Leadership lessons from the military

Explore insights on military leadership, problem solving, and managing through crises.

US Military interviews: International perspectives

Interview - McKinsey Quarterly

Reenergizing an exhausted organization: A conversation with Admiral John Richardson
– The former chief of naval operations suggests strategies for leaders to avoid burnout and prevent pandemic fatigue.
Article

Overcoming pandemic fatigue: How to reenergize organizations for the long run
– Leaders must actively manage the energy of their workforces, cultivate the quality of employee relationships, and demonstrate... a capacity for resilience to recharge their organizations during crises.
Video

A former European defense chief offers leadership lessons for tackling coronavirus
– The former chief of defense of the Netherlands armed forces, Tom Middendorp, describes his approach to crisis management amid... a complex situation like the coronavirus outbreak.
Interview - McKinsey Quarterly

How the British Army’s operations went agile
– Military commanders have had to change the way they operate in the field. Corporate executives should take note.
Interview

How the British Field Army headquarters shifted to agile ways of working
– Facing increasing operational responsibilities, HQ Field Army undertook a massive effort to embrace agile ways of working. Leaders... discuss the journey—and how the pandemic affected their efforts.

Defense industry dynamics

Article

Decarbonizing defense: Imperative and opportunity
– Defense organizations are a major source of carbon emissions. How can they operate more sustainably while preserving mission-critical... capabilities?
Article

Digital: The next horizon for global aerospace and defense
– Digital can help A&D become more resilient, efficient, and innovative. Here’s how.
Report

Seizing the moment: Talent challenges and opportunities in aerospace and defense
– Aerospace and defense companies face tough competition when recruiting talent. How can they reinvigorate the pipeline?
Article

Call to action: How A&D companies can build the workforce of the future
– In light of the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the aerospace and defense sector is reimagining talent management... to boost critical digital skills.

Leading through crisis

Article

Leadership in a crisis: Responding to the coronavirus outbreak and future challenges
– For many executives, the coronavirus pandemic is a crisis unlike any other in recent times. Five leadership practices can help... you respond effectively.
Article

The disaster you could have stopped: Preparing for extraordinary risks
– Ignoring high-consequence, low-likelihood risks can be damaging to an organization, but preparing for everything is impossibly... costly. Here is how leaders can make the right investments.
Survey

Building workforce skills at scale to thrive during—and after—the COVID-19 crisis
– A new survey shows that skill building is becoming common practice, social and emotional skills are in demand, and there’s... a recipe for successful skill transformations.
Article - McKinsey Quarterly

From a room called fear to a room called hope: A leadership agenda for troubled times
– Leaders can make a difference through personal accountability, caring, and “re-onboarding” of all their people.
Article

The toughest leadership test
– CEO microhabits can help leaders seize the moment, stay ahead, and take care of themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read more articles on this topic

Building future skills

Article

Defining the skills citizens will need in the future world of work
– To future-proof citizens’ ability to work, they will require new skills—but which ones? A survey of 18,000 people... in 15 countries suggests those that governments may wish to prioritize.
Article

Unequal America: Ten insights on the state of economic opportunity
– The inaugural McKinsey American Opportunity Survey spotlights Americans’ views on economic opportunity, the obstacles they... face, and the path ahead to create a more inclusive economy.

American perceptions of economic opportunity
The McKinsey American Opportunity Survey spotlights what Americans feel about their current economic standing, their views on... economic opportunity, and the barriers they see standing between themselves and a more inclusive and prosperous future. This interactive represents the views of more than 25,000 US adults surveyed in the spring of 2021.
Report

Unlocking experience-based job progressions for millions of workers
– Millions of US workers without four-year college degrees are unemployed. Novel data analytics reveal opportunities for them to... attain better jobs than they had before the pandemic if there’s action to build a more inclusive economy.
Featured insights

Job Progression Tool: Bringing job insights to the front line
The Job Progression Tool supports job seekers without a four-year college degree move to more resilient, in-demand, higher-wage... occupations.
Article - McKinsey Quarterly

Leadership lessons from the Royal Navy
– This branch of the British armed services consciously fosters cheerfulness and nourishes its collective memory. Business executives... should take note.

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