Podcasts about organisations

Public Protector of South Africa Kholeka Gcaleka is calling on faith based organisations to help root out corruption by reporting suspicious financial contributions offered to them as donations. Gcaleka was speaking at the St Paul African Apostolic Church's Annual Feast in Moletsane, Soweto. The annual feast brings together congregants from across South Africa and neighbouring countries for a day of prayer, thanksgiving and fellowship. Sashin Naidoo reports...

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What do AI adoption, cyber resilience, and the great VM reset have in common? They're all trends which are colliding to reshape the world of enterprise technology. As organisations prepare for a future powered by intelligent systems, infrastructure, security and virtualisation are becoming increasingly connected strategic priorities. This week, Technology Now explores how these changes are reshaping enterprise technology, as Patrick Osborne, SVP Hybrid Cloud and Office of the CTO, joins the show to discuss:The economic and technological impacts of the great VM resetWhy hybrid systems are essential to succeed in the world of AIThe role of sovereignty and governance in AI adoptionWhat the agentic enterprise could mean for infrastructure and operations 

Welcome to another episode of the Data Debrief, the companion show to Driven by Data: The Podcast, where hosts Catherine Dowden-King and Kyle Winterbottom unpack Tuesday's episode, share what's been on their minds, and explore the realities of leadership, culture, and capability across the data and AI landscape.This week, Catherine and Kyle reflect on the conversation with Marion Shaw, Senior Director of Data, Analytics and Data Management at Cencora, and her new book on data culture, before digging into why the "data culture" debate keeps circling the same questions, and why the answer almost always comes back to people rather than technology.They cover:The wildfires spreading across South Wales and Europe, and how AI and drones are being deployed in France to spot smoke earlier, distinguish dust from smoke, and cut down the false positives that waste emergency resourceThe bigger climate paradox facing the industry, from record-wet winters followed by hosepipe bans and water mismanagement, to the uncomfortable reality that the data centres powering AI advances are themselves enormous consumers of waterWhy absolutism helps no one, and how the healthiest position on AI, sustainability, and change sits somewhere in the messy middle rather than all-in or all-outHow incentives quietly shape behaviour, illustrated by the fact that three flights across Europe can cost less than a single train from Manchester to London, and why people ultimately do what they're incentivised to doCatherine's latest build for the Orbition community: a NED Opportunity Finder, a live, daily-updating table of listed non-executive director roles showing remuneration, location, and whether the board is public or private, free to access for registered community members, and why she's so keen to see more data leaders move into board positionsWhy Marion's candour hit home, especially the reminder that you simply cannot force people to be interested in or care about data, and why that truth is uncomfortable but essentialHow technology becomes a distraction, the "shiny thing syndrome" that pulls focus away from the outcomes that actually matter, and why that's the real answer to "why now"The endlessly debated question of whether "data culture" even exists, why the industry loves arguing over semantics no one outside it cares about, and why every organisation already has a data culture, somewhere on the spectrum from barely-there to full tiltWhy culture and outcomes feed each other rather than being an either/or, and how influencing behaviours and showing results almost always happen in tandemWhy every business claims to be "data-driven," how the reality usually differs, and why a new CDO's first 90 to 100 days is really about working out where the organisation actually sits versus where leadership thinks it doesThe "slippery shoulders" problem, and why nothing improves or gets maintained unless someone genuinely owns itWhy you can't see your own culture from the inside, and how stepping out to network, attend events, and compare notes with peers is often the only way to know whether you're ahead, behind, or better off than you thoughtA look ahead to the Orbition magazine landing in October, featuring a data leader who hasn't spoken publicly in over two years, alongside mentor and mentee stories and perspectives from beyond the CDO communityThe Director of Police AI role at the College of Policing, and how its rigid entry criteria expose the same old problem seen across data leadership: job descriptions that bear little resemblance to what organisations actually want from the roleKyle's thought of the week: most job descriptions are disconnected from what the business actually needs. Organisations have learned to use the right language, asking for leaders who'll work with the board and use data to drive commercial performance, then listing purely technical requirements underneath. Until that gap closes, the mismatch between what's advertised and what's wanted will keep repeating itself. Fundamentally, every organisation already has a data culture; it simply sits somewhere on a spectrum, and the job is to understand where before trying to move it.Catherine's thought of the week: you rarely recognise your own culture until you step outside it. Whether it's trust versus micromanagement, or how your data leaders are really perceived, the comparison only becomes clear when you go out, meet people, and see how others operate. And the honesty applies inward too, because no organisation describes itself as not caring about data, so the real work is uncovering where it genuinely stands.This episode is a candid, wide-ranging conversation on data culture, ownership, and incentives, and a reminder that the hardest problems in data and AI leadership remain stubbornly human, no matter how much the technology moves on.Housekeeping: The podcast is now broadcasting on LinkedIn Live. To watch along in real time, head to the Driven by Data Productions page on LinkedIn and follow it. We go live with each episode every Tuesday at 1pm BST, and our guest often joins the comments to answer your questions. Keep an eye out for upcoming events towards the end of the year, including Driven by Data Live, where Catherine will be handing out physical copies of the new magazine.

Artificial intelligence has spent the last several years getting smarter on screens, recommending what to watch, drafting what to write, answering what we ask. This type of progress is now spilling out into the physical world, where machines are starting to move, sense, and adapt on their own. In this episode of Tech Transformed, host John Santaferraro, Founder and Analyst at Ferraro Consulting, talks with Prith Banerjee, Senior Vice President of Innovation at Synopsys, about what happens when AI has to obey the laws of physics instead of just the patterns in a dataset.Banerjee brings a rare vantage point to the conversation. Before Synopsys, he led HP Labs worldwide, served as group CTO at ABB and Schneider Electric, and ran engineering simulation software company ANSYS as CTO until its acquisition by Synopsys roughly a year ago - a deal that now anchors much of what he describes as Synopsys's "silicon to systems" strategy.The Road to Physical AIBanerjee traces AI's progress through distinct phases he's tracked across his career. It started with analytics, which was the correlation engines behind a Netflix recommendation, or the placement and routing improvements Synopsys has long applied inside its own chip design tools. Generative AI came next, giving machines the ability to produce original language, images, and video from a prompt rather than just surface existing content. Agentic AI followed close behind, handing off entire tasks, drafting a slide deck, prepping a sales call to systems that act more like assistants than tools.Physical AI is the phase Banerjee sees unfolding now, and it's a different kind of leap. Instead of learning from words or pixels, these systems learn from real physical measurements: pressure, temperature, stress, and strain. Training that kind of intelligence takes synthetic data generated across structural, fluid, and electromagnetic physics precisely the simulation capability ANSYS brought into Synopsys.Teaching Robots to Learn Like HumansThe shift shows up clearly in how robots are built today. A decade ago, getting a robotic arm to pick up a bottle without crushing it meant writing enormous programs, sometimes 100,000 lines of code specifying exactly how each motor should move. Physical AI throws that playbook out. Banerjee compares it to teaching a child to ride a bike: nobody narrates which pedal to push. The child watches, tries, falls, and adjusts.Robots now learn the same way, refining their behaviour through reward and penalty as they attempt a task thousands of times. Autonomous vehicles follow the identical pattern at far greater scale, learning from millions of hours of driving footage until they recognise, for instance, that a pedestrian stepping into the street means stop. Synopsys works with autonomous vehicle and robotics companies to generate the synthetic training data that makes this kind of learning possible without requiring endless real-world testing.Engineering the Intelligent Systems of TomorrowThat intelligence has to run on something, and the conversation turns to what it takes to build the silicon underneath it. Chips that once held a few hundred thousand transistors now carry tens or hundreds of billions, some approaching trillions, stacked using advanced 3D and chiplet techniques. Designing them means balancing power, performance, and thermal limits simultaneously rather than simply over-engineering for safety margin, which Banerjee calls co-design.Synopsys is tackling that complexity with what it calls agent engineers. AI systems introduced at its Converge conference that work alongside human chip designers on tasks like RTL design, test benches, and sign-off, effectively multiplying engineering capacity without multiplying headcount. The same pressure shows up at the edge, where trained AI models have to run inside a drone, car, or warehouse robot on a fraction of the power a data centre would use, with no room for cloud latency. Banerjee shares his perspective on why many AI projects struggle. He argues that the real challenge lies in balancing innovation with trust: robots operating alongside people raise questions of safety and collaboration, while autonomous systems connected to networks demand security, traceability, and clear explanations for the decisions they make.His advice to engineering leaders is to treat this shift as organisation-wide rather than a single team's problem, from legal and marketing functions already using agentic tools to engineering teams rethinking how code gets written. The goal, as he puts it, isn't replacing people but making them capable of far more than they could manage alone. If you would find out more about this, visit Synopsys or follow Prith Banerjee on LinkedIn.TakeawaysEvolution of AI from analytics to physical AI.Role of synthetic data in training physical AI.How robots learn through physical interactions.Complexity and innovation in chip design.Agentic AI and its applications in engineering.Challenges of edge AI in autonomous systems.Security, governance, and safety in physical AI.Chapters00:00 Introduction to AI's Evolution and Physical AI01:15 Prith Banerjee's Career Journey and Role at Synopsys04:19 The Phases of AI: Analytics, Generative, and Agentic07:55 What is Physical AI and How It Learns from the Physical World09:23 Robotics and Autonomous Learning Through Physical AI19:41 Impact of AI on Chip Design and Complex Systems23:29 Design Challenges of Complex, AI-Driven Chips26:57 Edge AI and Challenges in Autonomous Devices28:09 Implications for Organisations and Future Investments

