The Archive

Every issue of Exec Edge, from day one. Sharp thinking for leaders, one idea at a time.

78 issues published

Do this before your next senior hire

40% of senior external hires stumble in their first 18 months, not from skill gaps, but unclear expectations. Here's a 5-part operating agreement to fix that.

4 min read

A scoring rule for hard decisions

The most confident person in the room usually wins the argument, right or wrong. Here's a 3-step scoring rule to make your team's hardest calls fairer and smarter.

4 min read

Why capital projects deliver 56% below forecast

Lidl burned seven years and €500M on a project that never worked. Here are the 4 questions that catch bad capital bets before the money's spent.

4 min read

Clean data beats expensive AI

AI forecasting tools promise precision, but they're only as good as your CRM data. Here's what AI can fix, what it can't, and where to focus first.

4 min read

What to say when someone resigns

One resignation can trigger a wave of departures. We break down the exact words to use in the first 15 minutes—and the follow-up that keeps your team from following suit.

3 min read

2 minutes before the hard meeting

Feeling unprepared for that tough conversation? Research shows writing one 'if-then' sentence beforehand keeps your thinking sharp when meetings get tense.

3 min read

Only 28% of execs remember their strategy

Only 28% of executives can name their company's top three strategic priorities. Here's a 3-slide framework that fixes strategic alignment in about 90 minutes, using the same approach that worked for Amazon's biggest wins.

3 min read

The script for saying no at work

Tired of saying 'let me check my calendar' when you already know the answer is no? This issue breaks down a research-backed 5-part script for declining workplace requests while keeping relationships intact.

3 min read

The first 30 days decide year two

If you scored every new account at day 30, would you know which ones are going to renew? This issue covers a five-item scorecard to spot at-risk accounts early.

4 min read

How to massively increase your offsite ROI

We've all sat through offsites that felt productive but changed nothing. Here's how to build decision-focused agendas that deliver real results and lasting accountability.

4 min read

Who should own AI on your team?

Someone on your team is already ahead on AI—you just haven't recognized them yet. Discover why the best AI champions aren't in IT and how to build internal advocates.

4 min read

Psychological safety isn't enough

Psychological safety isn't enough. Amy Edmondson shows why teams need high standards too, or they land in comfort zones where hard questions stay quiet. Plus Netflix's fix.

4 min read