Creating High-Performing Teams (HPTs) can propel leaders to new career opportunities and set the tone for their future success and promotions. However, the path to achieving this level of success must be grounded in self-reflection, self-awareness, and individual personal development-prior to focusing on the skills and competencies of the team members. Too often, leaders look outward for a solution, when the path to achieving better results arguably starts with an inward view. This paper explores the techniques to develop both an inward and outward path to success in achieving the goal of creating and managing a HPT.

This paper explores the role of a corporate board of directors in relation to excellence and innovation, and in confronting shared challenges and existential threats. It suggests issues and questions to consider in relation to board leadership, its exercise, focus and performance. Critical thinking, diversity and digital technologies can be enablers of innovation, which may be desirable if it addresses existential threats, supports required transition and transformation journeys, and delivers positive externalities. Boards are encouraged to reflect on the purpose of innovation and the focus of excellence, their application and their limits. Opportunities to create sustainable communities, cities and societies and less stressful and resource-intensive and simpler, healthier and more fulfilling lifestyles are legion. Many boardroom teams have an unprecedented opportunity to initiate, collaborate and make a difference. Whether or not an individual board and company is excellent and/or innovative may be less important for future survival than whether a community or society is, and whether individually and collectively boards have the will and drive to question, think and act in pursuit of responsible, inclusive and sustainable activities, lifestyles and outcomes for humanity and the natural world.

This paper aims to gain insight into the underresearched personal and lived experiences of women in management in the mining industry in South Africa, allowing them to have a voice, and to provide inputs on reforms that support their increased integration. The research questions aim to explore the various challenges faced by, and demands placed on, women executives. Using a phenomenological approach, one-on-one interviews with a diverse group of women in management positions were conducted and analyzed. Specific focus was on the term 'women in mining', and the allocated identities thereof. The differences and commonalities of the intersectional experiences of the participants pertaining to working with both men and women, as well as the experiences of both the imposter syndrome and the glass ceiling were also explored. The study found that the challenges women faced were predominantly personal and environmental, as well as divergent at different organizational levels. The findings of this study have implications for employers as to how to recruit, develop and retain women in the mining industry, as well as for practitioners as how to tailor bespoke reforms for their integration.

The paper suggests that 'critical thinking' is a more perplexing notion than it may appear to be, and explores the concept in detail. It highlights the significance of organizational bias and the mindsets of executives in shaping how critical thinking will come to be defined and construed.