HBR Articles

A group of software developers created agile methodology in the early 2000s with the goal of helping project teams achieve objectives quickly in rapidly changing or unpredictable environments. Many large-scale companies are utilizing agile methodology, but implementation doesn’t always lead to success. This HBR article explores where efforts go awry in high-profile strategic initiatives, and shares three of the mistakes often made that can undermine potentially agile teams from the beginning.

“While many board members have told us they know that digital is essential to keeping current business models viable while developing new revenue streams, they struggle to see how they can best add value,” write McKinsey senior partners Celia Huber, Alex Sukharevsky, and Rodney Zemmel in this HBR article. The complexities of digital plus the speed with which things change have heads spinning, and it’s causing a recalibration of focus for many boards. This article outlines five questions that will ensure boards are focused on the most important digital challenges.

We’d all like to accomplish more goals with less effort. And it is possible – by working effectively, productively, and within our bounds. According to time management expert Elizabeth Grace Saunders, “almost anyone can muster enough gumption for a short burst of high-energy effort. But what about after that initial burst? The key to success at work and in life isn’t really starting strong, it’s staying strong. And one of the keys to having that staying power is the idea of self-regulation.” In this article, Saunders shares practical steps for creating energy staying power.

Swarm intelligence – the way in which decentralized self-organized organisms behave – is one of the reasons why humans are successful at recovering from disruption. It’s been more than a year of learning to adapt when things don’t go well through this pandemic. And we’re still not in the clear. With many unknowns on the horizon, IT leaders need techniques to help their teams stay adaptable and prepare for more change to come.

CEOs and business leaders are facing tough questions about when and how to re-open offices. In this HBR article, Dan Ciampa, former CEO and adviser to boards and chief executives, offers some helpful guidance on how to think through these choices. Decisions made over the next few months “will set the tone for how work will be done in the future, impacting the relationships employees have formed and their emotional connection with the company. They should be made carefully,” Ciampa writes. Download this article for his advice.