Beware the business school case study: The cautionary tale of Southwest Airlines
Content originally appeared in Fast Company. Southwest Airlines CEO Herb Kelleher in 1990. [Photo: Pam Francis/Liaison/Getty Images] via Fast Company The venerable business case study method got its start in […]
When Leadership Becomes Unlimited: Lessons from 25 Years Leading Through Crisis
Only one in four employees is fully engaged at work—a staggering indictment of our current leadership models that represents a massive hemorrhage of human potential. Jose Marcilla, Novartis executive and […]
It’s Not Content, It’s Choice Architecture
Despite a widespread and pervasive pro-innovation bias (if it’s new and improved, it must be good, right?), every so often a moment comes along that causes quite a lot of […]
It’s Not Content, It’s Choice Architecture
What the science of decision making highlights about how digital innovations are changing our world, and more insights from the first month of 2026. Despite a widespread and pervasive pro-innovation bias (if it’s new and improved, it must […]
2026: What we’re watching (when we’re not thinking about AI)
2026 Yearoking Forward Newsletter Most predictions are wrong. But it’s still important to pay attention to the weak signals of change. Here are five topics I’m watching in 2026. What today’s great leaders really do […]
2026: What we’re watching (when we’re not thinking about AI)
Most predictions are wrong. But it’s still important to pay attention to the weak signals of change. Here are five topics I’m watching in 2026. Thanks for reading Thought Sparks! […]
The Turning Point: Why 2025 Gave Us Reason for Both Hope and Worry
As we close out another turbulent year, I find myself returning to the work of economic historian Carlota Perez, whose framework for understanding technological revolutions offers perhaps the clearest lens […]
The Turning Point: Why 2025 Gave Us Reason for Both Hope and Worry
The Turning Point: Why 2025 Gave Us Reason for Both Hope and Worry As we close out another turbulent year, I find myself returning to the work of economic historian Carlota Perez, […]
AI, Meet the Billable Hour Business Model
On December 4, 2025, I published a short article in the Wall Street Journal entitled “Say Goodbye to the Billable Hour, Thanks to AI.” Who knew I’d be kicking up […]
AI, Meet the Billable Hour Business Model
On December 4, 2025, I published a short article in the Wall Street Journal entitled “Say Goodbye to the Billable Hour, Thanks to AI.” Who knew I’d be kicking up […]
Malls Destroyed Urban Centers – Now We Want Human Connections Back
It’s easy to forget that once upon a time, the modern shopping mall was considered revolutionary. All these fabulous stores in one place! A climate-controlled environment – no getting wet, freezing or panting in the heat! Plenty […]
Kraft Heinz’s Breakup: The End of Mass Produced Food?
It was a mega-merger of iconic brands, supported by no less a genius than Warren Buffett. It was supposed to unlock value for investors and rethink how food would be […]
Americans Are Pretty Smug About Tech Leadership. They Shouldn’t Be.
America stands at a dangerous crossroads in the global race for green technology supremacy. While European nations surge ahead with coordinated multi-trillion dollar investments and China dominates manufacturing with record-breaking […]
The Gen Z Crisis
The Gen Z Crisis Generation Z – born between 1997 and 2012 – are preparing for college, entering the workforce, and are at the beginning of their professional and educational […]
The Great Productivity Paradox: Why We Measure Everything Except What Makes Life Worth Living
Since the days of Adam Smith, we have credited rising living standards with an improvement in productivity, typically manufacturing productivity. But as we are on the cusp of a revolution […]
Why you would have a strategic edge if you’d attended “Leading Strategic Growth and Change” in the 90’s
It’s fun to reflect on how my course “Leading Strategic Growth and Change” has evolved over the years. I first took over as the Faculty Director for the course in […]
The Merger Mirage: The Triumph of Hope over Experience
Synergy. Market expansion. Gaining share. Cost savings. Diversification. Talent acquisition. Owning a unique asset. Moving into a high-growth sector. These and many more reasons have often propelled companies into one […]
High-quality service jobs and the advent of a new golden age?
As MIT’s Zeynep Ton has pointed out, the U.S. suffers from a deluge of bad jobs, many in the service sector. While some suggest trying to revive manufacturing as the […]
The Digital Deception Economy: How Bot Farms Distort Social Signals
In a digital environment, sentiment has become currency. How customers, investors, and the public feel about your content directly affects performance metrics, from revenues to reputation to stock price. But […]
Have business books jumped the shark? The “peak book” hypothesis
Publishing a book used to be a rite of passage for would-be pundits, experts, speakers and more. Books once provided credibility, presence in the market and an audience for new […]