How to Lead When Things Feel Increasingly Out of Control

"For months, she had been fighting fires and chasing one AI update after another, rewriting roadmaps every week as new tools arrived. That same morning, she had stepped out of a call where the CFO confirmed that a restructuring would almost certainly eliminate many of her team members' roles. Minutes later, one of her direct reports had asked her, "Am I going to have a job in six months?""

"Eric Solomon has been working at the intersection of psychology, technology, creativity, culture, and business for nearly 30 years. He has held executive leadership positions for the top technology brands in the world, including YouTube, Spotify, and Instagram. He now heads The Human Operating System, an advisory platform for human-centric business strategies. He's also an adjunct professor at Fordham University's Gabelli School of Business."

"holds Canada Research Chair in Accounting, Decision Making, and Capital Markets and is a professor at Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary. He is incoming editor-in-chief of Anup Srivastava Contemporary Accounting Research, an FT-50 Journal. In over 50 articles in Harvard Business Review and California Management Review, he examines the management implications of digital disruption. He specializes in the valuation and financial reporting challenges of digital companies."

A senior manager at a global technology company burst into tears during a leadership session after prolonged pressure. She had been fighting fires, chasing AI updates, and rewriting roadmaps weekly as new tools arrived. That same morning a CFO call indicated a restructuring would likely eliminate many team roles. A direct report asked, "Am I going to have a job in six months?" The manager could no longer pretend to have answers and the emotions spilled out. Eric Solomon brings nearly 30 years at the intersection of psychology, technology, creativity, culture, and business and leads The Human Operating System while teaching at Fordham. An academic holds Canada Research Chair in Accounting, Decision Making, and Capital Markets at the Haskayne School of Business and researches digital disruption, valuation, and financial reporting for digital companies.

Read at Harvard Business Review