If you're not developing leaders, you'll soon lose them

Leadership development practices are not a "nice to have" feature; they make companies three times more likely to exceed financial targets, 12 times more likely to engage and retain employees, and five times more likely to be more innovative than companies without them, a study from the Josh Bersin Company shows. Bristlecone Chief People Officer Lisa Lesko outlines their signature program that includes six rituals and six critical approaches that made leadership development part of company culture and led to a 15% decrease in attrition.

Put it into practice: Use town halls, peer groups and learning months to embed leadership development practices into your culture, says Bristlecone's Chief People Officer Lisa Lesko. "Once your leadership model and program is solid, people flock to your company for work," Josh Bersin notes.

Marketing adviser Steve McKee looks back at lessons from a 1913 book on advertising to examine its relevance today and finds several hits -- such as the importance of branding and the fact that consumers don't always have sound judgement -- and a few misses. One piece of guidance that hasn't aged well is the idea that "selling is serious" -- and therefore humor has no place in advertising.

Put it into practice: Whether you're trying to sell an idea or a product, fundamental principles will always apply, McKee says. Strive for attention-getting, persuasiveness, reach and frequency.

A consultant's ethical dilemmas at work require tact and a measured reaction that weighs the values of the company, notes Harvard Business School senior lecturer David Fubini, who outlines three awkward situations: a freeloading coworker, an abusive vice president and a deadline met by relying on AI. Fubini offers his verdicts and notes that the answer lies in how the client might view it and potential harm to the company's reputation -- but when in doubt, speak up.

Put it into practice: Turn to the veterans on your team for additional views and ethical guidance, Fubini advises. And let the needs of the client help point the way to the right approach.

Being a CEO can be lonely because they're the only ones with an objective view of the entire business, which means they have the heavy responsibility of "picking the right road," says Penny Pennington, managing partner at Edward Jones. "With the speed of change in the marketplace and in the world, the leadership playbook has shifted, and there are a lot of issues that require difficult decisions," Pennington says.

Pigeons solve problems in a similar way as artificial intelligence, according to a study in the journal IScience. Observing how pigeons categorized different shapes in order to receive a treat, researchers found that birds used a "brute force" method of trial and error and associative learning to improve their performance from 55% to 95% correct in one such task.

The Statistical Review of World Energy, which is compiled by the Energy Institute, offers a comprehensive look at global energy production, consumption, trade and emissions. Energy Institute Chief Executive Nick Wayth joins the show to discuss some of the key takeaways from the most recent edition of the review, including region- and country-specific growth of renewables and how the industry is navigating a 'Triple Crises' spawned by the pandemic and geopolitics. Wayth also looks ahead to share his hopes for what will take place at COP28.

As Steve McKee's experience with a 1913 book of advertising advice reveals, some ideas are timeless, like the power of persuasion. Some advice, however, doesn't age well, like avoiding humor.

It's the same in leadership. We've seen a move from top-down, command-and-control leadership toward more servant-based and egalitarian methods that treat employees as a team, not cogs in a machine.

How have you seen ideas around leadership change over the years? Share your insights!

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