In this episode Martin Couzins and Dr Nigel Paine discuss proactive vs reactive organisations. The discussion was prompted by a recent post by Martin on LinkedIn. We discuss topics including . . .The risks of being a reactive organisationChange now happens so quickly that, by the time an organisation responds to a challenge or copies a competitor, circumstances may already have moved on.The importance of data and foresightStrong organisations actively manage and interpret data, notice emerging trends and weak signals, and use these insights to anticipate change rather than wait for a crisis. Thanks to Teresa Rose for making this point.Employee knowledge as the “organisational brain”Employees closest to the work hold valuable expertise, ideas and experience—including insights about AI and process improvements. Proactive organisations create the psychological safety and channels needed to share this knowledge; reactive ones trap it in functional silos.Why continuous adaptation is essentialCustomer demands, technology and employee expectations are constantly evolving. Organisations therefore need curiosity, integrated systems thinking and a willingness to experiment—not rigid procedures designed to preserve the status quo.

In recent years It has become increasingly apparent that our organisations can't make the transition required by the fast pace of change in the world except under one condition: Change must happen through every level within the organisation almost simutlataneously.What this comes down to is that people all know what they want the organisation to be, they also have the personal commitment to be leaders without title and personally make a difference in making it happen...                                HOT Leadership

What do you do when you create an AI that can find security vulnerabilities in almost everything? As AI exposes vulnerabilities hidden deep within critical systems, organisations face a new challenge: staying ahead of threats that can now be discovered at machine speed.This week, Technology Now explores the changing cyber security landscape as AI transforms how vulnerabilities are found, fixed, and exploited, forcing organisations to rethink how they manage risk. Jon Green, CTO HPE Networking, joins us to help explain:  How AI can be used to pen test new software before releaseHow AI could fundamentally change the way organisations patch and upgrade technology Why critical infrastructure is particularly vulnerable to these types of attacksWhether we could be heading towards a future where software is completely vulnerability free

Leadership is not only about watching the P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, revenue and profit. Those numbers matter enormously, especially when conditions are difficult, but leaders can become so absorbed in survival that they neglect the people who must deliver the recovery. Effective leadership requires the agility to keep several priorities in motion at once: business performance, cooperation, culture, career development and personal self-control. Why must leaders influence cooperation rather than simply issue orders? Leaders achieve results through people, so cooperation is more sustainable than command-and-control pressure. When the business is under strain, determination, grit and force of will can become dangerous strengths. The leader starts pushing harder, communicating from on high and assuming that one perspective—the leader's own—is enough. That may produce short-term compliance, but it weakens ownership, trust and discretionary effort. A leader only has value in relation to the organisation and the people who constitute it. The real task is therefore to influence others to cooperate toward a desired result, not merely to demand obedience. Servant leadership is easiest to discuss when conditions are comfortable; it is tested when revenues are falling, cash is tight and everyone is tired. In those moments, leaders need to explain the goal, involve people in the path forward and make cooperation feel purposeful rather than compulsory. Do now: Replace one directive this week with a conversation that clarifies the outcome, invites input and builds shared ownership. How does a leader's personality shape organisational culture? A leader's attitudes, emotional control and assumptions about people are constantly transmitted into the culture. Leaders bring their whole personality to work: hopes, fears, values, impatience, humour and bias. When business is going well, it is easy to appear positive, tolerant and encouraging. The harder test comes when the organisation is facing chaos, missed targets or serious risk. Negativity at the top quickly permeates the team. Douglas McGregor's Theory X view of motivation described leaders who focus on shortcomings and become detectives searching for faults and failures. That mindset affects how people are treated and what kind of culture develops. Leaders do not need to pretend that everything is fine, but they do need the discipline to remain calm, fair and constructive. Sometimes leadership requires an actor's composure: appearing steady enough to help others think clearly, even when the leader is deeply concerned underneath. Do now: Before reacting under pressure, ask what emotional signal your behaviour will send to the organisation. Why should organisational goals and individual career goals be aligned? Performance improves when the organisation's ambitions and each employee's career goals can grow together. Leaders naturally have their own goals, incentives and ambitions, so pretending that self-interest does not exist is unrealistic. The higher standard is to pursue business outcomes while also taking a genuine interest in the growth of subordinates. That requires time. Leaders need to understand what motivates each person, what skills they want to build, what responsibilities they seek and what success means to them. Only then can the leader look for ways to connect individual aspirations with organisational priorities. In many cases, the two can be blended: a new project can build capability, a stretch assignment can support succession, or a cross-functional initiative can advance both enterprise performance and personal development. The details are rarely effortless, but creating that alignment is one of the clearest marks of leadership excellence. Do now: Ask each direct report what progress they want to make over the next twelve months, then connect it to a real business priority. What is a leader's responsibility for developing people? A central leadership responsibility is to help people become capable of producing important results. Developing people is not a soft extra that sits beside the real work; it is part of the real work. Organisations succeed through capable people who can make decisions, solve problems and recover from setbacks. That means leaders must coach, delegate, provide feedback and create opportunities to practise. Development also requires patience because growth is rarely tidy. The Japanese expression hanmen kyoshi means learning from a negative example, and that example may be another person or ourselves. Leaders who openly learn from their own mistakes make it safer for others to learn as well. By contrast, a leader who excuses personal errors but punishes subordinate errors creates a toxic double standard. Accountability still matters, but it should be applied consistently and used to strengthen judgement rather than merely assign blame. Do now: Turn one recent mistake into a structured learning conversation: what happened, what was learned and what will change next time? How should leaders treat failure when the stakes are high? Leaders must distinguish between careless failure and intelligent failure, while applying the same standards to themselves and their teams. Innovation, transformation and difficult decisions all carry risk. If every setback is treated as proof of incompetence, people will hide problems, avoid experimentation and wait for permission. Yet saying "we never fail, we only learn" is meaningless unless leaders apply that philosophy when the financial consequences become serious. The real test comes when large numbers, client relationships or reputational risks are involved. Leaders should examine whether the decision process was sound, whether assumptions were reasonable, whether warning signs were ignored and whether the lesson is being captured. They should also ask whether they would judge themselves by the same standard. Integrity, credibility and trust depend on this consistency. Generosity toward failure does not mean abandoning accountability; it means ensuring that accountability produces better future performance. Do now: Review one failed initiative for decision quality, not only outcome quality, and document the lesson for future teams. How can leaders read their own 'air' during difficult times? Leaders need enough self-awareness to recognise what is happening inside themselves before it distorts what happens around them. The Japanese phrase kuki wo yomu means reading the air: noticing what is really happening in a room beyond the visible surface. Leaders often try to read everyone else—the mood, resistance, hesitation or hidden concern—but fail to read their own internal atmosphere. Under pressure, fear may appear as aggression, uncertainty as over-control and fatigue as impatience. A short pause can prevent those emotions from becoming organisational signals. Self-reflection is especially important when leaders are juggling numbers, people, clients and operational risk at the same time. The four essential undertakings—building cooperation, managing personal impact, aligning goals and developing people—provide a practical check on whether leadership perspective has narrowed too far. Reading your own air is not self-indulgence; it is a way to protect the quality of judgement and the health of the team. Do now: In your next difficult meeting, pause and name your internal state before you speak or decide. What should leaders remember? Sustainable performance comes from combining financial focus with disciplined attention to people. Leadership becomes most visible when conditions are rough and tough. Financial discipline remains essential, but numbers alone cannot produce cooperation, resilience or growth. Leaders need to manage their own impact, connect organisational goals with individual aspirations, develop people through both success and failure, and regularly examine what pressure is doing to their judgement. The strongest leaders do not choose between performance and people. They understand that sustainable performance is delivered through people. Author bio Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across leadership, communication, sales and presentation programmes, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers—Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery and Japan Presentations Mastery—along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese. Greg publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook and X, hosts six weekly podcasts, and produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery and Japan's Top Business Interviews on YouTube.

