Yesterday I took part in a discussion at a Table Talk session for Microsoft Ignite on what makes a compelling hire. My co-hosts were Lars Klint, Robert Crane, Hamish Watson, Janaka Rangama (thanks to Lars for the screenshot below). A huge thanks also to everyone who joined in and to my lovely co-hosts. The chat was lively and some of the excellent answers and advice … Continue reading Table Talk: What makes someone a compelling hire?
The future of work has been an emerging issue for a long time, and now as automation disrupts traditional employment, it is safe to say that it has emerged. It is becoming increasingly urgent to find a solution for those displaced. We need new ideas and approaches to this problem. Otherwise we will see a large number of people out of the workforce for long periods, with a … Continue reading Future of work and the growth of populist politics
The sad news of the death of a great and humble man came out overnight: “Sir Nicholas Winton, who organised the rescue of 669 children destined for Nazi concentration camps, has died aged 106. Sir Nicholas, then a stockbroker, arranged for trains to carry Jewish children out of occupied Prague. Via BBC He, like others during the 1930s and World War Two period, took action … Continue reading Sir Nicholas Winton: saviour, people smuggler, hero?
I used to think of LinkedIn as a boring but worthy social network for business contacts. But I was wrong. Over the years it has become a critical B2B social network, with multi-million dollar deals often being done via the platform. LinkedIn has also disrupted the recruitment business and reshaped the way people find jobs. It changed the power dynamic in recruitment by enabling the jobs to … Continue reading LinkedIn and the power of networks
“We measure a leader, not by the absence of problems, but how he or she confronts those problems and takes action.” – Rosabeth Moss Kanter There has been a long and largely unprofitable debate in management circles about the difference between management and leadership. Over the years I have come to a realisation that management and leadership are inextricably linked and that they are defined … Continue reading Leaders, problems, and action
“The only major personality trait that consistently leads to success is conscientiousness.” via Business Insider In large companies personality tests and similar instruments are often deployed to provide people with better insight into their own and team performance. Over the years I have participated in many of these – for example, Myers Briggs, DISC, Belbin Team Roles, Hermann Brain Dominance, 16PF, Big Five Inventory, etc. Many people debate the … Continue reading Predicting success #startups
In recent times I have been feeling very depressed about the state of things including sexism, misogyny, and leadership. But a few days ago came a beacon of hope. This beacon came from an unlikely source, the Australian Army. And the topic that this person addressed was the sombre one of sexism and demeaning treatment of women by serving military personnel. Yet I was moved … Continue reading What does Leadership look like? Leadership, sexism, and misogyny
With the changing business world it is a good idea to think about habitual business practices to ensure that we are not doing things that made sense for the past and which do not make sense now. Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. — attributed to Albert Einstein We all want to improve business results, driving KPIs higher … Continue reading Change or die – business, competition, and the new world
I discussed Social Media for Social Good at a City of Sydney Talk on 27th June 2012. It is an important issue. There are many decrying social media for increasing isolation and disconnection between people. Social media can be used as a force for social good and social inclusion. Social media is not just about ephemeral amusement, it is also an important way to harness … Continue reading Social media for social good #socent
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