April delivered a remarkable array of ISO developments, reaffirming the standards community’s focus on trusted AI, resilient infrastructure, sustainable systems, and better human and organizational outcomes. From quality in internships and energy audits to advancing AI governance and environmental transparency, this month reflects a dynamic intersection of trust, digitalization, and sustainability.
The ISO/IEC/IEEE Joint Technical Committee on systems and software engineering continues to refine and expand its portfolio of standards to address the evolving needs of digital systems development, lifecycle management, and service acquisition. In early 2025, four Draft International Standards (DIS) were released for public review, marking significant progress in agile systems engineering, supplier management, planning, and incident response.
In today’s dynamic business world, senior leaders are constantly faced with a simple question: Should I set the rules, or show the way? This isn’t just a philosophical exercise—it’s a daily leadership challenge. From strategic decisions to day-to-day operations, executives must know when to empower teams with flexible guidance and when to establish firm, repeatable guidelines. The best leaders are not choosing one over the other but mastering both.