These new insights from McKinsey suggest that simple tweaks in leaders’ communication and behaviour can potentially create a much more productive atmosphere for any team.

Chief executives in search of higher pay should aim to run large companies outside their home country, according to new research into European companies.

A survey by American consulting company, Towers Watson, has revealed CEOs of Japanese corporations receive compensation equal to about one-tenth of that paid to their U.S. counterparts.

Telling CEOs these days that leadership drives performance is a bit like saying that oxygen is necessary to breathe. Over 90% of CEOs are already planning to increase investment in leadership development because they see it as the single most important human-capital issue their organisations face. And they’re right to do so: earlier McKinsey research has consistently shown that good leadership is a critical part of organisational health, which is an important driver of shareholder returns.

How do you turn ambition into sustainable results? New CEOs and senior executives often take over with a mandate for change and a short window of opportunity. To create lasting results — and fundamentally improve the company’s performance — leaders often need to launch a transformation programme. A structured four-step process can help flip the odds in their favour.

Dan Price, CEO of Seattle-based payment processing company Gravity Payments, has taken the decision to introduce a new minimum wage of $70,000 (£47,000) for his employees, while reducing his own salary by 90 per cent. Why?  [...]