Ken Xie, cofounder of cybersecurity giant Fortinet, faced a critical decision that would validate his leadership. Fortinet became the industry's second-largest pureplay cybersecurity firm by developing differentiated hardware and investing in R&D. However, after a stock downgrade despite strong financials, Xie weighed adapting messaging versus remaining steadfast. With competitors like Palo Alto Networks gaining accolades for cloud focus and acquisitions, some advisors pushed Xie to highlight Fortinet's comparable cloud capabilities more. But doing so would diverge from Xie's conviction in hardware advantages in a complex, rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape. As threats became more sophisticated, agility in communication was essential. The impending earnings call forced Xie to consider his conviction with openness to new narratives. Xie grappled with how to amplify cloud messaging without having it overshadow and dilute Fortinet's core identity rooted in hardware expertise and advantage. The case analyzes how cybersecurity leaders make high-stakes decisions weighing competing demands between long-held beliefs and market adaptations in shaping their communication, where a wrong choice could expose customers to evolving threats.

This case reveals how the situation with Nexus Market and its Ukrainian and Russian subcontractors was resolved. The conclusion to the story of a Silicon Valley start-up executive facing an ultimatum from a team of Ukrainian subcontractors to cut ties with a separate team of Russian subcontractors due to tensions stemming from the ongoing war in Ukraine.

A Silicon Valley start-up executive must navigate tensions between its Ukrainian and Russian sub-contractors as war between the two countries rages. After war erupts between Ukraine and Russia, a team of subcontracted Ukrainian software developers threatens to cut ties with a venture-backed Silicon Valley startup if the company does not end its relationship with a team of subcontracted Russian developers. The start-up's VP of Product and Engineering works to smooth tensions and find a solution.

Dr. Timnit Gebru-a leading artificial intelligence (AI) computer scientist and co-lead of Google's Ethical AI team-was messaging with one of her colleagues when she saw the words: "Did you resign?? Megan sent an email saying that she accepted your resignation." Heart rate spiking, Gebru was shocked to find that her company account had been cut off. She scrolled through her personal inbox to find an email stating that the company could not agree to the conditions she had stipulated about a research paper critiquing large language models and also expressing disapproval of a message she had sent to an internal listserv about halting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts without accountability. Therefore, Google was accepting Gebru's "resignation," effective immediately. Gebru who hadn't submitted a formal resignation realized she had been fired. Gebru had been concerned that large language models were racing ahead with little appraisal of their potential risks and debiasing strategies. Her ousting sent shockwaves through the AI and tech community. Thousands of people signed a petition against what they characterized as unprecedented research censorship. Nine members of congress would write the CEO of the company-Sundar Pichai-questioning his commitment to Ethical AI. The outspoken Gebru's experience raises fundamental questions about countering AI bias. Could tech companies lead the way with in-house AI ethics research? Should that type of work reside with more objective actors outside of companies? On the other hand, shouldn't those who best understand the technology at play be the ones to investigate the bias or ethical challenges that might creep up? The answers to these questions remain central to the exponentially growing AI domain that companies have to consider.

Elie Girard has taken the helm as CEO of Atos-multinational IT giant-to lead the company into the next era of digital transformation. Noticing that customers' digital needs were evolving to become even more specialized and global in scope, he made a bold first step as leader: restructure the organization from a service-based model to a portfolio built around specific industry verticals, while competitors were moving in the other direction with the conviction that digital disruption had dissolved industry barriers. Underpinning Girard's new digital blueprint were four pillars - the cloud, data, cybersecurity, and decarbonization - which he had fortified with a steady M&A strategy resulting in nine acquisitions. But decarbonization - reducing carbon emissions into the atmosphere through strategic use of digital technology - was a brand-new dimension with big questions about its feasibility. The environmental approach was controversial in different parts of the world. To add to the uncertainty, the COVID-19 pandemic had suddenly turned the world upside down, forcing organizations to transition into remote work overnight. In the middle of a global health crisis and ensuing economic fallout, could Girard afford to make such drastic organizational structure changes that flew in the face of industry trends? Would his decision disqualify Atos from the race with competitors, or was it the only way to serve customers in even greater need of digital solutions?

