Understanding leaders means understanding the world changing around them.
We examine how technology, industry shifts, globalization and organizational change are redefining leadership.
CEO & succession
The New CEO's Dilemma: Move Too Fast and Crash, Move Too Slow and Stall
New CEOs face a paradox: act quickly and risk making wrong decisions with insufficient information; act slowly and risk losing momentum and credibility. Here's how the best navigate the timing trap.
10 min read
CEO & succession
After the Exit: What Successful Founders Do After Stepping Down as CEO
40% of unicorn founders are serial entrepreneurs with 10+ years of experience. When they step back from CEO, they don't disappear—they evolve. Here's how the best founders navigate their post-CEO chapter.
9 min read
CEO & succession
The Art of Coexistence: Why Gradual Founder Transitions Outperform Clean Breaks
Research shows founder succession works best when founders stay involved—but the relationship between exiting founder and new CEO is notoriously difficult. Here's how to make coexistence work.
9 min read
CEO & succession
Why Tech and Healthcare Rarely Pick CFOs for CEO: The Industry-Specific Logic of Leadership Selection
CFO-to-CEO transitions concentrate in financial services, energy, and mature industries—but are rare in technology and healthcare. The pattern reveals deep truths about what different industries need from their leaders.
9 min read
CEO & succession
The CFO Paradox: Why Finance Leaders Who Reach the Top Often Struggle to Drive Growth
CFOs are ascending to CEO roles at record rates—8.4% of Fortune 500 appointments in 2023. Yet only 8% of these transitions produce top-quartile performance. The problem isn't capability—it's mindset.
9 min read
CEO & succession
The CFO-to-CEO Playbook: What Finance Leaders Must Build Before They Can Lead
60% of CFOs aspire to become CEO. 70% believe they're ready. Yet data shows massive capability gaps in three critical areas. Here's the development roadmap that separates successful transitions from failed ones.
9 min read
CEO & succession
The Emotional Minefield: Why 70% of Family Businesses Fail to Reach the Second Generation
Family business succession isn't just a governance challenge—it's an emotional one. With 42% of succession plans remaining informal and 70% of businesses failing to transition, understanding the psychological barriers is critical.
10 min read
CEO & succession
Building the Next Generation: A Systematic Approach to Developing Family Business Successors
Only 30% of family businesses survive to the second generation—but families with structured development programs see dramatically better outcomes. Here's how to build successors, not just identify them.
10 min read
CEO & succession
CEO Tenure Hits 6.8 Years: The Shortest Since 2018 and What HR Must Do
Average CEO tenure dropped from 7.7 to 6.8 years. With 33% of new CEOs now interim appointments, here's how HR leaders should respond.
4 min read