INTHEBLACK June 2022 - Magazine - Page 15
T E D TA L K
WHY SO SERIOUS?
Many senior executives believe that their role
demands stony-faced seriousness, but in this
TED Talk Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas,
behaviour specialists who dabble in consulting,
argue that there is no need for it to be so. They
offer advice on when humour is appropriate and
provide a self-assessment test to establish “your
humour style”. A sense of humour also provides
accessibility and humility for leaders. Not only
is a bit of laughter good for you, but a quip or a
joke can also make a critical difference in a tricky
negotiation (such as offering to throw in a pet
frog to sweeten the deal).
WAT C H T H E T E D TA L K H E R E
RESEARCH
S L E E P A N D M E N TA L H E A LT H
Executive stress has reached epidemic levels, and according to research from consulting heavyweight McKinsey,
much of it stems from a lack of sleep. This feature draws together a number of articles on the theme, looking at how
a decent night’s rest is critical for mental health, the way in which sleep underpins recovery from burnout,
technology-based solutions for sleeplessness and how healthy sleep patterns can be created and maintained.
Company leaders also have to be aware of the need to foster good mental health for their employees, with a clear
company policy and a willingness to lead by example.
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CEO CONCERNS
WhatIs.com is a site that provides information
on a broad range of technology issues, and
this feature goes a long way to explaining
the metaverse. It walks through the basic
principles, noting the origin of the metaverse
in the gaming sector and the difference
between virtual reality and augmented reality
(AR). The article looks at the companies
that are already moving into metaverse
technology, the role of non-fungible tokens
as the metaverse “currency”, and the
development of supplementary equipment
such as AR glasses. The metaverse is not
yet part of the business landscape, but it is
certainly looming on the horizon.
Information about debt and
creditworthiness is useful to companies
entering into contracts with suppliers,
partners and buyers, as well as being a good
indicator of general economic health. This
site contains a great deal of information on
this area. Some of it can only be accessed
on a subscription basis, but there is a wealth
of material available without cost. A blog
looks at specific issues, such as the impact
of natural disasters on the construction
sector, and there is also a podcast series
that examines research papers and surveys,
including a Business Risk Index that includes
a sector-by-sector breakdown.
Accounting giant PwC has been conducting
an annual survey of Australian CEOs for
25 years, and it has proved to be a good
guide to plans and concerns. The most
recent poll finds a great deal of confidence
in the business sector, with 88 per cent of
respondents expecting economic growth in
Australia and 98 per cent anticipating good
revenue growth for their companies. Cyber
security is flagged as the primary concern
of CEOs, even greater than a resurgence
of COVID-19. There is a renewed focus
on investing in talented people to take
advantage of a post-pandemic recovery
in the medium term.
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