archiveIndependent Director Insider

A Hands-On Leader with a Clear Mission When you meet Jeffrey Belk, Founder of Innovation Restoration in Charlotte, North Carolina, one thing becomes clear right away — he’s not the kind of business owner who watches from the sidelines. “I’ve always believed that leadership means being involved,” Belk says. “You...

The rapid advancement of generative AI (Gen AI) presents both a tremendous opportunity and a significant challenge for organizations. To fully capitalize on this transformative technology, leaders must prioritize continuous learning and development, ensuring their workforce possesses the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive during workplace transitions. By doing so, leaders will empower employees...

As a large public-company Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO), one of my biggest aha moments happened when I reviewed our company’s self-insured health care plans. It wasn’t just the cost per employee. Or the premiums. Or the year-over-year percentage increases.  It was the sheer cost of this behemoth: Nearly $500M. And significantly more than our company’s combined short- and long-term incentive plans. Every. Single. Year. My take-away: Status quo was far more risky than change. So we dug deeper, created a business case and made...

Unless you married one, talking to a lawyer is never good news. Legal disputes take years to settle, with high labor intensity on the lawyer’s side and time and money intensity on the client side. Lawyers are, we may like it or not, needed, as they help institutions to execute the principles of the...

In September 1956, when I was 10 years old, political turmoil and violence erupted in Ceylon, forcing us to abandon our homeland. Within three weeks of the surge in fighting that filled our streets, my father had packed up our entire belongings in a few suitcases, withdrawn from his law...

We don’t often get a lot of slack, especially early in our careers. With so many people being so quick to write us off, we’ve got to put our best foot forward in any given moment, at any given meeting, on any given day. That often means doing the work...

In the rapidly shifting landscape of global business, effective leadership is not just about vision ,  it’s about adaptability. Today’s CEOs and executives are expected to navigate international markets, build remote-first cultures, and travel frequently to maintain global partnerships. But with business travel costs soaring and logistical complexities multiplying, corporate...

Most leaders think helping slows them down. In reality, it’s the system that compounds their growth faster than anything else.    Growth should feel like progress — adding more customers, generating more revenue, and attracting more people to join the mission. Yet for many leaders it brings a different sensation....

In the digital age, the role of communications is constantly evolving. For Angela Chatzidimitriou, a specialist in the field whose career has spanned politics, public affairs, and technology, communications has become about building ecosystems of influence that deliver measurable results. Chatzidimitriou has dedicated her career to proving that communications, when...

In the fast-changing world of AI tools, two names, among others, stand out for users working on research, writing, and learning tasks: ChatGPT (now powered by GPT-5) and Google’s NotebookLM. Each offers unique strengths, trade-offs, and best use cases. Knowing their differences can help you choose the right tool and...