As a leader, you will need to master action plans to implement solutions that advance your organizational goals. Here are six simple steps to diagnosing situations and systematically developing action plans.

With the economy in a freefall, MetricStream is losing customers, hemorrhaging cash and struggling to make payroll. Several board members are threatening to quit. Others are pressing to sell the company even at dismally low valuations. It's 2008 and lightning has struck for Shellye Archambeau once again. As CEO of MetricStream, she had spent the last seven years turning a tech startup on life support after the dot-com bust into a market leader of governance, risk, and compliance software for businesses. As a black female CEO, Archambeau is no stranger to adversity. Becoming a leader had been her goal since high school and she had achieved it through decades of hard work and skillful decision making. Now she faces her most critical leadership decision. She calls a meeting with her board chairman, Gunjan Sinha, to discuss the best path forward: Sell MetricStream while offers are on the table, or try to save it by looking for a big customer of the company's risk management software against the backdrop of the financial crisis? Both options have dire consequences. Valuations are plummeting by the day. Cash is disappearing by the minute. Archambeau and Sinha need to decide and act swiftly.

With the economy in a freefall, MetricStream is losing customers, hemorrhaging cash and struggling to make payroll. Several board members are threatening to quit. Others are pressing to sell the company even at dismally low valuations. It's 2008 and lightning has struck for Shellye Archambeau once again. As CEO of MetricStream, she had spent the last seven years turning a tech startup on life support after the dot-com bust into a market leader of governance, risk, and compliance software for businesses. As a black female CEO, Archambeau is no stranger to adversity. Becoming a leader had been her goal since high school and she had achieved it through decades of hard work and skillful decision making. Now she faces her most critical leadership decision. She calls a meeting with her board chairman, Gunjan Sinha, to discuss the best path forward: Sell MetricStream while offers are on the table, or try to save it by looking for a big customer of the company's risk management software against the backdrop of the financial crisis? Both options have dire consequences. Valuations are plummeting by the day. Cash is disappearing by the minute. Archambeau and Sinha need to decide and act swiftly.

This (B) case supplements the (A) case, 419-066, and provides information about what happened after the (A) case ends.

Eric Hawkins, director of engineering at AppFolio-a digital technology firm that offered cloud-based business software to small and medium sized companies-was shocked by an unusual request from his senior leadership team. Could Hawkins and one of his agile teams build a check scanner feature inside their management software? AppFolio's founders had instructed to never build a check scanner; providing technologies to help businesses move into the digital era was a primary company goal. A scanner for paper checks would contradict the hard-won culture of software innovation and project self-selection that AppFolio and Hawkins' teams lived by. Hawkins also worried that creating a new team to work on the check scanning project would cause workload and morale issues. But the sales team believed that this technology could close deals with larger, more complex property management companies, some with managers who wanted the check scanner feature. Several large-scale deals were on the line. Hawkins quickly assembled an agile market validation team and considered two options: hold fast to the company's values and refuse to build the check scanner feature or capitulate and build a basic check scanner with minimum functionality. Engineers would likely consider this a "loser" project, yet sales might get a boost that could open a new revenue stream. Hawkins had to make his decision quickly.

Thierry Breton, chairman and CEO of IT company Atos, faced a pivotal juncture. After spending eight intense years scaling the company globally to over 100,000 employees in 70 countries, he was ready to take the next crucial step. Breton was convinced that rapid digital shockwaves would cause transformative disruption and become key to competitiveness for companies, including his own. To take the digital leap, Breton needed Atos to undergo dual digital transformation - defined as redesigning the underlying processes and competencies of an organization to become more adaptive using digital technology, from artificial intelligence and machine learning to the Internet of Things, while simultaneously guiding customers through the same changes. Breton had also struck a high-profile partnership with Google to deliver cloud design and artificial intelligence to customers. But now that the deal had been announced, Atos had to deliver. The firm's top leadership was split on how to equip Atos' large workforce for its digital transformation. In one view, Atos needed to motivate the majority of its employees to voluntarily complete digital certification programs. In another view, on-the-job learning was the best way to train both technical and non-technical employees in the digital skills relevant to their respective roles. Breton had to determine which approach would be the fastest and most effective way of upskilling his workforce to meet the demands of dual digital transformation.

