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Don’t Be Distracted by the Trade War. Here’s What Should Inform Your China Strategy Instead.
While U.S.–China trade tensions have drawn intense attention, business leaders who focus too narrowly on tariffs risk missing a deeper, longer-term shift. China’s economic strategy—centered on reducing dependence on foreign firms, building domestic dominance, and translating that into global competitiveness—has quietly and steadily progressed. Its “Made in China 2025” agenda has succeeded in most targeted sectors, creating a domestic profit base and challenging foreign market share. But global competitiveness has lagged in some areas due to limited international leadership experience and structural barriers abroad. For executives, the takeaway is clear: don’t mistake momentary trade flare-ups for the main story. Instead, understand China’s enduring objectives, anticipate continued decoupling pressures, and craft long-range strategies that go beyond policy reaction—diversifying supply chains, stress-testing assumptions, and influencing key regulatory landscapes before the next eruption hits.
What Salespeople Need from Leaders—at Each Stage of Their Careers
Leading a high-performing sales team requires a personalized talent management approach. Salespeople’s needs evolve throughout their careers, and while sales managers often focus on competencies, motivation, and results, they often overlook career stage as a critical fourth dimension. By aligning coaching, development, and retention strategies to career stages, sales leaders can maximize engagement, performance, and long-term success—ensuring a thriving sales force that delivers sustained value.
To Make Your DEI Efforts More Effective, Challenge Outdated Models
The reality of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) today is complex. Research and practical experience reveal that some initiatives have successfully raised awareness of individual biases and systemic barriers, while others have fallen short and in some cases even produced unintended negative consequences. The most widely adopted DEI models to date have often focused on the wrong metrics, relied on siloed and overly general training, and failed to clearly communicate how DEI practices are aligned with specific operational goals and value. Rather than following the growing trend of blanket calls to end DEI initiatives, organizational leaders should take bold action in redefining and refining their DEI models for greater impact and alignment with their organization’s objectives. This means crafting a DEI model that is tailored to their unique context, needs, and strategy.
Setting a Pricing Strategy Amid Ever-Changing Tariffs
It’s risky to rely on raising prices or absorbing costs to generate enough extra profit to cover new tariffs. To succeed during these turbulent times, managers need to broaden their thinking on pricing and roll out new strategies. Regardless of whether tariffs stay, change, or are eliminated, this more robust pricing perspective will lead to new profits and growth.
Corporate Sustainability Is in Crisis. What Should Companies Do Now?
In the near term, it seems reasonable to expect a further unravelling of the corporate sustainability agenda. The U.S. government is swiftly unwinding sustainability commitments, there is pushback against new European reporting requirements, and many companies are already back-pedaling on initiatives. All may not be lost though. There are reasons to believe that several countervailing forces will eventually overturn this clear regression and lead to a renewed emphasis on sustainability, albeit after a messy interregnum which could last several years.
How VCs Can Create a Winning Investment Thesis
Venture capital isn’t about playing the odds—it’s about rewriting them. What does it take to identify startups poised to become market leaders? It often comes down to an investment thesis. This four-step approach, developed through investments in over 40 portfolio companies, can help you craft a winning investment thesis: Identify what you know, identify what you don’t know, outline your core beliefs, and identify the KPIs that justify investment. These four steps and associated best practices are illustrated with a real-world case study from TDK Ventures’ experience investing in the electrical grid industry.
Research: How to Advertise to Distracted Consumers
Advertisers frequently serve mobile pop-up ads customized in real time to users’ activity, physical environment or context. These may include location-based ads keyed to a consumer’s GPS data, as well as techniques such as cross-device ad targeting and programmatic advertising that makes educated guesses about consumer behavior based on a range of data points. Traditional psychology suggests that these approaches will not work in environments where attention is fragmented. According to the theory of dual-task interference (DTI), consumers already juggling online and physical activities, customized online ads would be just another distraction they need to block out. But new research suggests that in today’s world of “augmented reality”, attention may not be a fixed pie. In dynamic, multi-stimulus environments, pop-up ads can work with distraction rather than against it—if they’re placed smartly, tailored to the moment, and congruent with the user’s current experience. And they are reusable—since distracted consumers tire less quickly. For certain types of ads, in fact, a distracted consumer may be the ideal consumer.
Teach AI to Work Like a Member of Your Team
Many companies see little impact from AI tools because generic models don’t align with how teams actually work. At a Fortune 500 retailer, a contracts team struggled to use an off-the-shelf tool until the company mapped their workflow (“work graph”) and fine-tuned the model using reverse mechanistic localization. The result: more accurate outputs, less manual effort, and a 30% boost in throughput. The takeaway for leaders is that context is essential—real productivity gains come from aligning AI with specific team processes. To do so, companies can: 1) start by mapping how work gets done with a work graph, 2) use the work graph to fine to AI tools, and 3) adopt a practice of continuous refinement.