Heute geht es um einen Beziehungsabbruch in einer psychosozialen Organisation – und um die Frage, weshalb ausgerechnet dort notwendige Gespräche vermieden werden, wo Beziehungskompetenz zum professionellen Selbstverständnis gehört.Eine langjährige externe Begleiterin unterstützt eine Organisation über viele Jahre hinweg mit Supervisionen, Klausuren, Projektentwicklungen und Reflexionsräumen. Es entsteht eine vertrauensvolle und tragfähige Zusammenarbeit.Dann übernimmt eine neue Führungskraft.Rückmeldungen werden knapper, Termine unverbindlicher und Gespräche formaler. Eine offene Klärung findet nicht statt. Stattdessen erhält die Begleiterin schließlich eine schriftliche Mitteilung: Externe Kooperationen würden aufgrund einer strategischen Neuausrichtung neu geprüft und ausgeschrieben.Die Entscheidung kann sie sachlich nachvollziehen. Was sie verletzt, ist der Weg dorthin.Wie kann es sein, dass Organisationen professionell mit Beziehungen arbeiten, ihre eigenen Arbeitsbeziehungen aber nicht ausreichend klären?Armin Ziesemer und Thomas Böhlefeld sprechen in dieser Case-Klinik darüber, weshalb nicht unbedingt die Entscheidung selbst den größten Schaden verursacht, sondern das Schweigen, das ihr vorausgeht.

Two years after the launch of the “Muslims in the North” exhibition, Dr Maria Hussain and Leeds City Museum curator Adam Jaffer reflect on the journey of transforming academic research into a public exhibition seen by more than 300,000 visitors. They discuss the power of university–museum partnerships, the importance of challenging stereotypes through evidence-based storytelling, and the value of bringing underrepresented voices into civic spaces and thus public discourse. The conversation also offers practical advice for researchers interested in public engagement and explores what the future may hold for the exhibition as it reaches new audiences. Visit the project webpage. This podcast episode was recorded remotely on 21 July 2026. If you would like to get in touch regarding this podcast, please contact research.lubs@leeds.ac.uk. A transcript of this episode [add link] is available. Speaker bios: Dr Maria Hussain is an Associate Professor in Management and Organisations at Leeds University Business School. Her research focuses on management education and practice, intercultural competence, and organisational culture relating to equity, diversity and inclusion in complex organisations. Adam Jaffer is curator for ‘World Cultures' at Leeds Museums and Art Gallery. Prior to Leeds, Adam worked at the People's History Museum in Manchester and for Birmingham Museums Trust.

What parts of yourself have you learned to hide in order to be taken seriously? My guest on this episode is Mark Heywood, a friend of the show, returning guest and someone I've collaborated with on a number of projects. Episode Summary & Guest ProfileMark has spent more than twenty years working in crisis management and operational resilience, while simultaneously building a successful career as a bestselling novelist, screenwriter and, more recently, stand-up comedian.On the morning we recorded this conversation, Mark published an article marking his fifty-first birthday. In it, he reflected on the pressure many of us feel to present only one version of ourselves professionally, arguing that his creative and corporate lives were never really separate. As he puts it, they were 'not two jobs, but one obsession wearing two different lanyards.' That simple idea becomes the starting point for a much wider discussion about the stories we tell ourselves, and the stories organisations tell themselves.Along the way we explore:Why "stay in your lane" may say more about other people's expectations than your own potential.Why organisations often encourage people to bring their whole selves to work, while rewarding conformity.What interviews, dress codes and organisational culture reveal about human behaviour.Why stories often influence behaviour more effectively than rules, policies and frameworks.What films can teach us about operational resilience, cybersecurity and crisis management.Why the Titanic remains one of the most powerful lessons in organisational failure.How imagination is a strategic capability rather than a soft skill.Why thinking through "severe but plausible" scenarios requires organisations to become better storytellers.LinksMark's birthday article: "A Birthday Declaration from Someone Who Spent Over Twenty Years Pretending to Be Half of Himself" (LinkedIn)Mark's Behind The Spine podcastThe Writing SalonBehind The Spine podcastMark on LinkedInMark's previous appearances on the show talking about The Creative Industries under COVID, and Human Risk in the Creative IndustriesFilms, Stories & People MentionedDie Hard  Apollo 13 The Martian The Odyssey (Christopher Nolan)Don't Look UpSnakes on a Plane Sharknado Noah's Ark RMS TitanicRachel Heyhoe Flint Jeremy King AI-Generated Timestamped Summary00:00 – Why do we hide parts of ourselves to be taken seriously?03:40 – Mark explains why he stopped separating his creative and corporate identities.08:00 – Which hobbies and outside interests are considered professionally acceptable—and why?10:30 – Job interviews, authenticity and bringing your whole self to work.16:00 – Jeremy King on why behaviour matters more than dress codes.19:00 – Rachel Heyhoe Flint, the MCC and what institutional rules reveal about culture.23:00 – Why stories influence behaviour more effectively than rules.24:00 – The Trojan Horse and using films to teach cybersecurity and resilience.29:00 – The Titanic as a lesson in organisational resilience rather than maritime history.32:00 – Conduct versus outcomes: why testing matters more than compliance.36:00 – Using stories and popular culture to make risk real.38:00 – Noah's Ark, history and the enduring power of storytelling.40:30 – CrowdStrike, PPE and why organisations keep repeating the same mistakes.46:00 – Stories aren't predictions—they're a way of exploring possibility.49:00 – A ransomware exercise and the danger of relying on fixed policies.52:00 – Returning to the Titanic: preparing for the inquiry before the crisis.55:00 – Thinking like an attacker and challenging assumptions about cyber risk.58:00 – Taylor Swift, insurance and why seemingly ordinary data can become highly sensitive.1:02:00 – The idea of "risk inflation" and why yesterday's rules aren't enough.1:10:00 – Why memorable stories change behaviour more effectively than realistic scenarios.1:15:00 – Reverse stress testing and imagining what could really break an organisation.1:20:00 – RAG ratings, reporting and the danger of looking resilient instead of being resilient.1:23:00 – Final reflections on creativity, identity and why being more than one thing is a strength.

