The 10 biggest risks facing companies today underscore an important reality about preparing for the next crisis—the nature of the risks that can trigger a crisis are always subject to change.

The top threat that is now confronting companies is disinformation that is often driven by polarized political agendas, according to the latest quarterly Reputation Risk Index that was conducted by the Global Risk Advisory Council. Compare that risk to the Council’s Index for the first quarter of the year, in which the misuse of AI was the top-ranked threat.

Micromanagement gets a really bad rap. The word itself makes team members cringe and leaders bristle. But what if I told you not all micromanagement is bad? In fact, when done right, it’s not about control; it’s about clarity.

I have a fresh take on micromanagement for you: it’s all about improving your micromanagement of outcomes, not individuals. This approach isn’t about hovering over someone’s shoulder and scrutinizing every little detail. It’s more about being dialed in to what truly matters—vision, expectations, communication, and feedback. When a leader is clear, present, and informed, teams thrive. When a leader checks out, confusion follows.

Unlock potential, drive innovation, and shape the future. What separates a leader who merely manages from one who truly inspires? Today’s leaders must do more than oversee operations: they need to ignite passion, cultivate innovation and drive meaningful change.

Transformational leadership coaching is a powerful tool that helps leaders develop the mindset, skills and strategies to lead with vision, purpose and authenticity. Whether you are an aspiring leader or an established executive, embracing transformational coaching can redefine your impact and unlock untapped potential in you and your team.

Charles O’Reilly started his career in the military and probably would have stayed there but for one major problem: “I wanted more control over my life.” Although he was ambitious, O’Reilly prioritized the freedom to pursue his interests over any status or impact he might achieve as an officer. He left the Army to pursue an academic career, trading external markers of success for the possibility of meeting his own intrinsic goals. Now a professor of organizational behavior in Stanford Graduate School of Business, O’Reilly argues that those motivations and trade-offs matter.

Steve Jobs often talked about different traits that lead to success, if only because he was so often asked. One was being willing to ask for help. Another was taking an unconventional path, and doing things other people typically don’t—or won’t—consider. Another was collecting a wide variety of experiences so you could solve problems in unique ways. But the Apple co-founder reserved special attention for perseverance

Let’s be honest: people don’t quit jobs—they leave bad managers. According to Gallup’s State of the American Manager report, only 1 in 10 people have the natural talent to manage others effectively. This means that most people work under managers - not leaders, and it shows. It’s fair to say the good ones are rare, and when you work for one - you can feel it.So the question becomes, ‘How do you know when you’re working for a real leader?’ Here are some signs that you’ve struck gold.

When we talk about our personality, many of us treat it as a fixed, unchanging part of us. But the truth is our personality can evolve and often does, even without us deliberately trying. For example, many of us are more open to new experiences and willing to take more risks when we’re younger, and we become more content and less reactive to stress as we age. Our personality can also be changed with deliberate effort—not a shocking notion to anyone who’s been in therapy.

Leadership isn’t about the title on your business card or the corner office you occupy. It’s about the influence you have, the connections you build, and the positive change you inspire in others. This is where the concept of leadership as a soft skill comes into play. Soft skills—like empathy, communication, and adaptability—are the human elements that enable leaders to connect authentically and lead effectively. Embracing leadership as a soft skill means focusing on these interpersonal abilities to foster genuine relationships and drive a meaningful impact within your team.

A fun thing for my wife to do sometimes is to catch me zoning out, and then ask what random thing I was thinking about without realizing it. Now, a new study published by HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus says there might be much more going on when you daydream or zone out than you realize.

‘Entirely possible’

Writing in the journal Nature, Janelia Group Leader Marius Pachitariu, who holds a Ph.D. in computational neuroscience, and coauthors say they performed experiments in which they tracked the brains of mice during different kinds of experiments.

