INSEAD Knowledge

What do drinking clubs, trade secrets and airline innovation have in common? They're all at the heart of the latest INSEAD Insights. From how business drinking culture distorts financial data in China, to how stronger IP protection unlocks bolder innovation – this month's picks are full of surprising findings: Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/egPXByfK

#Leadership rarely breaks down because of #strategy – it’s the everyday human behaviours that quietly undermine teams.   INSEAD's Manfred Kets de Vries highlights seven patterns that show up again and again in executive teams: • Needing to win every discussion • Taking credit that isn’t theirs • Avoiding responsibility when things go wrong • “Yes but” thinking that shuts ideas down • Withholding information to stay in control • Not listening deeply • Being inconsistent, leaving teams guessing The message is simple: these behaviours don’t make leaders bad – they make them human. What matters is recognising them and choosing to do better. Click the link to read the full article and explore how leaders can break these patterns: https://lnkd.in/gr8Pnb4f #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveTeams #OrganisationalCulture

What does it mean to be a good leader in the modern workplace? Today's leaders are expected to be everything, everywhere, all at once – balancing big-picture strategy with administrative demands, hitting performance targets and mentoring junior employees. It's a challenge that resonates at every level, whether you’re a new manager or a seasoned CEO. INSEAD faculty share advice to help leaders meet the moment.

Trade wars. AI disruption. Geopolitical fractures. Climate pressure. The pace of change has never been faster. However, research from INSEAD, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Heidrick & Struggles shows most boards are still not thinking far enough ahead. Only 10% of directors believe major trends will materially impact their company's financials. That's a governance risk hiding in plain sight. INSEAD's Ron Soonieus outlines seven practical steps for boards to catch up: https://lnkd.in/edMjmDcU #CorporateGovernance #BoardLeadership #Disruption

Energy security is at the top of everyone's agenda, and the pressure to transition has never been more urgent. INSEAD's Atalay Atasu offers a timely reminder that real sustainability breakthroughs aren't just about better technology. They're about entirely new business models. #Sustainability #EnergyTransition #Innovation

Most businesses think they understand their customers. Research by INSEAD's Rupali Kaul and her co-authors suggests otherwise. In a field experiment with 274 small businesses in #Rwanda, the researchers found that simply asking customers for feedback AND acting on it increased monthly revenues by 62% and profits by 54.5%. What's more:  - Customers who were asked for feedback spent 27% more and recalled the business at a 19.9% higher rate than unsurveyed customers. - Unsurveyed customers spent 77.4% more and showed a 38.2% higher recall rate compared to customers at businesses that didn't ask for feedback. - More feedback isn't always better: Firms that surveyed 70% of customers didn't significantly outperform those who surveyed just 30%.  - Even established businesses have blind spots: These firms had been operating for roughly a decade, and yet a simple feedback system still moved the needle significantly. Before you invest in complex marketing strategies or promotions, ask yourself: When did you last ask your customers what they think, and actually do something about it? #CustomerFeedback #Marketing #Entrepreneurship https://lnkd.in/erkad2zw

The more #AI help you give learners, the less they actually learn. INSEAD's Stefanos Poulidis and his co-authors Hamsa Bastani and Osbert Bastani ran a 12-week chess training experiment with 200+ students. The only difference between two groups? One could request AI hints whenever they wanted. The result was striking: the on-demand group improved just 30% vs. 64% for those who had to struggle through key moments on their own. Even more telling, students knew they were over-relying on AI and did it anyway. Read the full article to find out why productive struggle matters more than ever in the age of AI, and what it means for how we design learning systems at work and in education: https://lnkd.in/en8U-WYk #Learning #FutureOfWork #EdTech #AIinEducation

In these troubling times, leaders could be forgiven for feeling fearful about when the next crises is going to erupt. The best way to respond? Build two essential foundations: a cohesive organisation and a moral compass, says INSEAD's Alexandra Roulet. Read Roulet's advice about how leaders should tackle fear, based on a discussion she and Heidi K. Gardner of Harvard Law School hosted at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in #Davos. https://lnkd.in/eTikQb45

When employees retire, you don't just lose expertise – you lose vast relationship networks built over decades. The solution? Start #retirement planning early and keep communication channels open. Listen to the full podcast here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dGKMzNnA #TalentManagement #BusinessContinuity

#Coaching isn't #mentoring. It's not advice, guidance, or someone else's experience handed down to you. It's a partnership – one that helps you find the answers you already have. Listen to the full podcast with INSEAD's Derek Deasy and Enoch Li here: https://lnkd.in/g-sP5ggT