In this episode, Minter Dial engages in a profound conversation with Preeti D'mello, whose life and work revolve around the pursuit of fulfilment, both individually and within organisations. Drawing on an upbringing steeped in spiritual seeking and a career spanning major corporate environments, Preeti brings a unique blend of Eastern philosophy and Western psychology to the discussion, unravelling what it truly means to live and work with a sense of purpose. The conversation focused on how fulfilment is not merely a personal aspiration, but a functional human capacity and a systemic necessity for modern organisations. A key theme that emerged was the need for workplaces to facilitate wholeness—what Preeti refers to as “purna”—moving beyond superficial rewards and performance metrics to foster genuine belonging, care, and engagement. The discussion explored the practical tensions leaders face, balancing business performance with human development, and unpacked the ways in which vulnerability, complexity, and imperfection can actually catalyse stronger cultures and higher achievement. Several points were raised, including actionable frameworks for leaders to measure and nurture fulfilment, the importance of structured yet bold conversations to reveal the true state of organisational culture, and the responsibility organisations hold in supporting not just output, but the deeper capacities of their people. The episode also ventures into the rapidly changing needs of younger generations entering the workforce, examining the impact of parenting, resilience, and the pursuit of meaning in a world saturated with external distractions. Whether you're a seasoned leader striving for a thriving culture or an individual wondering where to begin your own journey toward fulfilment, this episode offers practical guidance and a refreshingly holistic perspective on what it takes to achieve wholeness—in work and in life. Listen in as Minter Dial and Preeti D'mello challenge traditional narratives and illuminate new pathways to sustainable, meaningful success.

In 2022, a watershed moment changed the course of our relationship with AI forever, forcing us to reassess what ‘artificial intelligence' means and its place in our world. Four years later, with generative AI and LLMs now mainstream in our lives, we must ask the question: what comes next? This week, as part of our mini-series celebrating 60 years of innovation with HPE Labs, Technology Now is joined by Kirk Bresniker, Chief Architect at HPE Labs to look to the future and discuss: Why AI is more than just a language modelThe issues with ever-increasing model sizes, and why specialised “expert models” could become the normWhat the differences are between large language models and energy-based modelsHow agentic AI and orchestration could enable the next generation of AI systems 

In this episode of the Fundraising Everywhere Podcast, host Cam St.Omer Donaldson is joined by two graduates of the JustGiving Digital Learning Grant Programme — Kayleigh Wingate from Cambridge Cyrenians and Claire Caborn from Dove Cottage Day Hospice. Both fundraisers work in small charities where wearing multiple hats is the norm, and both came into the DLG program with different goals — Kayleigh to build her fundraising foundations after a background in copywriting and marketing, and Claire to take her charity's first steps into digital fundraising ahead of a landmark 30th anniversary Big Give Christmas Challenge. Together, they share: What they learned across six months of the program — from email marketing and social media strategy to storytelling and grants Why it's okay not to have all the answers (and why that realisation was liberating) How the program boosted their confidence and sparked new strategies for their organisations Why Fundraising Everywhere feels like an extended fundraising team — and a "fundraising encyclopaedia" Applications for the Digital Learning Grant Program 2027 (sponsored by JustGiving) are now open. Head to https://www.fundraisingeverywhere.com/digitallearninggrant/ to apply. If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to hit follow and enable notifications so you'll get notified to be first to hear of future podcast episodes. We'd love to see you back again! And thank you to our friends at JustGiving who make the Fundraising Everywhere Podcast possible.

Two projects from County Clare are in the running for national recognition after being shortlisted for the 2026 National Age Friendly Recognition and Achievement Awards.     Rock The Rails Family Store in Kilrush, and the Road Safety for Older People initiative have been recognised for their work in improving the lives of older people and creating more inclusive communities.     To tell us more about the awards, what they mean for Clare, and the impact these projects are having, Derrick Lynch was joined by Shanelle Warring, Clare Age Friendly Programme Manager. Image (c) Age Friendly Ireland