Vittorio Colao, CEO of telecommunication giant Vodafone, must respond to reports of disturbing accounting practices at two of Vodafone's operating companies. In one case, €60 million have been misreported due to a series of failures to check manual accounting processes. The situation has been escalated to Vodafone's audit committee, which expects Colao and his team to act drastically. In the second case, €7 million have been misreported through deferred recognition of costs into the future. The two cases challenge Colao's organizational model of International Values and Local Roots that aims to maintain productive tension between global mandates and local practices. Colao meticulously designed his model based on the key value of trust, his unwavering convictions earning him the moniker of the 'benevolent dictator.' Colao is acutely aware that his response to the accounting discrepancies will be a referendum on his leadership for over 120,000 employees worldwide. If he doesn't make the right decisions, the consequences will reverberate throughout the organization and erode confidence in the value of trust that he relentlessly worked to establish.

Vittorio Colao, CEO of telecommunication giant Vodafone, must respond to reports of disturbing accounting practices at two of Vodafone's operating companies. In one case, €60 million have been misreported due to a series of failures to check manual accounting processes. The situation has been escalated to Vodafone's audit committee, which expects Colao and his team to act drastically. In the second case, €7 million have been misreported through deferred recognition of costs into the future. The two cases challenge Colao's organizational model of International Values and Local Roots that aims to maintain productive tension between global mandates and local practices. Colao meticulously designed his model based on the key value of trust, his unwavering convictions earning him the moniker of the 'benevolent dictator.' Colao is acutely aware that his response to the accounting discrepancies will be a referendum on his leadership for over 120,000 employees worldwide. If he doesn't make the right decisions, the consequences will reverberate throughout the organization and erode confidence in the value of trust that he relentlessly worked to establish.

Global teams are ubiquitous and necessary in today's world and provide significant advantages to companies. However, the complexity of global collaboration can cause issues and result in team dysfunction and lack of trust. This reading focuses on how leaders of global teams can improve the workings of their groups by using the SPLIT model.

To identify the value that social tools can bring to companies, the authors split employees at a large financial services firm into two groups, only one of which used an internal social platform, and observed them for six months. Those who had used the tool became 31% more likely to find coworkers with relevant expertise and 88% more likely to discover who had useful connections. Internal social tools can help employees make faster decisions, develop more innovative ideas for products and services, and become more engaged in their work and their companies. But companies that try to "go social" often fall into four traps: They (1) assume that Millennials will embrace social tools at work; (2) struggle to foster personal interaction that builds trust and promotes knowledge sharing; (3) fail to recognize how learning occurs on social tools; and (4) focus on the wrong data. The authors offer advice on how to avoid these traps.

Supplements the (A) case. Galya Frayman Molinas, President of Coca-Cola's Turkish Business and a 20-year company veteran, is unexpectedly asked to take the helm of a newly expanded territory with operations across eight additional countries in Central Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. With seemingly competing instructions to accelerate growth, while not diluting focus in Turkey or Central Asia, Molinas must decide how to balance change versus continuity across functions and country locations. In the meantime, tensions arise amongst the newly combined members of her business unit, as some fear being sidelined or losing their autonomy. Molinas wonders whether her team's leadership is too homogenous to manage this diverse and disgruntled group across emerging markets. Centralizing, decentralizing, or creating a hybrid structure is now Molinas' first priority. On top of these pressing organizational issues, shortly after assuming her new role, domestic and international events suddenly derail her unit's 17 consecutive months of record-breaking performance. Molinas and her largely female and Turkish senior leadership team grapples with the significant financial impact of massive protests in Turkey, the rise of anti-American sentiments, growing national health concerns, the reduction of the U.S. FED's financial stimulus, and capital flight from emerging markets. While Turkey's revenue is in a precipitous decline, Molinas needs the Central Asian region to help alleviate the financial gap during this turbulent time. Molinas questions whether her unit's structure and her homogenous senior team's background are too narrow to help her counteract the external crises.

