The Six Most Popular Stories of 2024 — So Far

When I interviewed Phillip G. Clampitt in early 2024 about how leaders could better handle employee pushback, I sensed that he had much more wisdom to offer on the topic. One particular pain point we discussed: Leaders often encounter pushback in the form of informal meetings that happen just after formal meetings. It’s akin to sports fans recapping — and critiquing — what a coach did during a game. How can leaders handle this inevitable phenomenon? That question gave birth to MIT SMR’s most popular story of 2024 so far. Read it to get sage advice from Clampitt, a leadership consultant and the John P. Blair Endowed Chair in Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

What else has resonated with our readers? Not surprisingly, sorting through the noise on artificial intelligence, especially AI trends, has been brutal, but Thomas H. Davenport and Randy Bean’s article will help you make sense of the trends that matter. And at a time when too many AI and machine learning projects are failing, Eric Siegel shares advice on how to avoid deployment mistakes by using business metrics wisely.

Without question, leaders are still grappling with the best ways to handle hybrid work, even after the pandemic lessons they learned. I wholeheartedly agree with Brian Elliott’s take on return-to-office mandates (and welcome your comments on this one). Finally, don’t miss Stefan Tams’ advice on how managers can better support a multigenerational workforce.

We hope these six articles provide you with practical, evidence-based advice that you can apply this year and beyond.

#1
Hard Truths About the Meeting After the Meeting

Phillip G. Clampitt

We’ve all experienced the meeting after the meeting — when people have candid conversations about the meeting they just attended. These informal gatherings are inevitable. A key question is how you, as a leader, will participate. These post-meeting discussions produce moments of clarification, grousing, and pushback. The way a leader handles those responses can make the culture more supportive — or toxic. Explore five strategies to transform post-meeting dynamics in a positive way.

#2
Five Key Trends in Data Science and AI for 2024

Thomas H. Davenport and Randy Bean

Thanks to generative AI, artificial intelligence and data science became front-page news in 2023.