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You might be following a proven sales process, you might even be generating consistent revenue. But if you are not building in a regular strategic thinking space, your sales results are almost certainly not as strong as they could be and they are more fragile than you realise. In this episode of the Selling to Corporate® podcast, Jess Lorimer addresses one of the most common and costly problems she sees across the sales processes of coaches, consultants, trainers, speakers, and done-for-you service providers: the failure to stop, think strategically, and work on the process rather than just in it. Jess explains why this matters whether your sales are going well or badly, what specifically goes wrong when strategic thinking space is absent, and what you need to do differently in the second half of 2026 to make September and Q4 the most productive quarter of your year. Who This Episode Is For Coaches, consultants, trainers, speakers, and done-for-you service providers selling to corporate clients Anyone who feels busy in their business but is not seeing the sales results they expected Those who have invested in a sales strategy or programme but are not consistently reviewing whether it is working Business owners who are generating some revenue but want to make the second half of the year significantly stronger Anyone who has been experimenting with different sales approaches and wondering why nothing is gaining traction Service providers who want to understand why their sales process is difficult to troubleshoot or improve Questions This Episode Answers What is the number one problem in B2B sales processes, even for people already making sales? Why does testing and experimenting with sales strategies cost more than buying a proven one? What does strategic thinking space mean in a sales context, and why does it matter? What are the three specific problems that arise when coaches and consultants skip strategic thinking in their sales process? Why does a lack of specificity in B2B sales make everything harder? How do I know whether my sales process is working or whether I am working around its gaps? What should I focus on in the second half of 2026 to have a stronger September and Q4? Key Takeaways 1. The Number One Problem Is Not the Market. It Is the Absence of a Proven Process. Jess opens this episode with a direct challenge to one of the most common narratives she hears from coaches and consultants in 2026: that the market is slow, budgets are frozen, and decision makers are not signing things off. Her clients are signing 40k, 60k, and six-figure retainers. People are charging over 3,000 pounds for a 45-minute corporate session. First-time corporate workshop sales are happening every week. The difference between those results and the experience of people who feel stuck is not the market. It is whether or not they are using and consistently implementing a proven sales process. If your sales are not producing the results you want, the answer is not to wait for the market to improve, jump to a new specialism or test a new strategy. It is to implement something that is already proven and implement it properly. 2. Experimenting With Your Own Sales Strategy Is More Expensive Than Buying a Proven One One of the patterns Jess challenges directly in this episode is the tendency among intelligent, cost-conscious business owners to build their own sales strategy using AI tools, borrowed frameworks, or pieced-together advice, rather than investing in something with a verified track record. When you test an unproven strategy, you have no baseline for what results to expect, no reliable metrics to monitor and no way to troubleshoot what is or is not working. That means that when it does not produce results, you cannot tell whether the strategy failed, whether you executed it incorrectly or whether you simply did not give it enough time or volume. The real cost of testing unproven strategies is not the time spent on the activity itself. It is the confidence lost when nothing works, the motivation that erodes and the months or quarters where no revenue is generated because the strategy was never set up to succeed in the first place. A proven strategy removes that uncertainty and gives you something concrete to follow, measure, and improve. 3. Strategic Thinking Space Is Not Procrastination. It Is a Sales Action. The central concept in this episode is what Jess calls strategic thinking space: the deliberate practice of pausing to assess, analyse, and plan before and during sales activity, rather than simply executing tasks and hoping they produce results. Strategic thinking space is not sitting still, overthinking decisions, or using reflection as a reason to avoid action. It is the opposite: it is taking calculated, informed action rather than reactive, rushed action. In sales, speed and volume matter, but they only produce results when they are applied to the right activities with the right foundations in place. 4. Three Specific Problems Arise When Strategic Thinking Space Is Missing Jess identifies three concrete ways that the absence of strategic thinking space damages a sales process: Problem One: Jumping Into Activity Without Laying the Foundations The most common version of this is outreach. A business owner decides to do email outreach, sends 10, 20, or 50 emails, receives little or no response, and concludes that email outreach does not work. What they skipped was the foundational thinking: who specifically to target, what messaging would resonate with that person commercially and how to position themselves as a credible and relevant resource worth speaking to. The task was completed. The foundations were not. Without the foundations, the activity produces poor results, the person loses confidence in the method, and they move on to the next thing, repeating the same pattern. Problem Two: Lack of Specificity Without thinking space, most coaches and consultants default to broad, generalised positioning: their services work for any organisation, at any level, in any industry. They are afraid to narrow down because it feels like ruling people out. In reality, the absence of specificity makes everything harder. Lead generation becomes unfocused. Sales calls lack the diagnostic depth that comes from specialised expertise. Proposals feel generic rather than tailored. And when a genuine specialist appears in the same shortlist, the generalist loses. Specificity is not a limitation on who you can help. It is what makes it possible to identify the right people, ask the right questions and create offers that convert because they speak directly to a defined problem in a defined context. Problem Three: Troubleshooting Becomes Impossible For those operating a proven sales process, strategic thinking space is what makes it possible to spot early warning signs that something needs adjusting, before the problem becomes a crisis. Without that thinking space, you remain in constant doing mode, unable to step back and assess whether the activity is producing the right indicators at the right volume. The risk is that you miss early signals that something is working exceptionally well and could be scaled, or that something is underperforming and needs to change. Both missed opportunities cost revenue. For those not yet on a proven process, troubleshooting is even harder because there are no established benchmarks to compare against. 5. Corporate Clients Want Specialists, Not Trend-Followers Jess addresses a temptation she sees frequently in the online business space: when sales slow down, pivot to something new. Launch a different course, rebrand to a different specialism, or chase whatever appears to be gaining traction in the market right now. She is clear about why this does not work for people selling to corporate clients. Organisations are not buying generalists or people who shift their positioning with market trends. They are buying specialists: people who have depth, consistency and a track record in a specific area. Changing specialism under pressure signals exactly the opposite of what corporate buyers are looking for. The answer to a difficult market is not a new direction. It is a more focused, better-executed version of the proven process you already have, or one you should be implementing. Key Quotes  "The market is not the problem. The people I work with are signing 40k, 60k, six-figure retainers right now. The difference is that they are using a proven system and following it properly." "Not allocating thinking space is a real problem in sales. Thinking strategically and allowing yourself that time and energy to do so is an action in sales." "In being valuable to everybody, your offer is valuable to absolutely no one. Strategic thinking space gives you the specificity that then lets you action every other part of your sales process effectively." If you've enjoyed listening to #1 problem in sales processes (even if you're generating revenue!) Check out these episodes. STC176: The Most Important Skill Professional Salespeople Have (and How You Can Use It!) https://sellingtocorporate.com/podcast/the-most-important-skill-professional-salespeople-have-and-how-you-can-use-it/ STC177: 3 Important Sales Actions to Complete Before Summer Starts https://sellingtocorporate.com/podcast/3-important-sales-actions-to-complete-before-summer-starts/ STC171: The Simple Sales Technique I Use to Sign Corporate Clients Every Month https://sellingtocorporate.com/podcast/the-simple-sales-technique-i-use-to-sign-corporate-clients-every-month/ Join the Selling To Corporate B2B Sales Edit: Weekly newsletter for coaches and consultants; sharing the real B2B sales techniques that have taken over 30,000 sales processes from busy -> balanced and profitable. https://sellingtocorporate.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=applepodcasts&utm_medium=podcast_shownotes&utm_campaign=stc-podcast-shownotes-2026 Cold -> Closed The self-paced B2B sales experience for coaches / consultants / speakers / trainers and done-for-you service providers who want scalable, sustainable sales from brand new corporate clients in 90 days or less. https://smartleaderssell.thrivecart.com/-cold-to-closed-product/ Episode Sponsored by The Expert Services Directory Access The Expert Services Directory here: https://bit.ly/ExpertServicesDirectory A curated directory that proactively markets your services to corporate decision makers every month. Standard listings reach 1,000+ decision makers per month; Directory Plus listings reach 2,000+. Only 10 suppliers per category. Standard listing: 1,000+ decision makers per month Directory Plus listing: 2,000+ decision makers per month Application required, not all applications are accepted Content Disclaimer The information contained above is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this article, video or audio are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this article, video or audio. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this article, video or audio. Jessica Lorimer disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this article, video or audio.  

As agentic AI becomes more commonplace, the way in which we interact with our technology is fundamentally changing. Engineers are giving way to domain experts, as the role of IT in the workplace evolves faster than ever before. This week, Technology Now is joined by Bob Friday, Chief AI Officer HPE Networking to discuss: • What AI looks like in 2026, traditional models, agentic AI, and more• The surprising role of “bad” data in training models• How businesses and organisations must respond to the new AI-first world 

Organisations that work with migrants are concerned a new national emergency alert system will not be understood by people who cannot speak English.

Change management often fails for one simple reason: nobody diagnosed why people are actually resisting before throwing more training and communication at the problem. Matt Quinn, SVP of Sales and Go to Market at IFS Industrial Intelligence, joins the show to unpack how leaders diffuse resistance to disruptive technology, using the ADKAR framework (awareness, desire, knowledge, ability, reinforcement) as a lens for figuring out where a change effort is actually stalling. The conversation covers why leadership style has to shift depending on how competent someone is at a specific task, not their general reputation, and why pairing a vision led leader with a detail oriented "bad cop" tends to make change stick where either style alone would not. The episode also digs into a part of the AI conversation that gets less airtime: the 70 percent of the global workforce who do not sit at a desk. Quinn talks about what it takes to bring AI into industrial settings like production lines and field service, where the disruption looks very different from the desk based AI tools most tech media covers. He and Ben also talk about reward structures, the risk of mandating change without addressing the fear underneath it, and why looking before you leap beats jumping straight to a training rollout. Matt Quinn is SVP of Sales and Go to Market at IFS Industrial Intelligence, where he works on embedding AI into established ERP and field management systems. He previously worked at Oracle and Microsoft and has founded startups of his own, giving him a view of change management from both the big tech and founder side of the table. He is only a few months into the role, but the questions he is wrestling with are not new to him. He talks about the ADKAR framework he leans on repeatedly, the difference between coaching a beginner and coaching someone who has just been made a beginner again, and why he deliberately built his own leadership team around people who think nothing like him. Show notes: Listen and subscribe: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1yU6AcoCLySqE1wGn80HOT?si=649d8f8c3d8b47a3 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/tech-world-human-skills/id1674003078 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@techworldhumanskills/podcasts Newsletter and archive: https://www.techworldhumanskills.com Connect with Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benpthoughts Technical Storytelling for Individuals: https://www.elevatedyou.live/individuals Technical Storytelling for Organisations: https://www.elevatedyou.live/organisations Connect With Matt Quinn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattquinn-aistrategy/

