Leading with others: Embracing a new era of leadership

The landscape of leadership is evolving as newer generations challenge traditional hierarchies. Outdated practices, focused on a top-down power dynamic, have fostered an “us vs. them” mentality, stifling collaboration, slowing innovation, and hindering sustained growth. In response, Future Relevant Organizations are adopting “next practices” that recognize and celebrate contributions, influence,…

Giving back by changing minds

Each year we’ve hosted select non-profit leaders from around the NYC area to share some of what we know about effective leadership. These leaders range from global entities such as the World Bank Group, Global Business Coalition for Education, UNICEF and their Education Cannot Wait initiative. They come from key…

What you don’t know about your employees’ engagement will hurt you

In the dynamic landscape of corporate culture, an engaged workforce isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a necessity for fostering growth and competitive advantage. According to Gallop research, companies with high engagement levels see 17% higher productivity, 20% higher sales, and 21% higher profitability compared to companies with low engagement levels.…

The decisive edge: 5 steps to improve organizational decision making

In a landscape where big and small decisions can have meaningful impacts on an organization’s strategic and cultural direction, building intentional and healthy decision-making habits is essential. What makes for “healthy” habits is determined by the company’s growth stage and current needs. For mid-size companies, the balance between rapid growth…

The Art and Science of Business Simulations: A Catalyst for Effective Leadership

Business simulations are a powerful, yet often overlooked tool in the world of leadership development. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the framework behind business simulations and uncover their potential for shaping dynamic leaders. Business simulations: Powering excellence through practice Imagine a training method that combines the complexity of real-world…

CEO succession: Avoiding the unanticipated Domino Effect

A large financial services company promoted a key leader into the position of CEO. Two of their peers were also vying for the top job. Almost immediately, the other two executives left the company. This created an unexpected leadership vacuum that cascaded within their respective departments, where no one on…

Reimagining relationship banking for small businesses

While small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a vital role in driving economic growth and innovation, they often face unique challenges when dealing with banks. This makes relationship banking crucial to their success. By strengthening their relationship banking models, banks can differentiate themselves from competitors by improving the support they…

What’s the future for retail banking? Hint: it’s digital and brick and mortar 

In today’s rapidly evolving consumer landscape, marked by disruptive innovations and increasing competition, retail banks are facing a pivotal moment. Digital banking is here to stay – but shockingly, so too is its predecessor – branch banking. The traditional role of the branch is evolving, however, and leaders in the…

Better forecasting accuracy is achievable – Here’s how

The ability to accurately forecast results and behaviors has always been fundamental to business success. If a company can predict future outcomes, it will be able to leverage its skills and opportunities to increase revenue and make progress against its goals. Greater predictability leads to more effective budgeting and planning…

Is your organization future relevant? The 6 next practices to get you there

In 1998, Netflix introduced its DVD delivery service, taking the video rental industry onto the web and simplifying the customer experience. Access to the Internet provided a new connection to the customer, streamlining video rental services through a more centralized distribution strategy and reducing the need for store front business…

Develop a staying, growing, thriving culture

In a rapidly changing work environment, organisations grapple with retaining quality talent amidst an exhausted workforce, shrinking budgets, and an uncertain economy. The desire to stick around is decreasing among employees. According to Gartner, employee attrition averaged around 20% in 2022. The evolving landscape of employment—characterised by a surge in remote…

How risk leadership leads to better, more rational decisions

Dr. Annette Hofmann is a researcher, author, and leading expert in the field of organizational risk. In this interview with Bhavik Modi, Senior Director, BTS, Dr. Hofmann explains how moving beyond a traditional approach to risk and developing risk leadership competence can help companies become more resilient and profitable—and may…

Four simple words to transform how you show up as a leader

As the old adage says (and I quote Marshall Goldsmith), “What got you here won’t get you there.” In other words, later in your career, moving fast and having all the answers is actually detrimental to your executive presence and your ability to motivate and engage others. Let’s unpack this…

Navigating the new dawn of talent strategy: 5 shifts reshaping work

To advance the conversation, we recently facilitated a future-storming session to reimagine the future of work and talent strategy. Future-storming is the process of identifying risks and trends that might affect your business or industry vertical, combining them in new ways, and thinking of solutions to mitigate these risks. The…

Change is a team sport – so every player needs to own it. Here’s how to get everyone involved.

Heraclitus, an ancient Greek philosopher, said that change is natural and constant. Nowhere is this adage more alive than in the business world; the entrepreneur’s origin story is built on change. Recently, Frontier Airlines enacted a change by removing its customer service phone number. This leaves customers to find solutions through digital channels.…

A new generation of work(ers)

Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Zers are different from previous generations. Unafraid to speak up or break long-established taboos, a Gen Z team member might leave the office at 17.00 (five o’clock) sharp because they have football practice, even if there is more work to do. They might also…

Think again. Training your way to culture change?

The answer may not be obvious at first. Here are a few ways we see companies taking on culture change, often under the guise of a different name: Adopting and socializing a new customer-first go-to-market strategy Shifting from working heads-down in silos to formal, cross-functional collaboration Turning the tide to…

Being charismatic… (when you’re not charismatic)

Whether you love or hate the term, it represents an important quality for leaders – the ability to show up in a way that engages others, aligns and motivates them, and that ultimately can rally them to get things done. When working with leaders who are self-identified introverts, they often…

Do You really have to “fake it ‘til you make it”?

In challenging times, organizations need their leaders to step up and drive results. When it comes to making that happen, just about every leader gets feedback that they have valuable strengths, as well as areas of opportunity where they could improve. For most leaders, your strengths come rather easily. However,…

Informing leadership selection with assessments

A multinational, multibillion-dollar manufacturing company with 30+ subsidiaries was facing several imminent retirements at the C-level. Each case required a decision: promote, move, or hire. The organization had a strong “promote from within” culture and talent strategy and sought to accommodate the retirements by either elevating current employees to new…