies for getting us to the other side of this tragic time. Two distinguished thought leaders currently tackling COVID-19 from their respective fields of expertise are advising organizations through this crisis: With decades of experience, each of…
March is Women’s History Month, and while much energy is focused on remembering great women from the past, we should honor – and actively learn from – great women in the present. These inspirational speakers and advisors at the top of their fields — from health care to virtual reality and addressing climate change —…
What’s your growth strategy for 2020? Not every company can “be like Uber.” Bigger companies are more complex, which makes it more challenging to innovate. But not impossible. Big can be beautiful, says Gary Pisano, renowned Harvard Business School professor and the foremost authority on growth and innovation strategies for large firms and startups. Organizational progress…
The upheaval brought on by the pandemic is requiring many businesses and industries to pivot in response to rapidly changing market behaviors and consumer demands. Successfully changing direction in this kind of environment demands an entrepreneurial mindset, and Harvard Business School Professor Rory McDonald’s recent Harvard Business Review (HBR) article drives that point home. A leading disruptive innovation expert, McDonald advises business…
Ideas – and the actions they trigger – have the power to change the world. It’s a mantra that propels organizations and individuals alike to innovate, push boundaries, and stimulate change and progress. Earlier this year, we shared that several of our clients were nominated for 2019 Thinkers50 Distinguished Achievement Awards for their contributions to the…