Thankfully… walk into almost any contemporary office and you are likely to find a few strategically positioned plants, a moss wall in reception or perhaps another biophilic feature intended to soften an otherwise corporate environment. Over the past decade, introducing greenery into workplaces has become almost synonymous with employee wellbeing. Yet according to workplace and environmental psychologist Dr Craig Knight, if organisations believe that adding a few plants alone will transform productivity, they have misunderstood the research. Craig's work at the University of Exeter, challenged one of the most enduring assumptions in workplace design, namely that the most productive offices are those that are minimalist and stripped back to their essentials. These highly controlled environments were long thought to minimise distraction and maximise concentration. His research demonstrated precisely the opposite. Employees working in enriched environments containing plants, artwork and opportunities for personalisation consistently performed better than those working in lean, standardised offices. “Wellbeing improved, stress reduced and productivity increased by as much as 15%.” Although plants became the headline of many reports about the research, Craig is keen to put them into context. They are not magical objects capable of transforming a workplace by themselves. Rather, they are one of the simplest and most affordable ways of enriching an environment. This is important for designers, facilities managers and employers to remember. Environmental enrichment can take many forms, including artwork, light, texture and even scent. Plants have proved particularly effective because they are relatively inexpensive, flexible and easy to introduce into existing buildings. Unlike a major refurbishment, they can transform a space almost immediately. The psychology behind their success is equally compelling. Rather than distracting employees from their work, enriched environments provide opportunities for brief moments of cognitive recovery. Looking away from a screen towards a plant or another visually engaging feature gives the brain the chance to reset before returning to the task at hand. These small interruptions help sustain attention rather than diminish it. As Craig puts it, people are happier and more productive when their surroundings offer something meaningful to engage with. Yet as our conversation developed, it became clear that the plants themselves were not the most significant finding from decades of workplace research.The real story is choice. People perform better when they have some control over the environment in which they work. The ability to personalise a desk, influence the layout of a workspace or decide where plants should be positioned may appear insignificant, but psychologically these decisions communicate something much larger. They demonstrate trust. One of the most interesting examples he describes comes from a company in Paris that invited staff to shape their own working environment. Employees created artwork, rearranged spaces, introduced planting and developed breakout areas that reflected their own personalities. There was no substantial design budget. Instead, the organisation trusted its employees to create an environment that suited the way they worked. Productivity increased, but equally important was the sense of ownership people developed towards the workplace. It became somewhere they wanted to be rather than somewhere they were required to attend. This idea of ownership runs through much of his research. Organisations often invest heavily in beautifully designed offices only to prevent employees from moving furniture, repositioning plants or displaying personal objects. In doing so, they unintentionally undermine many of the psychological benefits the design was intended to create. Craig argues that even the best designers cannot predict what will make every individual feel comfortable. A workplace should not simply reflect a corporate identity; it should also allow the identities of the people working there to emerge. "The more you can realise your own identity in your space," he says, "the better that space is."This presents an interesting challenge for architects and interior designers. Design excellence has often been measured by visual consistency and aesthetic control. Yet workplace psychology suggests that highly curated environments are not always the most successful places to work. The role of design may be less about creating a finished solution and more about creating a framework within which people can adapt spaces to suit their own needs. That philosophy extends well beyond office furniture or planting schemes. Craig is equally critical of workplace cultures that attempt to monitor every aspect of employee behaviour. Surveillance software, keystroke monitoring and rigid management structures all communicate a lack of trust, and his research consistently shows that these approaches reduce engagement rather than improve it. Organisations frequently speak about wellbeing while simultaneously removing autonomy from their workforce. The contradiction is difficult to ignore. For those working in Biophilic Design, there is another interesting lesson. The discussion around nature in buildings often focuses on the physiological benefits of plants, daylight or natural materials. Craig does not dismiss those benefits, but he repeatedly brings the conversation back to the social environment. Plants become valuable not simply because they are living organisms, but because they represent care, enrichment and, when employees are involved in choosing and looking after them, shared ownership. It is no coincidence that people often name the plants they care for in the workplace. They become part of the social fabric of an office, small but tangible reminders that the environment is alive and that someone has invested in it. Even preserved planting, increasingly common where living plants are impractical, reflects a desire to introduce texture, colour and references to nature into spaces that might otherwise feel sterile.As organisations continue to rethink hybrid working and the purpose of the office, Knight believes there is an opportunity to move beyond designing attractive workplaces only. The challenge is to create environments where people feel respected, trusted and able to contribute to the spaces they inhabit. His advice to designers:"People first. Design second." It is a principle that sits comfortably alongside Biophilic Design. Creating healthier workplaces has never been solely about filling buildings with plants. It is about designing environments that support human flourishing. Plants remain one of the most effective tools available, but they are most powerful when they become part of a wider culture that values participation, autonomy and wellbeing. In the end, the greenest workplace is not necessarily the one with the most planting. It is the one where people genuinely feel that they belong. To follow or contact Dr Craig Kight visit his Linkedin profile: linkedin.com/in/craigknightidrhttps://www.identityrealization.com His now-famous paper, The Relative Benefits of Green Versus Lean Office Space: Three Field Experiments, co-authored alongside Nieuwenhuis, M., Postmes, T., and Haslam, S., found that introducing plants into office environments could improve workplace productivity by up to 15%. Nieuwenhuis, Marlon & Knight, Craig & Postmes, Tom & Haslam, S.. (2014). The Relative Benefits of Green Versus Lean Office Space: Three Field Experiments. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied. 20. 199-214. 10.1037/xap0000024. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264395358_The_Relative_Benefits_of_Green_Versus_Lean_Office_Space_Three_Field_Experiments Have you got a copy of the Journal? You can now subscribe as a member of the Journal of Biophilic Design or purchase a gorgeous coffee table reference copy or PDF download of the Journal journalofbiophilicdesign.com or Amazon and Kindle. Credits: with thanks to George Harvey Audio Production for the calming biophilic soundscape that backs all of our podcasts. Listen to our podcast on Audible, Amazon Music, Spotify, iTunes, YouTube and all the RSS feeds.https://www.facebook.com/journalofbiophilicdesign/https://www.linkedin.com/company/journalofbiophilicdesign/https://www.instagram.com/journalofbiophilicdesignIf you like this,please subscribe!

 "You can't be the most expensive and be the most crap at what you do.” Andrew Griffiths Top Five Tips For Why You Should Proudly Be The Most Expensive1.   When you play in the cheap end of town, you are just another transaction2.  If you're going to be the most expensive you have to be the best, and there is no downside to this3.  The right customers are looking for the best, not the cheapest4.  Being the most expensive differentiates you in so many ways5.  Businesses that charge the most build financial resilience TIME STAMP SUMMARY 01:40  Competing solely on price is a lack of creativity and leads to a lack of emotional connection with customers.04:10  Being the most expensive requires delivering exceptional value in every aspect of the transaction.09:20 Rewriting the stories and mindsets that prevent business owners from charging appropriately.15:25   Attracting the right customers who value quality and are willing to pay more leads to long-term business success.20:10  Financial resilience leads to a more sustainable and less stressful business environment. Where to find Andrew?Website                       https://www.andrewgriffiths.com.auWebsite LinkedIn                       https://au.linkedin.com/in/griffithsandrew  Andrew Griffiths Long BioAndrew Griffiths stands as Australia's #1 small business author and global authority on future-proofing businesses. With 40 years of entrepreneurial wisdom, 14 bestsellingbooks published in 65 countries, and over 1,000 presentations delivered across 25 countries, Andrew brings a rare combination of street-smart experience and profound business insight to every stage. What sets Andrew apart isn't just his impressive credentials – it's his ability to see the human element in an increasinglydigital world. Renowned as one of the greatest storytellers in the speaking profession, Andrew weaves masterful narratives drawn from his vast bank of personal experiencesand business observations, delivering powerful lessons that resonate long after the presentation ends. As an entrepreneurial futurist, he champions the power of human intelligence in business, helping organisations and leaders navigate change while staying authentically connected to their customers. His gift for storytelling  transforms complex business concepts into memorable, actionable insights that inspire real change. Drawing from his extraordinary journey from orphan to international business authority, Andrew delivers more than just insights, he shares battle-tested wisdomthat has helped both Fortune 500 companies and small business owners thrive. His presentations blend powerful storytelling with practical strategies, delivered with anauthenticity that can only come from someone who has lived the entrepreneurial journey in all its ups and downs. Organisations around the world including the EuropeanUnion, CBS, Hewlett Packard and Hertz have trusted Andrew to deliver not just inspiration, but actionable wisdom that creates lasting impact. His unique ability to hold a mirror up to audiences, showing them both challenges and opportunities comes wrapped in his signature style of unapologetic honesty and quick wit.Andrew specialises in helping audiences:• Look at their business from a global trend perspective• Embrace human intelligence as a competitive advantage • Use storytelling in a strategic way to connect and influence • Build deeper customer connections in a digital age• Navigate price increases and value positioning• Transform their definition of success• Create bulletproof brands that stand the test of time• Feel inspired by global stories of innovation in businessWhen Andrew takes the stage, he doesn't just leave a warm impression, he catalyses real change. His mission is to help people of substance build businesses of substance,ensuring they remain relevant and resilient in an ever-evolving marketplace.