Your Boss Thrives on Chaos. Here’s How to Protect Your Energy.
Some leaders don’t just respond to crises—they thrive in chaos, rushing in to save the day, often from problems they unknowingly created. Meet the “firefighter”—the boss who runs on urgency, constantly pulling their teams into high-stakes battles, rewarding reaction over strategy, and exhausting heroics over efficiency. A firefighter boss’s leadership style has the power to reshape workplace culture in ways that go beyond mere frustration. It has a measurable psychological cost on employees. While their quick-thinking and ability to mobilize teams can be invaluable in emergencies, their leadership style often comes at a steep cost—one that exhausts teams, stifles strategic growth, and fosters a culture of burnout. But there are measures you can take to protect yourself. By shifting what they value, resisting their chaos, and redirecting their energy, you can thrive under their leadership.
When Outside Experts Diagnose Your Problem—and Sell the Solution
Over the past few decades, the professional world has grown more specialized, leading to complex managerial decisions that can leave even the most capable executives feeling overwhelmed. Faced with such uncertainty, we turn to experts. The trouble starts when the same people who diagnose your problem also profit from solving it—a classic case of supplier-induced demand. Because professional services are often highly customized and outcomes aren’t easy to measure, supplier-induced demand can be surprisingly tough to spot. Some guardrails that leaders can put up include: 1) Selectively in-sourcing specialized activities; 2) Strengthening in-house expertise and oversight; 3) Separating diagnosis from implementation; 4) Codifying knowledge and processes; 5) Avoiding symbolic engagements; and 6) Fostering a culture that values restraint.
How to Tell Your Boss They’re Wrong—Tactfully
You’re in a one-on-one with your boss, and they’re outlining a plan that sounds great in theory—but you know it’s going to create chaos in practice. Or maybe you’re in a team meeting, and everyone else is nodding along to an idea that you’re certain will backfire. Pushing back on your boss’s idea without straining your relationship is tricky. How do you raise concerns without looking like you’re resisting change? Is it better to be subtle and ask questions or state your case directly? And how do you make your point without making your boss defensive? Here are strategies to try.
Research: How Tencent Built Trust with Users During a Moment of Upheaval
Trust is fundamental to the success of online platform businesses, especially during crises. When China reopened from its zero-Covid policy in late 2022, Tencent launched a mutual aid platform within WeChat to facilitate the exchange of surplus medication among users, achieving over 1.5 million exchanges. By examining how trust was built in this new platform, researchers found three key mechanisms—verifiability, targetability, and protectability—were crucial for fostering trust of users toward the platform. Features like real-name authentication, targeted interactions, and virtual contact numbers helped users engage confidently. Platforms that effectively build trust can not only retain and engage users but also drive growth and foster brand loyalty.
How to Monetize Volunteer-Driven Platforms
Digital platforms whose original business model heavily depended on volunteers ran into trouble when they tried to scale and monetize their businesses. Cases in point include Huffington Post and Reddit. Three lessons can be gleaned by their experiences and those, such as GitLab, that made the transition much more smoothly: (1) To create a strategy for evolving to the new model, you must first develop a deep understanding of how all elements of operations are geared to volunteers; (2) governance structures must be established early; and (3) successful transitions require mechanisms that balance the needs of volunteers and those of commercial goals.
How the Construction Sector Is Using AI to Cut Waste and Fraud
Artificial Intelligence plays an increasing role in improving efficiency, transparency, and combating corruption in construction procurement. The global construction industry faces challenges like inefficiencies, delays, and corruption, and AI is being applied to address these issues, particularly in the procurement phase. AI can enhance planning, help detect corruption and bid rigging, and improve contractor decision-making. However, these technologies also pose risks, such as enabling collusion and reducing competition, especially for smaller firms lacking access to such tools. Responsible adoption and robust oversight are crucial for ensuring AI enhances fairness and transparency while avoiding new forms of manipulation or exclusion. The key is balancing innovation with integrity in procurement systems.
Research: How “Leisure Crafting” Can Help You Recharge
At the end of a long workweek, most people hope to recharge by vegging out and engaging in passive activities like watching TV or scrolling on their phones. Yet a series of studies argues that there’s a better way to feel refreshed by Monday: “leisure crafting.” Leisure crafting means structuring activities that you already enjoy so that they 1) help you set individual goals, 2) foster social connections, and/or 3) build skills or teach you something. Across six studies, the researchers found that, compared to passive activities, leisure crafting led to boosts in energy, mood, personal well-being, and feelings of purpose. Those who leisure crafted also saw spillover benefits at work, including increased engagement, performance, and creativity. The researchers offer guidance for those interested in incorporating leisure crafting into their spare time.
