Leadership and Business

It seems like every business and industry is experiencing disruption today. Much of the change is driven by technology and data. One field that's being transformed is the world of professional financial planning and investment management. Consumers can now count on technology to guide them in terms of their retirement savings like never before. As a result, the role of the financial advisor is cha...

If you like music, or play the guitar, you know the great guitarists like Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, and The Edge, Jimmy Hendrix, Bonnie Raitt and Stevie Ray Vaughan. In addition to their talent, they have something else in common: The Fender guitar. For years, rockers and other musicians have relied of Fender to help them belt out killer solos and get audiences on their feet. But like always, music...

When you   hear the word "entrepreneurship," you may think of a startup where an individual or team generates a great idea that after multiple steps becomes a business. While many entrepreneurs pursue the startup route, some take another path and look into opportunities available in established businesses. That's what David Hunt did. Years ago, rather than start from scratch, he looked for a busin...

Three out of four companies say diversity and inclusion is a priority. But saying it and doing it effectively are two different things. One organization that's out in front in terms of D&I is EY, also known as Ernst & Young - the multinational professional services firm, and one of the big four accounting firms. For years, EY has been committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce, whil...

Sexual harassment. #metoo. Gender communication in the workplace. However you label it, it's become a topic may companies and organizations have placed on the front burner - especially in the past few months. But of all the work-related issues professionals face, this topic is proving to be challenging. There doesn't seem to be a universal approach to dealing with the issue. Inga Carboni is a prof...

When you think about K-12 education, you might think about academics, homework, athletics, and other education-related topics. But in many respects, public schools and public school districts are much like companies and businesses. Chesterfield County Public Schools, located just outside Richmond, Virginia, is a large school district with over 7,000 employees serving almost 60,000 students. In ord...

As the new year begins, you might spend some time creating lists - lists that include resolutions, goals, and maybe good books to read. That's where this week's podcast comes in. As 2018 kicks off, we spoke to some professors and professional staff members at William & Mary's School of Business and asked them to recommend a book for you and other professionals to read in the new year - a book that...

The end of another year. A good time for reflection. A good time to examine your life and career. In terms of your profession, one question you may want to ask yourself is: "Why?" Why do you do what you do? And is it the right fit. Our guest today encourages other to take time to examine their "why." Quimby Kaizer is a Principle at KPMG. She recently spoke to MBA students at William and Mary about...

The elevator. Certainly not one of the great venues for communication. When most of us are in an elevator, we usually look up, look down, or look at our phones. Having a conversation in an elevator is rare and often uncomfortable. In October, the Wall Street Journal changed that when it launched an online video series that has quickly become popular with viewers and leaders. It's called "In The El...

Some young professionals living outside the United States today see the American M.B.A. - the Masters Degree in Business Administration - as a pathway to a job, and life, in the U.S. Many of those international students enroll in full-time M.B.A. programs where they quit their jobs, leave home, and study full time on campus for two years. International students are important to U.S. business schoo...

When it comes to your life and your career, how are you doing? Would you say you are flourishing? Most people don't use that term to describe their life, career, and mindset. In fact, most of us are chronic evaluators. We spend much of our time judging ourselves, and when we do that, it becomes difficult to flourish. Our guest today helps professionals and students get to a deeper place - to a con...

Millennials, the generation whose members are between the ages of 16 and 38, make up the largest percentage of the population. By 2020, researchers say almost half of all US workers will be Millennials. And while there's no doubt Millennials are here and their impact continues to grow, many organizations and companies struggle to attract and retain members of the generation. One organization that...

Over the past few years, organizations have wrestled with the concept of remote employment - having employees who work from home. Much has been written about the effectiveness of the remote worker, and how to lead a remote - or virtual - team. A recent Gallup study revealed that more Americans are working remotely, yet not all industries and organizations have embraced the concept. As many compani...

What makes an effective CEO effective? For Bill Crawford, CEO of United Bank, it means realizing you don't have to know the answer. Instead, you need to know where to find it. Crawford credits much of his success to the talented people with whom he surrounds himself. He's quick to say he's far from the smartest person in the room. Thanks to his leadership and round-table culture, where everyone's...

It's difficult to reach your goals by yourself. We all need help along the way. The best quarterbacks in football work with quarterback coaches. The best actors have acting coaches. And in business, the best leaders have leadership coaches. At some point in your career, you may decide to work with a leadership coach. It might be your idea, or your employer may make the suggestion. Either way, find...

Sixteen years ago this week, terrorists attacked the United States. Four airliners were hijacked - two of the planes crashed into the north and south towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. Almost three thousand people were killed, six thousand injured. In 2001, Jon Doyle worked at the investment banking firm Sandler O'Neill, whose offices were located on the 104th floor of Tower 2. Six...

Summer is flying by, but there is still time to get to the beach, escape to the mountains, or take a road trip. Whatever you plan to do in the remaining weeks of the summer of 2017, you might want to take a book along to listen to or read during your travels. This week on the podcast, we asked some of the faculty and staff here at Willian & Mary's Raymond a. Mason School of Business what books the...

The summer. For many, the summer months are dedicated to a job search - especially those who have recently graduated from college. But for both rookies and experienced professionals, the job interview is a challenging and stressful part of the equation. Seems as though each interview is somewhat different from the one before. So what's the best way to prepare, and what do employers expect from can...

This week we wrap up our Summer Look Back series where we've been replaying our four most popular episodes from the past twelve months. Today's episode was originally posted in November and features a conversation with Mike Petters, CEO of Huntington Ingalls, America's largest military shipbuilding company. For more than a century, the organization has built more ships in more classes than any oth...

This week we continue with part three of our four-part Summer Look Back Series, where we replay one of our more popular episodes from the past twelve months. Today's episode was originally posted in February featuring a conversation with Robert Gates, author of "A Passion for Leadership: Lessons on Change and Reform from 50 Years of Public Service." In the book, Gates shares his experiences from h...

This week in installment number two in our Summer Look Back Series, we share an episode that was originally posted in March with Robbie Bach. A 22-year Microsoft employee, Bach became Chief Xbox officer in 1999, leading the team that forever changed the gaming industry. He retired from Microsoft in 2010 and later wrote his book "Xbox Revisited." He joined us to discuss his experience with Xbox, th...

This week we start our Summer Look Back Series with an episode that was originally posted last fall with Jennifer DiMotta, who talked with us about the changing landscape of retail, and the way retailers are working to connect with their customers in a variety of ways. DiMotta is Vice President, Digital and Omni Channel for Blue Mercury, a leading luxury beauty retailer. She talked about creating...

Last week we shared the first half of our conversation with leadership coach Margaret Liptay on "managing up." Liptay explained how your relationship with your boss can be more meaningful than the usual supervisor/subordinate relationship. She said when you position the boss as the organizational "parent" you place unnecessary limits on the partnership. This week in the second half of our discussi...

One of the top priorities for many professionals is cultivating a positive relationship with the boss or direct supervisor. Doing so it often referred to as managing up or communicating up. Managing up often entails learning about the boss's habits such as which channel he prefers for communication, or when she prefers to hold weekly meetings. Our guest on the podcast today has a different take on...

Two weeks ago we spoke with Dave Heenan, a successful leader, executive, educator, and author, about this book "Leaving On Top: Graceful Exits For Leaders." We asked him back to talk about another book he wrote, "Hidden Heroes: Finding Success in the Shadows." In the book, Heenan writes about the way society tends to focus on celebrities. But when examining how the real work gets accomplished, Hee...