Insights

Agile methodology, created to fast-track software development, is now being used throughout organizations by teams that want to execute projects quickly. But those efforts often don’t pan out, say Babson’s Rob Cross and Alia Crocker and Harvard Law School’s Heidi K. Gardner. Their research reveals that many large agile initiatives not only miss their goals but also cause organizational disruption including staff burnout, the loss of key talent, and infighting among teams.

It takes constant reinvention to make sure our efforts, career paths, and viability as valuable members of organizations, communities, and disciplines continue throughout our career. To better imagine the second half of your career whether it’s in the job you’re currently doing or something new entirely you need to engage in the continuous sharing and re-purposing of your experience, passion, and expertise to create a platform of thought leadership around yourself. By becoming a recognized expert in your chosen domain or discipline you can attract new opportunities and career directions. To do this, the author recommends focusing on five core concepts: 

In the initial stages of your career, one of the most important things you can do is build relationships that will have a significant impact on your life over time. These five relationships can accelerate your path to a promotion, increase your visibility within an organization, and stretch you beyond your comfort zone into the leader you aspire to be.

There's no one "right" approach to leadership, so consider approaching it from the perspective of a coach. Core coaching skills like empathy, curiosity, and listening go hand-in-hand with being a good leader. Below, 10 members of The Forbes Coaches Council explain how managers can lead like coaches.

HR is a critical component of the top talent management process. There are certain areas where HR can be more involved. Eight members of the Forbes Human Resources Council weigh in on how HR teams can approach gaining more visibility into the current management process of top talent.

An African proverb says that if you want to get somewhere fast, go alone, but if you want to go the distance, take a team. We say, why not do both?

Technology has allowed us to do more than ever before and increasingly from the comfort of our home office bubbles, but the journey of creating an exceptional culture is still about teamwork. And teamwork is all about being and feeling connected.

The pandemic has reset almost every business model and has led to newer paradigms in future of work; With virtual working becoming a norm and not an exception, multiple possibilities are emerging, such as companies now having greater access to talent in remote geographies or towns that were not tapped previously. The HR function is also rapidly adapting to this new world and is using digital technology in the process.

The traditional workplace culture is rapidly becoming outdated. Technological advances, employee expectations, and new ways of working and collaborating amid the pandemic have all impacted how we see the workplace and what we expect from it. Companies that still follow the traditional approach are at a critical point and risk losing their employees to companies that adapt to the future.

As an HR leader, it is extremely challenging to keep up with the pace of change—and the emotional stakes have never been higher. Collective burnout has worn down employees and pushed them toward the brink of The Great Resignation. While this period of time is undoubtedly stressful, it’s important to remember that it’s an opportunity to completely reset and create hybrid teams from the ground up that are more resilient; productive; and, ultimately, happier. 

Maybe you don’t know which career will bring you fulfillment, you’re struggling to move on from a terrible past job, or you’re not getting very far in the interview process. Career coaches can help you figure out what you want to do, understand what’s preventing you from advancing in your professional goals, and endure the ups and downs of job hunting. The author presents five reasons you might consider hiring a career coach and five tips on how to choose the right one for you.