Among the many challenges organizations face in implementing AI initiatives, most are related to people and processes. While it’s true that organizations face technical barriers such as poor data quality, integration complexity, or infrastructure costs, the…

Organizations that neglect kindness face significant consequences, including employee turnover, absenteeism, eroded trust, poor communication, and customer dissatisfaction. Conversely, workplaces that prioritize kindness see stronger relationships, collaboration…

The process of sunsetting a project is a crucial but often neglected part of project management. Rather than letting projects linger—tying up capital, draining morale, and undermining performance—strategic leaders intentionally close projects. As a leader…

The more successful you become, the more you attract both attention and unsolicited requests to connect. Here are four ways to tell if someone in your network may be taking advantage of you—and if so, how to respond strategically and gracefully: 1) Always…

How CEOs can turn things around before decision-making breaks down and silos take hold.

While the idea of bringing your “whole self” to work is often glorified, it’s a misguided concept for senior leaders. The higher you climb in an organization, the more your personal whims, biases, and blind spots can reverberate across the entire organization…

In times of uncertainty, it’s tempting for organizations to move fast, make workforce cuts first, and explain later. But what looks efficient on paper can backfire in practice. A leader’s job is more than just advocating for their critical employees—they…

Turnarounds often involve drastic changes, from restructuring to layoffs, that can breed a range of emotions in the very workforce you need to execute on the new strategy. How can leaders shift organizational priorities quickly, while also keeping employees…

Innovation is often the gold standard for firms looking to grow profits and become leaders in their industries. But given the steep cost of failure, is a relentless pursuit of innovation always advisable? Or might there be some instances when imitation may…

Researchers conducted an experiment with 1,026 engineers in which participants evaluated a Python code snippet that was purportedly written by another engineer, either with or without AI assistance. The code itself was identical across all conditions—only…

Doug Melville, a former chief diversity officer who now consults on leadership and culture, has spent a career thinking about diversity, equity, and inclusion. In this edition of the HBR Executive Agenda he talks to HBR editor at large Adi Ignatius about…

Adapted from the July-August 2025 edition of the magazine, this round-up features recent research your company needs to know. The findings were pulled from academia, consultancies, and other vetted sources, and include studies on why you should lead with…

Many companies are appointing chief AI officers (CAIOs) to lead their AI initiatives, but this approach often fails, because the role is too broad and misaligned with organizational needs. Instead, successful AI adoption comes from a distributed leadership…

New research finds that, after a fatal school shooting, people shop and dine out less, and they avoid public spaces in the impacted U.S. county. This leads to measurable drops in local spending to the tune of $5.4 million in the six months post-shooting,…

A fast-moving, celebrity-backed brand uses its cultural credibility to push into crowded shelves.

A conversation with the University of Texas’ Andrew Brodsky on improving our online—and offline—interactions.

When you step into the CEO role, the pressure to have all the answers is real. But no one expects you to solve everything overnight. Taking the time to ask the right questions during your first 100 days can help you build a stronger foundation of trust, alignment…

In today’s volatile environment, leaders face high‑stakes decisions amid economic shocks, ethical dilemmas, and public scrutiny. Strong leadership requires more than expertise—it demands everyday courage: consistent, values‑aligned actions taken despite doubt…

Expert advice to help you move forward and upward.

Firms around the world are struggling to adjust their supply chains and operations to the chaotic trade war unleashed by the Trump administration. Some firms have developed a dynamic stress-testing system to assist them. It uses a combination of AI and human…