A take on what is happening in VW and -by extension- in Germany: "Turning points are brutal for incumbents built on the previous paradigm’s logic", and cost cutting only buys time. shorturl.at/5jGj3. By @rgmcgrath.bsky.social. Note to @surplusmagazin.de

Volkswagen is a case study in what’s wrong with many of our biggest industrial companies

There’s a lot to learn from what’s happening with one of the world’s most consequential employers.

fastcompany.com

On today's episode of the Thought Sparks Podcast, I join @rgmcgrath.bsky.social to talk about our new essay collection, "Leading for Tomorrow", and what skills leaders need to meet the current moment. #ThoughtSparks #RitaMcGrathMedia #LeadingForTomorrow youtube.com/watch?v=HCPy6xhn7rI&authuser=0

Unlocking Human Potential with Rita McGrath and Chris Shipley and Scott Barry Kaufman

YouTube video by Rita McGrath

youtube.com

It's Tax Day, and I'm thinking about competitive advantage. Specifically, the IRS has one of the most durable ones I've ever seen. No disruption, no new entrants, and extremely high switching costs. You have to admire the business model.

Based on the framework of @carlotaperez.bsky.social, @rgmcgrath.bsky.social cleverly outlines the blind spot nobody wants to see in the current debate: the crisis at Hormuz is an opportunity; the spike in oil prices, a market signal. Worth and necessary read. shorturl.at/6B8W1.

Expensive crude oil: An inflation India might benefit from

Iran War: Rattling oil markets and predictions of $150 per barrel are forcing a reevaluation of cheap energy's long-held economic assumptions. This price shock, rather than a catastrophe, could be a n...

shorturl.at

Tickets are now on sale for the Global Peter Drucker Forum, happening November 4 and 5 in Vienna. You can get an early bird discount - and the theme this year is around innovation as the wellspring for growth. onlineregistrations.eu/events/druck...

Power is like a broken volume knob. Everything communicated up is muted. Check out the full conversation with @rgmcgrath.bsky.social on her #podcast, Thought Sparks: lnkd.in/gz4y8sHq

My piece on the end of the billable hour, in the December 15 edition of the Wall Street Journal – as AI can increasingly handle the routine work of professional services in a matter of minutes, how then do we value human judgment, creativity, and relationship management? @wsj.com

Join my conversation with @rgmcgrath.bsky.social on her #podcast, Thought Sparks, where I shed light on how pressure - and not just power - corrupts, and insights into what managers can do about it: lnkd.in/gz4y8sHq

When AI handles routine cognitive work in seconds and minutes, the remaining human contribution shifts toward judgment, creativity and relationship management — the value of which bears little relationship to time expended. Could this be the end of the billable hour? www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-g...

Say Goodbye to the Billable Hour, Thanks to AI

With AI taking over their grunt work, lawyers and other professionals may have to charge for outcomes rather than time spent

wsj.com

"Every company talks about “customer-centricity,” but surveillance pricing reveals the tension between serving customers better and extracting maximum value from them." @rgmcgrath.bsky.social www.fastcompany.com/91451686/dyn...

Why dynamic pricing is becoming the rule, not the exception

Is the era of fixed prices over?

fastcompany.com

Here's some exciting news: a number of my Thought Sparks articles are being released in Spanish in Gestión! Here's the first one: #Gestión #Estrategia #Innovación gestion.com.do/el-hambre-de...

A new tool from the Thought Sparks Podcast - Action Points. Action Points are the shovel-ready strategic insights from my conversations with authors, thought leaders, and industry experts that join me on the Thought Sparks Podcast.

Thought Sparks Form A10007 - Rita McGrath

Rita's thoughts and insights on the industry are shared on her newsletter, Thought Sparks.

ritamcgrath.com

Big news: I’m writing a new book. Over the past few years, I’ve advised C-suite leaders facing unprecedented levels of change. The most urgent question they’re asking? How do we build organizations that can adapt—fast? Coming October 13, 2026. #Permissionless #Unbossed #Strategy #Innovation

💡30 years ago, we introduced a radical idea: plan to learn, not to be right. Today, that idea - Discovery-Driven Growth - is more relevant than ever. In the mid-90s, the internet was just emerging, and traditional competitive advantages were starting to erode. apnews.com/press-releas...

Discovery-Driven Planning, A Transformative Approach to Managing Uncertainty, Celebrates 30th Anniversary

How Rita McGrath and Ian MacMillan’s revolutionary idea continues to shape strategy in an uncertain world.

apnews.com

What do gunpowder, Pampers diapers, the iPhone, and Julia Child's The Art of French Cooking all have in common? They were massive forces of disruption that changed the way we live, all featured in Scott Anthony's new book "Epic Disruptions".

