Leading Edge 120

Learning from Tragedy

Sadly, the top news from last week was filled with natural disasters. But the leadership lessons are strong: poor leadership vastly increased the casualties. One big takeaway, Greg Moran observes, is that highly hierarchical leadership -- such as an autocracy -- often leads to poor decisions, stagnation, and a notable lack of innovation...whether it's in a government or a corporation. Poor leadership can quite literally be a matter of life or death.

Just Got Promoted? Now Quit!

Aired: September 11, 2023
Greg and Maureen respond to a new report of a counter-intuitive trend: as people get promoted, they leave for a different job. Turnover is almost always more expensive than retaining someone on your team, so how do you prevent this trend? Greg shares a few ideas -- including promoting a person BEFORE they ask. Then, they offer kudos to Mexico, where BOTH major party candidates for President are female.

Quiet Cutting

Aired: September 5, 2023
Quiet cutting -- aka quiet firing -- seems like corporate America's passive-aggressive response to workers' quiet quitting. But in reality, it's been around for decades. Greg Moran notes that the name has changed, but historically, companies have used some variation on it whenever they downsized.

Hybrid Work Wins...Again

Aired: August 28, 2023
Another study, and another result showing the work world has permanently changed: hybrid work beat out both work from the office (or RTO or whatever the CEOs are calling it lately) and full-time work from home. Hybrid workers or more engaged, and more in tune with the company mission. Greg Moran and Maureen Metcalf have the details in under two minutes!

Why the Boss Makes Less than You

Aired: August 22, 2023
It's okay to pay your employees more than you. If they bring more value to the company, their higher pay is an investment. On the other hand, it might only seem like you're getting paid less -- Greg Moran points out how the reality for leaders is often different in the long term!

Bud Breaks Its Brand

Aired: August 14, 2023
Is a social divide at fault for Bud Light's recent woes? Only on the surface: the real issue for Budweiser was basic business: they broke their brand promise. It can be done, but with care. Greg Moran gives Maureen Metcalf the details in under two minutes!

Bosses Who Yell

Aired: August 7, 2023
Despite all the research on effective leadership, there are still bosses who think it's okay to be like J. Jonah Jameson -- yelling and losing your temper. But, as Greg Moran points out, your team stops listening when your temper flairs! There are times, though, when raising your voice IS the right thing to do. Learn more in this week's video!

From One Government to Your Business

Aired: July 31, 2023
Last week, Israel's Knesset passed legislation that reduces the power of the country's court system. Underneath the politics, there are important lessons for leaders worldwide, in both government and business: leadership is a joint dance, not a solo performance. As Maureen and Greg point out, in change management, building trust and inspiration are vital for a smooth transition.

When Leaders Come to Fisticuffs

Aired: July 24, 2023
Greg and Maureen react to Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg challenging each other to a cage fight. Whether the do it or not, their back-and-forth about the match reveals a lot about the quality and style of their leadership. And how they behave is how their company culture will behave...

Acting on Affirmative Action

Aired: July 17, 2023
After SCOTUS ruling against affirmative action, Greg Moran & Maureen Metcalf give a two-minute capsule of its effects on businesses. The bottom line: it's time to actively boost diversity in the recruitment pool!