Some days, it can feel like your spirit is slowly being chipped away. You second-guess your instincts, overthink your emails, and start bracing yourself before every meeting. When you’re working under an authoritarian boss, even simple tasks can become emotionally exhausting. Their need to control, criticise, and micromanage can drain your energy and cloud your sense of purpose or even identity.

In an age that prizes specialization, we’re often encouraged to distill our identities into a singular narrative—your specialization, your personal brand, a streamlined profile that fits neatly into a predefined box. Yet while the world rewards narrow expertise, it simultaneously demands multidimensional thinking. Innovation and resilience don’t emerge from narrowing down; they arise from exploring intersections and embracing contradictions.

Do you have a hard time making big decisions? I certainly do. If a decision seems important, I will typically spend quite a lot of time learning as much as I can, carefully weighing the pros and cons, and figuring out a contingency plan in case I change my mind. And after all that, I might still second-guess myself. If you’re an entrepreneur or business leader, taking too long over big decisions can be a very bad idea. It can mean missed opportunities. Worse, it can leave your team in limbo while they wait for you to make up your mind.

On paper, it seems there’s no reason why Greg has hit a wall in his career. As an executive in a consumer products company, Greg is passionate about the company and its customers. He consistently delivers results, knows the ins and outs of the business, and has a strong executive presence. So why has he not gotten promoted in more than five years? The answer is two simple words: emotional intelligence.

There are many forms of leadership. A customer-focused organization requires a leader who understands the importance of customer experience and, just as important, if not more so, the importance of employee experience. If you’ve ever stayed in a hotel where the experience was excellent, you’re probably experiencing the results of a leader/general manager who understands the importance of both. That’s why, for years, I’ve preached the hospitality mentality. Hotel and restaurant managers know how to motivate employees to deliver an excellent experience.

Change is a constant in leadership, and leading others is a significant responsibility. Having to lead others through change? That’s a whole other level that requires intentionality, humility, and trust. In order to do it well, effective leaders don’t go it alone… they empower other leaders to join them on the journey.

So how can we develop other leaders while experiencing change? I think there are three ways to do it.

Artificial intelligence: it’s not just for tech experts anymore. Instead, a heaping helping of free online resources has emerged. These classes are specifically designed to welcome beginners into the world of AI, even if they possess little or no prior technical background.
I selected these Coursera courses for their beginner-friendly approach, high ratings, and comprehensive coverage of foundational concepts and key AI domains.

You know that moment when someone says the exact wrong thing at the exact wrong time? It’s not just awkward—it’s costly. Because as, communication expert and Exactly What to Say author Phil M. Jones wrote, “The worst time to think about what you’re going to say is in the moment you’re saying it.”
That’s not just about rehearsing the right words. It’s about something deeper: intentionally preparing for the moments that matter most. Jones and I recently spoke about what it really takes to become a more influential communicator, and it starts way before you open your mouth.

Years ago, I went to work for a women-owned and women-led company, whose employees were composed of 80-90% white women. It had a fantastic culture that was all about trust and high expectations, one of the best I had ever seen as a consultant on organizational culture.

And then in 2020, George Floyd was murdered by police in Minneapolis. That event triggered global protests over racism and police brutality. And like many other companies at that time, mine had a reckoning.

We’re facing a career confidence crisis. Work is changing fast, yet many employees feel stuck. At LinkedIn, our data shows workforce confidence has dropped to a five-year low, and only 15% of employees say their manager has supported them with career planning in the past six months.

Managers can play a big role in righting the ship—helping employees build the new skills they need to stay relevant and develop into future leaders. But this requires a fundamental shift: transforming them from task-overseers to coaches developing talent and sparking the best ideas from their teams.

Too many employees know what it’s like to work for a boss who’s more focused on the bottom line than on the people who actually get the work done. Servant leadership turns that all-too-common scenario on its head. It focuses on the needs of employees, customers, and other stakeholders instead of focusing on their own needs. Here’s a secret: Research shows that this leadership style can enhance team performance and satisfaction.