Want to Use AI as a Career Coach? Use These Prompts.
Traditional career coaching can be expensive and time-consuming. But with the emergence of generative AI platforms such, many job seekers are turning to AI as an accessible, efficient, and personalized alternative, even if they are already lucky enough to have a great human career coach. Whether you need resume help, interview practice, or leadership coaching, gen AI can be your 24/7 career companion and thought partner. This article shows you how you can use gen AI tools for career coaching, with practical prompts and strategies to maximize your experience, learnings, and success.
6 Ways to Deal with Disappointment Strategically
In the wake of disappointment about the leadership roles, pitches, and awards we want but don’t land, we’re often told to roll with the punches and move on. But this advice underestimates the emotional impact we experience, the choices we face, and the potential for learning. Disappointment can hit hard, leading us to shut down or react in ways we later regret. While it’s natural to feel upset, how you handle a setback matters—not just for your growth but also for how you’re perceived. Use six strategies to focus on what’s within your control: 1) Manage your emotions, 2) reassess your expectations, 3) allow for recovery, 4) draw out learning, 5) reboot your confidence, and 6) move forward.
Get Clearer, More Actionable Feedback
As you advance, you’re expected to make decisions with less direction and make sense of the ambiguity around you. More often than not, the responsibility of getting clarity—whether around priorities, expectations, or your and your team’s performance—falls on you. This article offers strategies and scripts you can use to get more specific, tactical direction from your manager. The better you get at translating feedback from abstract to actionable, the more effectively you can deliver results.
How Contracts Can Help Firms Navigate the Uncertainty of Global Tariffs
President Trump’s Executive Order 14098 imposed a 10% tariff on virtually all U.S. imports, fundamentally changing the economics of global commerce. In response to these tariffs, companies have been scrambling to protect their supply chains and profitability, making contract management a critical strategic function. The authors recommend that businesses strengthen their contractual frameworks to navigate the new tariff reality while protecting operations from disruption. This involves updating force majeure clauses, implementing price adjustment mechanisms, diversifying sourcing strategies, and enhancing cost transparency.
Should You Record That Meeting?
Using meeting-recording and transcription features has become standard in many workplaces as we seek to better manage the ever-increasing volume of things we must do and keep track of. Generative AI tools that also create meeting summaries that highlight key themes and assign to-dos are also increasingly common. While these tools can save time and effort, it’s critical for leaders to recognize that they affect the social fabric of meetings—particularly psychological safety and engagement. Over time, these effects can stack up, and leaders who take psychological safety and team dynamics seriously need to give some thought to whether, how, and why to use these tools.
Understanding the Global Macroeconomic Impacts of Trump’s Tariffs
President Trump’s tariff moves have jolted markets and thrust business leaders into deep uncertainty. Developing a better understanding of tariffs’ primary and secondary macroeconomic effects, as well as any plausible long-term consequences, will allow executives to continuously assess the impact on their markets and businesses. With so much in flux, leaders need to ditch rigid plans and instead build flexible, analytical muscle to navigate this turbulent new landscape.
What Is the Office for Today?
Five years into the world’s largest WFH experiment, what have we learned about the benefits and downsides of life without an office? This interview with Jennifer Magnolfi Astill, a leading researcher on the evolution of workspaces and human-machine collaboration, discusses what’s been surprising about this shift, where organizations are going wrong in thinking about RTO mandates, the importance of face-to-face human connection when it comes to innovation, and, in the end, what an office is truly for.
The Tariff Wars Just Upended Your Supply Chain. Here’s How to Adapt.
The huge uncertainties unleashed by President Trump’s tariff war has made business planning almost impossible. To cope, managers need to take stock of the challenges. They should also take steps to better ride out the gyrations and prepare for what may lie beyond them. These steps include: make sure your organizations are prepared with country-of-origin documentation; analyze the feasibility of your manufacturing locations; and rethink the trading blocs in which you do business.
How People Are Really Using Gen AI in 2025
Last year, HBR published a piece on how people are using gen AI. Much has happened over the past 12 months. We now have Custom GPTs—AI tailored for narrower sets of requirements. New kids are on the block, such as DeepSeek and Grok, providing more competition and choice. Millions of ears pricked up as Google debuted their podcast generator, NotebookLM. OpenAI launched many new models (now along with the promise to consolidate them all into one unified interface). Chain-of-thought reasoning, whereby AI sacrifices speed for depth and better answers, came into play. Voice commands now enable more and different interactions, for example, to allow us to use gen AI while driving. And costs have substantially reduced with access broadened over the past twelve hectic months. With all of these changes, we’ve decided to do an updated version of the article based on data from the past year. Here’s what the data shows about how people are using gen AI now.