Sometimes the biggest challenge isn't having enough data, it's knowing what to do with it.  As agentic AI moves to real-world deployment, our cities and towns are becoming smarter. The mountain town of Vail, Colorado is just one such example of where artificial intelligence is helping streamline services, improve decision making and enhance experiences for residents and visitors alike. This week, Technology Now welcomes Robin Braun, VP, AI Business Development, Hybrid Cloud, to the show to find out:  • How AI has been successfully used in Vail to improve outcomes for staff and consumers• Why breaking down silos helps instigate necessary communication between departments• Why AI is more than just a productivity tool, it's an essential part of modern day infrastructure 

Organisations providing HIV services to gay men have had to close in Niger after a ban on same sex acts. Gay men there fear coming forward to be tested or treated and have lost access to condoms and medication protecting against HIV. Claudia Hammond and health journalist Camilla Mota discuss what this might mean for HIV rates in the country.We also hear about a US study looking at whether cancer screening rates differ across sexual orientation and gender identity, and discuss the return of a crisis hotline which aims to prevent suicide in LGBTQ+ in the US which had been closed a year ago.And little is known about how screen time impacts recovery after a concussion. Claudia speaks with Professor Ginger Yang from the Center for Injury, Research and Policy at the Nationwide Children's Hospital in the United States about her new research which found that for teens, the relationship may be more complicated than we thought.Then reporter Sen Nguyen takes us to Bangkok, where an intrepid group of cyclists are looking to change the city's road culture, and we hear how changes like these could fit into Thailand's proposed Clean Air Bill.And finally, we hear about how the smell of chocolate could help us to train harder in the gym.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producers: Jonathan Blackwell and Georgia Christie

Minister Catherine Ardagh is one of those helping to organise the event today. Her son Darragh has an assistant dog who came to live with the family this year from the group Dog For The Disabled. Catherine spoke to our reporter Laura Whelan.

When most people hear "digital divide," they picture communities without broadband. But in 2026, that definition is dangerously outdated. "The digital divide is no longer just about internet access." These words from Graeme Gordon, Chief Executive Officer of Converged Solutions Group, set the tone for one of the most pressing conversations in technology today.In this episode of Tech Transformed, host Trisha Pillay sits down with Gordon to unpack the changing digital divide, the massive impact of AI adoption, and what it truly takes. Gordon, whose background spans electrical engineering, oil and gas robotics, and three decades of founding and scaling tech companies, says that the new digital divide is about meaningful participation in the AI-driven economy, not just connectivity.“More people are connected than ever before,” Gordon explains. “But connection without capability is just noise.” He points to mobile internet adoption as a case in point. Billions of people now access the internet via smartphones. However, the gap between scrolling social media and using cloud-based AI tools to build products and services remains wide.This participation gap is the new frontier of digital exclusion. The implications stretch well beyond individual users. Organisations, governments, and education systems that fail to close this gap risk being locked out of the innovation economy entirely.AI Adoption Without EducationFew developments have accelerated the digital divide conversation quite like the arrival of ChatGPT in late 2022. Gordon calls it plainly: "ChatGPT has disrupted and transformed the sector," and not just for technologists. The tool put generative AI in the hands of business professionals, students, and everyday users almost overnight.Gordon says it's time to rethink our approach to AI. At a recent event he attended with 100 business leaders in the room, every hand went up when asked if they had used an AI platform in the last 24 hours. When asked who had received any formal training on how to use those tools, not a single hand was raised. This is the core paradox of AI adoption today. The tools are everywhere. The understanding of how to use them safely, strategically, and effectively is not. Without structured digital literacy and education, rapid AI adoption becomes a liability rather than an asset for individuals and organisations alike.Barriers to Digital InclusionGordon identifies several interconnected barriers preventing organisations from fully participating in the digital economy. Let's have a look:Skills gaps remain the most acute. Technology evolves faster than most training programmes, let alone formal education curricula. University degrees and annual school terms were not designed for the pace of AI-driven change.Trust and credibility are equally critical. Gordon warns of what he calls "AI slop", the growing proliferation of AI-generated content and half-built solutions that look polished but lack substance or security. Organisations that rely on AI without proper oversight risk undermining the customer trust they're trying to build.While infrastructure quality is improving globally, it still creates disparities, particularly around data sovereignty. The question of where your data sits, who can access it, and under what compliance framework is no longer just a legal concern. It is a competitive and ethical one.Sovereign AIOne of the most forward-looking concepts Gordon introduces is sovereign AI, the idea that organisations must control not just their data, but the AI infrastructure that touches it. Just as data sovereignty became a boardroom priority, AI sovereignty is now following the same path."Business leaders type sensitive information into ChatGPT or Copilot without thinking twice," Gordon cautions. The solution isn't to avoid AI, it's to build internal AI agents and platforms that interact with large language models without exposing proprietary data to the open web. This is why hyperscaler data centres are appearing in unexpected geographies: latency is secondary; sovereignty is the driver.Gordon's advice to business leaders is refreshingly direct: go experiment. "You won't break anything," he says. The AI-driven economy rewards curiosity, iteration, and speed of learning, not perfection. Leadership teams need to model responsible AI use, invest in upskilling their people, and treat education as a strategic asset. This applies as much to frontline healthcare workers as it does to C-suite executives.If you would like to find out more, connect with Graeme Gordon on LinkedIn.TakeawaysThe evolving digital divide from access to participation.Impact of AI and ChatGPT on business and society.Importance of secure and sovereign AI infrastructure.Role of education in digital literacy for all.Leadership strategies for AI adoption and trust.Barriers to digital inclusion: skills, trust, infrastructure.Practical steps for organisations to implement AI responsibly.Chapters00:00 Understanding the Digital Divide02:49 The Role of AI in Participation06:01 Barriers to Digital Adoption09:07 The Importance of Education11:45 Building a Secure AI Foundation14:51 Trust and Credibility in AI18:11 Practical Advice for Organisations

Every organisation wants to provide a workplace where people feel respected, safe and valued. Yet despite widespread awareness, robust policies and increased reporting, workplace bullying and incivility continue to undermine employee wellbeing, engagement and organisational performance. In this episode of The HR Room Podcast, Dave and Liam Barton (Commercial Director - Insight HR) are joined by Dr. Renee Thompson, CEO and Founder of the Healthy Workforce Institute, to explore why workplace bullying remains such a persistent challenge and what organisations can do to build healthier workplace cultures where respect becomes the norm rather than the exception. Guests Liam Barton — Commercial Director, Insight HR Renee Thompson — CEO & Founder, Healthy Workforce Institute Topics include: Why workplace bullying continues despite increased awareness The difference between bullying and workplace incivility Why senior leaders often have the greatest influence on workplace culture Common mistakes organisations make when responding to bullying complaints Why policies alone are not enough to prevent workplace bullying The importance of training managers to recognise and address inappropriate behaviour Building a culture where difficult conversations happen early The relationship between psychological safety, respect and employee engagement Key Takeaways for HR Leaders Workplace bullying is no longer primarily an awareness issue—it's an execution issue. Organisations must clearly distinguish between bullying and lower-level workplace incivility. Policies are essential, but culture is shaped by everyday behaviours and leadership actions. Managers need the confidence and skills to address inappropriate behaviour promptly. Leadership commitment is critical to creating psychologically safe workplaces. Employees are more likely to report concerns when they trust the organisation will act fairly. Respect, trust and open communication are stronger drivers of engagement than perks alone. Resources Mentioned Insight HR Irish Workplace Bullying Report 2026 Healthy Workforce Institute Healthy Workforce Culture Framework Enough! Eradicate Bullying & Incivility in Healthcare: Strategies for Front Line Leaders Get in Touch If you're not already following us on LinkedIn, we'd love to connect with you. If you have suggestions for future podcast episodes, or would like to appear as a guest on The HR Room, contact Dave Corkery at dcorkery@insighthr.ie or connect with him on LinkedIn. About The HR Room Podcast The HR Room Podcast is brought to you by Insight HR, where we speak with HR leaders, legal experts and workplace specialists from across Ireland about the issues shaping the future of work. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe, leave us a review, and share it with colleagues or friends. We're always keen to hear your feedback and suggestions for future episodes. For immediate HR support, contact Insight HR on 056 770 1060 or email info@insighthr.ie.    

