His words are chilling in their simplicity: “Oracle, I need two minutes to take a bathroom break … The truth is, we don’t really turn it off. What we do is, we record it, so no one can see it … we won’t listen in, unless there’s a court order.”

As we entered the 2010s, corporate America underwent a seismic shift. The relentless pursuit of efficiency that characterized the 1990s and early 2000s gave way to a new paradigm—one that prioritized purpose and profit. While addressing crucial issues of employee burnout and societal expectations, this transformation inadvertently set in motion a chain of events that would profoundly impact data culture and leadership across organizations.

In a recent entrepreneurship lecture, a student shared a familiar sentiment: the “energy” from her company had waned over the past 15 years, and she missed the “spark” of the early years. She was worried she might have to leave to find it again. This reflection opened up a broader conversation about personal and organizational growth, and how to navigate the crossroads we often face in our careers.

In business (and in life), we often misuse the word failure—in fact, we overuse it. Mischaracterizing failure can profoundly impact individual motivation, team dynamics, and organizational culture. As we'll explore, what we often label as failure is actually a crucial part of the learning and evolution process.

At first glance, asking “why” seems like the simplest thing in the world. It's often one of the first words children learn; we associate it with curiosity and learning. In professional settings, we're often encouraged to “ask why” to get to the root of problems or to uncover deeper insights. But as with many seemingly simple concepts, the act of asking “why” effectively is far more complex than it appears.

In personal development and innovation management, we often encounter the concept of “Shoshin” or Beginner’s Mind. Originating from Zen Buddhism, this concept encourages us to approach situations with openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions, even when studying at an advanced level [1]. It seems straightforward: approach each problem with fresh eyes. However, as I've observed in my research, clients, and grad students, there's a significant gap between understanding this concept and successfully implementing it in real-world scenarios.

In entrepreneurship, the genesis of a startup often lies in personal experience. This approach, while powerful, is a double-edged sword that demands careful consideration. Let's dissect this method's benefits and potential pitfalls, drawing insights from seminal works like Geoffrey Moore's Crossing the Chasm and applying a rigorous analytical framework to the idea generation process.

Forum posts in graduate programs offer an opportunity to develop professional communication skills. This post explores how to approach these assignments strategically, focusing on long-term skill development.

The insurance industry is experiencing a digital revolution. As customer expectations evolve and new technologies emerge, insurers are under increasing pressure to undergo digital transformation. However, legacy systems and outdated processes present significant hurdles for many companies. This blog post will explore the challenges of digital transformation in insurance, highlighting real-world cases and offering strategies to overcome common obstacles.