The Strategic Advantage of Implementing a Junior Advisory Board in Your Organization

In today's dynamic and ever-changing business landscape, fostering a culture of innovation within an organization is imperative. One transformative strategy gaining popularity among leading companies is establishing a junior advisory board, also known as a shadow board. Benefits of a Junior Advisory Board The significance of a junior advisory board lies in its ability to provide fresh…

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What to Consider During Your Annual Evaluation When It Comes to Boardroom Diversity

Boardroom diversity is far from just a hot-button buzzword, and today, it's well understood that diversity is never recommended simply for the sake of "checking a box." The truth is that boardroom diversity brings immense benefits to the CEO, the entire organization, shareholders, and the board itself. For organizations that want to outperform their competitors and have a board operating at its…

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Transition Coaching After Executive Search Placement Increases Success in India

Executive coaching was nearly unheard of in India 15 or so years ago. Today is much different. Now there are thousands of certified executive coaches and multiple ICF chapters engaged in helping executives and their organizations succeed. Indian companies are engaging this skilled cadre of coaches to help nurture and develop leaders ripe for transitioning to senior roles, they are improving…

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A Medical Innovation Factory in the Middle of the Desert

Do surgeons have a God complex? Are doctors stubborn, control freaks?  Sometimes, yes. But it’s not necessarily a bad thing. A surgeon, making life or death decisions during a heart transplant, for example, can see things go terribly wrong in the matter of a millisecond.  Inevitably, the patient wants a supremely confident and competent doctor who is in total control.  It makes sense and it saves…

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3 Strategies to Build Inclusive Teams

If you’ve ever played a team sport like soccer or basketball, you quickly learn that while it is helpful to have an “all-star” player, the best teams leverage the talents of all their players on the field and elevate everyone’s game in order to consistently win. The following are 3 strategies to build inclusive teams: Align on values - focus on what we share (common goals, work ethic,…

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Leadership Interview: Stef du Plessis on Culture & Unwritten Ground Rules

While in Johannesburg, South Africa, I had the opportunity to sit down with a leading global authority on employee engagement and workplace culture, Mr. Stef du Plessis. Stef and I began to dive into the differences between employee engagement and corporate culture. I was interested to understand from his point of view if there was a difference (which we both agreed there was) and if he could…

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How Employee Engagement Drives Customer Satisfaction

Research shows there is a direct correlation between engaged employees and the satisfaction of your customer and ultimately achieving your business outcomes. In other words, employee engagement drives customer satisfaction. Richard Branson says, “Take care of your employees and they will take care of your customers”. Engaged employees are described as being fully immersed in and enthusiastic…

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6 Defining Values of a Leadership Culture

Twelve years after launching culture change consulting services, I am finally sitting down to write about six defining values of a leadership culture. These are factors I’ve learned that define whether an organization can improve their Culture or not. No surprise that all six values rise and fall on leadership. Before I unpack the six values, let me paint the backdrop of how it all began. In…

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Africa Shines in Employee Engagement

Companies in the public and private sectors across the world are faltering when it comes to employee engagement, yet Africa shines. Progress in employee engagement has stalled or is rolling backwards. The significant increases in employee engagement have been partially eroded due to global anxiety and rapid technological advances creating uncertainty about job losses, although Africa’s engagement…

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The Teslatisation of the Boardroom

I am taking a break at Grand Cafe Loos in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. My mind is spinning around as I try to defragment and reorganize the many experiences, images, and memories that have made this such a fascinating year. It's easy to pick out the large, juicy chunks, which have captivated most of us around the globe: political upheaval, geopolitical instability, corporate scandals to name but a…

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Why Corporations Have a Talent Problem

The reason most corporations are broken when it comes to talent acquisition is they are simply looking for the wrong things through the wrong lens. Their hiring models are built for the old economy. They are looking for conformity rather than a non-conformity. They look to protect the status quo rather than disrupt it. They are hiring for the present and not for the future- corporations have a…

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The power of equity

Equity is the currency that makes the world go around. Let me explain this statement in the context of companies using equity capital to grow, scale, and ultimately monetize the business. Companies report equity in the form of paid-in founder capital, investor capital, retained earnings, and converted debt capital, which lenders may own out of a conversion event. The important point is not that…

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5 Ways To Stop Corporate Crazies From Destroying Culture

Like it or not, we are judged by the company we keep. Corporate cultures reflect the quality and character of their workforce, and leaders will ultimately be judged for the leadership and talent choices they make. A primary function of leadership is to steward and guide culture, and when it comes to leadership, crazy is a dangerous thing. So, in today’s column I’ll share some thoughts on how to…

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A Chief What Officer? The Truth About Titles

I have been a Digital Marketer, a Genius, a Business Representative, and a Shift Manager. I have guided through the titles that life has graciously provided me, without a true understanding of what it meant. Now, I find myself in this position again as a Chief Innovation Officer. When people ask me, “what do you do?” I tell them my respective title. When they look at me with a puzzled 'yeah…

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Idle Gossip – No Such Thing

I’ve always recommended avoiding small minds, thinking about small things, in small ways. There is no better example of this type of behavior than those who spread or participate in gossip. At its core, gossip is the highest form of disloyalty, and it is far from innocent or idle. Nothing can claim more tainted reputations, destroyed friendships, and polluted corporate cultures than gossip. Let…

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Principles Over Process

ADVANTAGE STRATEGY Five Paradigm-Shifting Principles Repeatable processes and procedures add great value in stable and predictable times. Those are not the times we live in today or likely in the future. Strategy that works has got to be based on something that proves successful in the unpredictable, fast-moving, and changing times. Principles, not processes and procedures, provide the…

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