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Alejandro “Alex” Valladares, a SAM alumnus and former Marshall University chapter president, is making an impact as a Quality & Process Excellence Senior Associate at PwC. His leadership journey shows how SAM involvement prepares students for meaningful careers. Discover how Alex’s story inspires future leaders to pursue excellence and global opportunities.
This week’s roundup tracks how leaders handle scrutiny, culture, retention, and risk in a volatile environment. You will see why Citi is backing a top executive during an ongoing investigation, how psychological safety drives innovation, and what happens when a firm tightens non-compete rules during a rough market patch. We also highlight new research on crisis readiness and a governance probe into alleged diversity data manipulation.
In many organizations, leadership is expected to have all the answers. Managers create strategies, set expectations, and issue instructions that employees are tasked with executing. This top-down approach has long been the standard model, especially in traditional corporate settings. It reinforces the idea that leadership is about control and decision-making, while frontline workers are there to follow direction. While this structure can create a clear chain of command, it also produces blind spots. The people making decisions are often several steps removed from the work itself and may not have the context needed to solve problems effectively.
If you are passionate about ideas, research, and the power of knowledge to shape the future of management, the Knowledge and Publications Committee offers an exciting opportunity to make an impact. This committee is at the heart of SAM’s mission to provide thought leadership, share best practices, and foster innovation among professionals, educators, and students in the management field.
Paramount Skydance is moving fast to translate a complex merger into a simple operating thesis. The company will lean on a reliable drumbeat of live events, a clearer release cadence for films and series, and a heavier use of artificial intelligence to improve development and personalization. The centerpiece is a seven year, multibillion dollar agreement that shifts UFC from a pay per view habit toward a streaming habit inside Paramount+.
This week’s edition tracks how leaders are reshaping strategy through media rights, governance reforms, board appointments, workplace policy, and geopolitics. Paramount’s UFC deal signals a bolder streaming play tied to film output and live sports. McKinsey’s new leadership model aims to cool succession drama. BP’s chair pick links governance directly to execution. Starbucks tightens in-office expectations to reinforce culture. Intel faces Washington scrutiny that blends national security with executive accountability.
In today’s data-rich workplaces, performance metrics are everywhere. Managers track revenue per employee, cost per unit, customer satisfaction scores, and dozens of other indicators meant to guide decisions. These numbers provide clarity and structure in environments that are often fast-paced and uncertain. They offer a snapshot of how things are going and make it easier to set goals and evaluate outcomes. But when numbers begin to dominate the conversation, they can create a false sense of control. Organizations may start optimizing for what is easiest to measure rather than what actually drives long-term success. As a result, what was meant to support performance begins to distort it.
If you have a passion for connecting people, growing networks, and spreading the word about the value of professional engagement, the Membership and Marketing Committee could be your perfect place to serve. This committee plays a critical role in ensuring that the Society for Advancement of Management (SAM) continues to thrive by attracting new members, supporting current members, and creating opportunities for meaningful involvement.
Contributing as a discussant at an academic conference can be one of the most rewarding and sometimes most intimidating roles you will undertake. Whether you are a graduate student stepping into your first session or an early career scholar looking to refine your approach, knowing how to prepare, provide candid yet supportive feedback, and engage attendees in genuine dialogue can transform your impact on the research community.
AT&T CEO John Stankey recently shook the corporate world by declaring the end of traditional workplace loyalty. In a memo responding to employee survey results, he suggested that long term job security, tenure based promotions, and expectations about remote work must change. He framed the employment relationship as increasingly transactional and guided by market realities. The message landed during a period when many companies are rethinking roles because of AI, automation, and shifting customer needs.
This week’s edition looks at how leadership teams are reshaping strategy and structure under pressure from markets, politics, and talent dynamics. You will see why Renault tapped an experienced operator to steer Dacia through a competitive cycle, how BlackRock is pressing state officials to keep pension investing focused on fiduciary duty, and why Milan is pulling finance leaders with tax incentives even as global fundraising cools. We also cover a surge in asset management dealmaking that points to a scale and capability race, plus a rapid flattening of corporate org charts that is changing how managers lead.
In many organizations, motivation is still treated as something external. Employees are pushed to perform through performance bonuses, public recognition, and the threat of poor evaluations or job loss. These methods are rooted in the idea that people will only do their best when they are given a strong enough reason to care. For decades, companies have leaned heavily on reward systems and disciplinary policies to drive results. This model may yield short-term gains, but it often fails to create lasting engagement. Once the reward is earned or the threat removed, motivation tends to fade.
The growth and success of the Society for Advancement of Management depend on strong relationships and strategic partnerships. The Institutional Advancement Committee plays a key role in cultivating these connections, ensuring that SAM has the resources and collaborations it needs to thrive. If you have a talent for building relationships, seeking new opportunities, and championing our mission, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact.
Citigroup finds itself in a classic leadership bind. The bank recruited Andy Sieg in 2023 to accelerate its wealth strategy and simplify a sprawling organization. Since then, Citi has pointed
Alejandro “Alex” Valladares, a SAM alumnus and former Marshall University chapter president, is making an impact as a Quality & Process Excellence Senior Associate at PwC. His leadership journey shows how SAM involvement prepares students for meaningful careers. Discover how Alex’s story inspires future leaders to pursue excellence and global opportunities.
This week’s roundup tracks how leaders handle scrutiny, culture, retention, and risk in a volatile environment. You will see why Citi is backing a top executive during an ongoing investigation, how psychological safety drives innovation, and what happens when a firm tightens non-compete rules during a rough market patch. We also highlight new research on crisis readiness and a governance probe into alleged diversity data manipulation.