archiveChief Creative Officer Insider

Too many leaders think they need to constantly present themselves as intellectuals or experts. Don’t fall into that trap. Want to see how lonely that path can be? Do a Google image search and look at the portraits of the twenty-eight greatest philosophers, according to Oxford University Press. They’re some of...

Wendy Schmidt and her husband, Eric Schmidt, are both billionaires. Eric, the former CEO of Google, has an estimated net worth of $ 30.2 billion. Together, the couple has donated around $ 2 billion, a significant portion of which has been directed toward environmental causes. This includes a $ 450...

I came from a modest working-class background. My circle of influence was like a flat line that stretched horizontally across my cohort. This made it difficult to advance vertically. Over time, I observed that whenever a meaningful business opportunity or job offer came my way, it originated from a client, mentor, or connector from the upper echelon in my network....

For many executives, customer experience (CX) is often equated with customer service, the operational support involved with customers’ orders, returns and complaints. But CX is far more than a back-office function. It is the strategic thread that ties together brand promise, operational execution and financial performance. And in today’s AI-driven...

Why Boardroom Disputes Matter More Than Ever Corporate governance is under scrutiny from regulators, investors, and the public. Yet inside boardrooms, alignment is increasingly rare. A recent survey of more than 500 senior executives revealed sobering statistics: Only 35% of CEOs and C-suite leaders rated their boards’ effectiveness as good...

Conscious questions are rooted in positive intentionality. Here’s how I see it. Asking questions without (positive) intention leads to a conversation that lacks depth, causing an absence of intimacy in that relationship. Where there’s an absence of intimacy, there’s a shortage of connection, and without connection, we don’t have the...

Eor decades, emotional intelligence (EQ) was hailed as the defining “soft skill” separating good leaders from great ones. Self-awareness, empathy, and the ability to manage relationships were framed as the essential complement to strategy, capital allocation, and execution. But in today’s unpredictable, hyper-accelerated environment, CEOs are beginning to acknowledge that...

The SOL Foundation is reshaping the traditional model of global aid by introducing a radical approach to empowerment. Led by Executive Director Rizwana, this international nonprofit is dedicated to empowering underserved communities through sustainable, dignity-focused solutions. With a growing network of over 30 partners, including a collaboration with the United...

This year, AI went from conversation starter to operational centerpiece. Companies everywhere are chasing faster response times, deeper personalization, and round-the-clock automation.  But the last few months have offered a sobering counterpoint: More AI doesn’t always mean better experiences—for businesses or their customers.  This month, I’m highlighting three real-world stories that reveal...