In 2023, generative AI became the topic every leader wanted to learn more about. In 2024, many leaders and organizations moved beyond the tactical AI questions to the strategic ones — such as where to reap the most business value while minimizing risk. For example, how can AI help your organization improve key performance indicators? Our No. 3 story offers in-depth, research-based answers. Another example: Who in your organization should be responsible for data science and analytics — the fuel that powers successful AI projects? Thomas H. Davenport and Randy Bean have some prescient advice on that in our No. 1 story.
Looking beyond AI, many of our top 10 stories involve tough culture and people management challenges, like dealing with the informal meetings that happen after formal meetings (No. 2) and getting people to stop self-censoring with company leaders (No. 5). These two stories, by Phillip G. Clampitt and Jim Detert, respectively, truly struck a nerve with readers. At a time of radical change, communication and trust have never been more important.
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As we approach 2025, hybrid work continues to be a complex — and hot-button — topic. Many leaders who are continuous learners have a keen desire to get better at managing people and building engagement within a model that mixes in-office and remote time. But other leaders are dealing with CEOs imposing strict return-to-office mandates. As authors Lynda Gratton and Brian Elliott observe in articles and a video, there’s a wide disconnect between CEO and employee views on this topic.
Much change lies ahead in 2025, in technology and society. MIT SMR will be here to help you solve tough problems with novel, evidence-based lessons from MIT Sloan experts, academics, and innovative practitioners from around the world. Start your quest to be a better leader in the new year with this roundup of our most popular 2024 articles.
#10
Building Culture From the Middle Out
Spencer Harrison and Kristie Rogers
Midlevel leaders are critical to fostering an organizational culture that’s healthy and vibrant.
#9
Video — RTO Mandates: Hard Truths for Leaders
Brian Elliott
In this brief video, learn what the latest research and current examples say about return-to-office mandates — and what leaders can do instead to boost productivity and retain talent.
#8
Eight Essential Interview Questions CEOs Swear By
Adam Bryant
Get beyond job candidates’ pat answers to hiring managers’ standard queries by recasting questions to elicit thoughtful responses.
#7
Seven Truths About Hybrid Work and Productivity
Lynda Gratton
To get the most from hybrid work, leaders should prepare for trade-offs, make expectations clear, and think harder about how productivity is measured.
#6
How Tech Fails Late-Career Workers
Stefan Tams
Managers must make deliberate choices to support older workers’ use of complex technologies.
#5
What You Still Can’t Say at Work
Jim Detert
Most people know what can’t be said in their organization. But leaders can apply these techniques to break through the unwritten rules that make people self-censor.
#4
Return-to-Office Mandates: How to Lose Your Best Performers
Brian Elliott
Your organization’s highest-performing employees want executives to focus on outcomes and accountability, not office badge swipes.
#3
The Future of Strategic Measurement: Enhancing KPIs With AI
Michael Schrage, David Kiron, François Candelon, Shervin Khodabandeh, and Michael Chu
This artificial intelligence and business strategy report looks at how organizations are using AI to evolve their key performance indicators to better align with their strategies and deliver on enterprise goals.
#2
Hard Truths About the Meeting After the Meeting
Phillip G. Clampitt
Leaders must encourage respectful debate during meetings and use related strategies to avoid toxic post-meeting dynamics.
#1
Five Key Trends in AI and Data Science for 2024
Thomas H. Davenport and Randy Bean
These developing issues should be on every leader’s radar screen, data executives say.
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