One of 25 best Harvard Business School Professor, former Medtronic CEO
Published on April 11, 2022
The most vexing question facing CEOs today is: Should I speak out on public issues? As CEO of Disney for 15 years, Bob Iger was a prominent public figure who was quite outspoken on such issues. When Bob Chapek became his successor in January 2021, Chapek resolved not to take a public position on controversial issues, recognizing that…
Published on January 5, 2022
On Monday, January 3, a jury found Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes guilty of four counts of criminal fraud. She faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for each count. But the real tragedy goes much deeper. Had the company not failed in 2016, it could have caused enormous harm to unsuspecting patients who believed…
Published on November 10, 2021
General Electric Co. GE -0.80% ’s decision to break apart reignites the question of the best structure for business: fit and focused, or diversified. GE, GE -0.80% in its announcement Tuesday to separate into three public companies, follows German engineering giant Siemens AG , chemical conglomerate DowDuPont Inc. and others in shrinking by spinning off divisions or forming separate entities. Other large industrial companies, including Emerson Electric Co. , have made moves…
Published on November 10, 2021
General Electric Co., the company that for more than a century stood as a beacon of U.S. manufacturing might and management prowess, will split into three public companies, drawing the curtain on an era of modern business—the dominance of industrial conglomerates. The decision, announced Tuesday by Chief Executive Larry Culp, ends the myth that GE wielded a…
Published on September 7, 2021
Most employers are having trouble finding enough qualified employees to run their businesses, but the reasons may not be what you think. The shortages are most apparent in the hospitality industry, but in truth they are impacting all industries. There are plenty of people qualified to do the jobs that go unfilled, but they sit…
Published on August 11, 2021
What is more important for your business than the health and safety of your employees and your customers? America is seeing a rapid rise in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths, due to the Delta variant impacting the unvaccinated. The 7-day average for COVID cases is currently over 100,000, with an average of 472 deaths per day. Over…
Published on June 1, 2021
We remember how Jack Welch transformed General Electric during his twenty years at the helm, turning it into the world’s most valuable private corporation with the power of his brilliance and his powerful, dynamic personality. While Welch’s managerial style worked well in the last half of the 20th century, it seems unlikely it would work today…
Published on May 12, 2021
Late last week, Texas and Florida joined Georgia and Arizona in passing laws that restrict voter access to the polls. In response, a wide swath of corporate leaders have voiced their opposition. CEOs are increasingly being called upon to comment publicly on complex policy issues, yet the decision to get personally involved is a difficult one for…
Published on April 19, 2021
A great debate is raging in organizations about whether employees will return to their offices or continue to work remotely once COVID-19 is under control and most people are vaccinated. Gartner’s recent survey finds that about 70% of employees wish to continue some form of remote work. Twitter, Oracle and Google have already given their…
Published on April 12, 2021
Coca-Cola and Delta received blowback from both left and right for their response to Georgia’s new voting law. Engaging on social issues is now part of the CEO job description, but it’s a treacherous path. Big consumer brands like Coca-Cola Co. KO 0.18% and Delta Air Lines Inc. DAL -2.01% for years have positioned themselves as forces for promoting what they see as social good—an…