Epic Disruptions: 11 Innovations That Shaped Our Modern World

Epic Disruptions: 11 Innovations That Shaped Our Modern World [Anthony, Scott D.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Epic Disruptions: 11 Innovations That Shaped Our Modern World

amazon.com

I was sad to learn of the passing of fashion icon Giorgio Armani, who defined professional dressing for a generation. In 2024 I wrote an appreciation for an essay collection about him on the occasion of his 90th birthday, which I've reprinted. The man was a genius. www.linkedin.com/pulse/giorgi...

Giorgio Armani Does Things His Way

In 2024 I wrote this appreciation for a collection of essays about Giorgio Armani on the occasion of his 90th birthday. Those who have singlehandedly spurred an inflection point in human affairs are a...

linkedin.com

I'm thrilled to announce that I'll be joining the MIT Sloan Management Review Editorial Advisory Board! It's an honor to offer guidance to SMR on the state of management, and collaborate with my fellow board members to help highlight the best and brightest in research and practice. #MITSloan

Great piece in Forbes about strategic optionality, citing one of my favorite reminders that "Snow melts from the edges", from my book, Seeing Around Corners. www.forbes.com/councils/for...

Strategic Optionality: How Global Leaders Build Resilience By Design

The real danger isn't moving too quickly, but committing too early to a single path.

forbes.com

In a rapidly changing world, how should firms and leaders approach value creation? We're convening the Management Summit this September 23-24 in Lisbon to explore proven strategies for creating value. Learn more here: www.managementsummit.org

Today's episode of the Thought Sparks Podcast features Frank Rose, a digital anthropologist and senior fellow at the Columbia University School of the Arts. Watch and listen to Frank's episode: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCw0... #ThoughtSparks #ThoughtSparksPodcast #StrategicStorytelling #Persuasion

The Strategic Edge of Storytelling with Rita McGrath and Frank Rose

YouTube video by Rita McGrath

youtube.com

Here's a scoop - you heard it here first, folks. Sylvia Acevedo, one of my personal leadership icons, rocket scientist, former CEO of the Girl Scouts and much more will be joining our September edition of "Leading Strategic Growth and Change," my Columbia Executive Education course.

One of the best lines ever!

Steve Davis ♥️🤍💙 🇺🇲 #TakeBackTheFlag@stevedavis1948.bsky.social · last yr.

ht Betty Davis.

Maybe it's time to understand why, from the 1980s, US productivity went to profits and not to wages. It was the import of cheap consumer goods from China! Will wages have to go up and profits down now? Shouldn't the US specialise in high tech industries and services and pay better?

Congratulations to Armstrong World Industries for making Industry Week's U.S. 50 Best Manufacturing List. It's an impressive achievement - from a growth perspective and to debut in the #2 spot. I'm thrilled to learn that CEO Vic Grizzle has found my research helpful in growing the company.

Armstrong World Industries Targets Stability, Achieves Growth

The Pennsylvania-based maker of ceiling tiles and engineering architectural installations for buildings took a multi-year approach to targeting stability and adaptability, making...

industryweek.com

Today's episode of the Thought Sparks Podcast features Karla Trotman, CEO of ElectroSoft, Inc, the largest Black- and woman-owned electronics contract manufacturer in the United States and author of "Dark, Dirty, Dangerous: Building the Vibrant Future of Manufacturing". 💡 youtu.be/zG6j7AjpLjU?...

The Future of Manufacturing with Rita McGrath and Karla Trotman

YouTube video by Rita McGrath

youtu.be

My guest on the Thought Sparks Podcast next week is Karla Trotman, CEO of ElectroSoft, Inc, the largest Black- and woman-owned electronics contract manufacturer in the United States. Tune in for the episode release at 11 am EST on Tuesday, July 1: linktr.ee/ritamcgrath #ThoughtSparksPodcast

Thanks to @yetvart.bsky.social for this glowing review of Thought Sparks! Published biweekly on Tuesdays, Thought Sparks tie in new and enduring ideas around innovation and strategy with today’s business trends. Find Thought Sparks on Substack: thoughtsparks.substack.com

Live from New York...it's a special edition of the Thought Sparks Podcast featuring Sharon Price John, Build-A-Bear Workshop CEO! Tune into "Thought Sparks Live" here: youtu.be/IjygirZBgcs?... #ThoughtSparks #ThoughtSparksPodcast #leadership #womeninleadership #womeninbusiness #strategy

Unlocking Confidence with Rita McGrath and Sharon Price John

YouTube video by Rita McGrath

youtu.be

As reciprocal tariffs mount and global trade relationships shift, apparel brands are facing an #inflectionpoint. What exactly does this mean?👇 - Once-reliable assumptions about stable pricing, frictionless trade, and predictable costs no longer hold true.

Mergers and acquisitions are an attractive strategy for companies looking to consolidate abnd recalibrate. I spoke with Jessica Binns at Vogue Business about fashion M&A and the uncertainty around US tariffs and supply chain issues. ➡️Read more here: www.voguebusiness.com/story/compan...

The state of fashion M&A in 2025

Deal-making appears to be heating up again as strong players chase growth and scale — while distressed brands become targets in a volatile, high-interest-rate market.

voguebusiness.com