Supplements the (A) case. Galya Frayman Molinas, President of Coca-Cola's Turkish Business and a 20-year company veteran, is unexpectedly asked to take the helm of a newly expanded territory with operations across eight additional countries in Central Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. With seemingly competing instructions to accelerate growth, while not diluting focus in Turkey or Central Asia, Molinas must decide how to balance change versus continuity across functions and country locations. In the meantime, tensions arise amongst the newly combined members of her business unit, as some fear being sidelined or losing their autonomy. Molinas wonders whether her team's leadership is too homogenous to manage this diverse and disgruntled group across emerging markets. Centralizing, decentralizing, or creating a hybrid structure is now Molinas' first priority. On top of these pressing organizational issues, shortly after assuming her new role, domestic and international events suddenly derail her unit's 17 consecutive months of record-breaking performance. Molinas and her largely female and Turkish senior leadership team grapples with the significant financial impact of massive protests in Turkey, the rise of anti-American sentiments, growing national health concerns, the reduction of the U.S. FED's financial stimulus, and capital flight from emerging markets. While Turkey's revenue is in a precipitous decline, Molinas needs the Central Asian region to help alleviate the financial gap during this turbulent time. Molinas questions whether her unit's structure and her homogenous senior team's background are too narrow to help her counteract the external crises.

Supplements the (A) case. Galya Frayman Molinas, President of Coca-Cola's Turkish Business and a 20-year company veteran, is unexpectedly asked to take the helm of a newly expanded territory with operations across eight additional countries in Central Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. With seemingly competing instructions to accelerate growth, while not diluting focus in Turkey or Central Asia, Molinas must decide how to balance change versus continuity across functions and country locations. In the meantime, tensions arise amongst the newly combined members of her business unit, as some fear being sidelined or losing their autonomy. Molinas wonders whether her team's leadership is too homogenous to manage this diverse and disgruntled group across emerging markets. Centralizing, decentralizing, or creating a hybrid structure is now Molinas' first priority. On top of these pressing organizational issues, shortly after assuming her new role, domestic and international events suddenly derail her unit's 17 consecutive months of record-breaking performance. Molinas and her largely female and Turkish senior leadership team grapples with the significant financial impact of massive protests in Turkey, the rise of anti-American sentiments, growing national health concerns, the reduction of the U.S. FED's financial stimulus, and capital flight from emerging markets. While Turkey's revenue is in a precipitous decline, Molinas needs the Central Asian region to help alleviate the financial gap during this turbulent time. Molinas questions whether her unit's structure and her homogenous senior team's background are too narrow to help her counteract the external crises.

Galya Frayman Molinas, President of Coca-Cola's Turkish Business and a 20-year company veteran, is unexpectedly asked to take the helm of a newly expanded territory with operations across eight additional countries in Central Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. With seemingly competing instructions to accelerate growth, while not diluting focus in Turkey or Central Asia, Molinas must decide how to balance change versus continuity across functions and country locations. In the meantime, tensions arise amongst the newly combined members of her business unit, as some fear being sidelined or losing their autonomy. Molinas wonders whether her team's leadership is too homogenous to manage this diverse and disgruntled group across emerging markets. Centralizing, decentralizing, or creating a hybrid structure is now Molinas' first priority. On top of these pressing organizational issues, shortly after assuming her new role, domestic and international events suddenly derail her unit's 17 consecutive months of record-breaking performance. Molinas and her largely female and Turkish senior leadership team grapples with the significant financial impact of massive protests in Turkey, the rise of anti-American sentiments, growing national health concerns, the reduction of the U.S. FED's financial stimulus, and capital flight from emerging markets. While Turkey's revenue is in a precipitous decline, Molinas needs the Central Asian region to help alleviate the financial gap during this turbulent time. Molinas questions whether her unit's structure and her homogenous senior team's background are too narrow to help her counteract the external crises.