Articles by Linda

Theorists, authors, and speakers offer leadership advice to anyone who will pay attention. Some of it makes sense and helps leaders improve their performance and that of their teams. However, it perpetuates stereotypes just as much and does more harm than good. One body of work criticizes leaders whom they characterize as rigid, dogmatic Vulcans.Read more

In 1990 the most valuable labels were General Motors, Ford, Exxon, and IBM. By 2020, not one of those brands would be among the most valuable. Instead, 30 years later, Apple, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft led the list of most powerful brands by distinguishing their goods, services, and people from the competition. They found waysRead more

        A STELLAR BOARD STARTS WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE WITH THE RIGHT MINDSET In parts of Indonesia, Komodo Dragons make unwelcome and unannounced visits to villages that border their habitat. Even though the giant lizards and humans lived in harmony for generations, contention exists now. Environmentalists have imposed new policies in aRead more

        THE BOARD’S ROLE IN CEO SELECTION Historically, incumbent CEOs anointed their successors, but that all changed in the post Sarbanes-Oxley environment that required the consideration of the entire board. Now the CEO’s job involves preparing one or two strong internal candidates—ensuring leadership continuity and the CEO’s legacy. However, selecting the rightRead more

      WHY DIRECTORS SHOULD CREATE DISRUPTION How often do we hear the clarion cry, “Where was the board?” We hear this when a company experiences a scandal involving the CEO, an economic crisis, a product recall, or unethical practices. Negative headlines and regulatory actions follow, and we expect directors to clean up theRead more