In Episode 15 of Season 7 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom was joined for the third time by Vin Vashishta, CEO and Founder of V-Squared, where they discuss why the organisations getting the most value from AI are focused less on models and use cases, and more on outcomes, information architecture and business transformation, which includes;Why AI strategy has become a revenue growth strategy rather than a technology strategy.Why AI is an information product that depends on context, information architecture and data.Why information flywheels will become the defining capability that separates AI leaders from everyone else.Why organisations are moving from buying AI products to forming outcome-based partnerships with technology and consulting providers.Why CEOs and CFOs are now demanding clear links between AI investment, business outcomes and shareholder value.Why meaningful AI ROI requires organisations to transform operating models rather than simply automate existing processes.Why the fastest-growing organisations are extracting the greatest value from AI by creating entirely new forms of value.Why organisations such as JPMorgan Chase and Eli Lilly are turning AI into sustainable competitive advantage.How organisations can begin building information flywheels.Why technical strategy is becoming a core capability for both executive leaders and technical practitioners as traditional management layers disappear.Why ownership of commercial outcomes matters far more than whether AI sits with the CIO, CDO or a Chief AI Officer.Why robotics, autonomous systems and edge AI could soon eclipse today's generative AI conversation.Why LLMs will become just one small component within far more sophisticated agentic systems.Why we'll see LLMs diminish in importance.Thanks to our sponsor, Data & AI Literacy Academy.Data & AI Literacy Academy is leading the way in transforming enterprise workforces with data literacy across the organisation, through a combination of change management and education. In today's data-centric world, being data literate is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity.If you want successful data product adoption, and to keep driving innovation within your business, you need to start with data & AI literacy first.At Data & AI Literacy Academy, they don't just teach data skills. They empower individuals and teams to think critically, analyse effectively, and make decisions confidently based on data. They're bridging the gap between business and data teams, so they can all work towards aligned outcomes.From those taking their first steps in data & AI literacy to seasoned experts looking to fine-tune their skills, our data experts provide tailored classes for every stage. But it's not just learning tracks that they offer. They embed a deep data culture shift through a transformative change management programme.They take a people-first approach, working closely with your executive team to win the hearts and minds. We know this will drive the company-wide impact that data teams want to achieve.Get in touch and find out how you can unlock the full potential of data in your organisation. Learn more at www.dl-academy.com.

AI isn't just speeding up recruiting; it's actually forcing companies to redesign work itself, blending human judgment with agentic execution across hiring, mobility, and skills development. As a result, most conversations these days are about AI in the enterprise centre on software development and engineering. Recruiting, hiring, and talent management get far less attention, but they may be where AI's impact is most immediate.In a recent episode of Tech Transformed, host Dana Gardner spoke with Meghna Punhani, Chief People Officer at Eightfold AI, about how organisations are rethinking talent acquisition, workforce planning, and employee development in an AI-driven world. Meghna Punhani's perspective is shaped by nearly two decades at Google, a stint leading employee experience at Palo Alto Networks, and her current dual role at Eightfold AI, where she both leads the people function and helps build the product her team relies on. That vantage point gives her a practical, ground-level view of what works and what doesn't when AI meets HR.Reimagining the Talent Lifecycle with AI Punhani's central argument is that most legacy HR systems were designed for a different purpose, one that has evolved as work itself has changed and the workforce now includes AI agents alongside people. Simply bolting automation onto existing processes, she argues, isn't enough. Organisations that are succeeding are the ones re-engineering roles, workflows, and organisational structures from the ground up, treating this as an operating-model shift rather than an IT upgrade.This shift touches the entire talent lifecycle, from how companies find candidates and evaluate skills instead of just job titles to how they support internal mobility. Punhani points out that skills now have a much shorter shelf life than in the past, which means static job descriptions are giving way to dynamic, skills-based decision-making. AI, she says, helps surface pathways for employees that traditional resumes and titles would never reveal, including her own nontraditional route into HR leadership.How AI Is Reshaping Workforce Strategy Trust is the recurring theme throughout the discussion. Punhani is candid that employees often fear AI-driven decisions, especially around jobs and evaluations. Her approach is focused on transparency first. When Eightfold rolled out digital twins internally, employees were uneasy until leadership explained how the technology worked and used it themselves, which helped build organisation-wide confidence.That same principle shows up in Eightfold's own hiring practice. One example is the company's campus recruiting programme in India, where its AI interviewer conducted roughly 90 per cent of interviews. This enabled recruiting to scale from around eight or 10 university partners to more than 150, and from approximately 5,000 applications to 15,000, without pulling engineers away from their day-to-day duties.Time-to-offer dropped from around six weeks to as little as four days in some technical roles, largely because interviews could happen around the clock rather than around a recruiter's or hiring manager's schedule. Beyond recruiting, Eightfold's internal initiative, nicknamed Project Andromeda, applies the same re-engineering approach across sales and finance, reportedly reclaiming thousands of employee hours through redesigned, agent-assisted workflows.AI and the Future of TalentLooking ahead, Punhani doesn't frame AI as a threat to human contribution, but she frames it as an amplifier of it. As tools become more accessible across every function, she believes the people who will succeed won't be the ones who know the most facts, since AI can answer those questions. Instead, it will be the people who ask better questions, orchestrate multiple AI agents, and apply judgment where the right answer isn't obvious.For HR leaders specifically, Punhani's advice is to claim a seat at the table now, rather than letting AI adoption happen without a people-first lens. This means learning the technology firsthand, demonstrating its value to non-technical teams, and partnering closely with CTOs and CIOs to shape decisions jointly. Her advice for individuals entering this shifting job market is similarly grounded: focus on learning agility over any single technical skill, since the skills in demand today may look different within months.Future of AI in Talent ManagementAcross the conversation, Punhani returns to one idea, and that is AI in talent management isn't primarily a technology problem; it's a leadership and trust problem. Organisations that treat it that way, redesigning work with both humans and agents in mind, are the ones seeing measurable gains in speed, candidate experience, and internal mobility.For HR leaders exploring AI adoption, the takeaway from this episode is to start before you feel ready, build trust through transparency, and let AI handle evaluation and execution so people can focus on judgment, empathy, and connecting the dots across the organisation. If you would like to find out more, visit eightfold.ai or connect with Meghna Punhani on LinkedIn.TakeawaysAI's impact on talent acquisition and management.Reengineering work processes with AI.Building trust and transparency in AI systems.Skills-based internal mobility and workforce planning.AI-driven candidate evaluation and employee development.Chapters00:00 Introduction to AI in Talent Management02:59 Understanding AI's Role in Talent Acquisition06:07 AI's Impact on Workforce Planning and Skills Development10:02 Building Trust in AI for Hiring Processes13:04 Internal Use of AI at Eightfold AI18:58 Measuring ROI from AI in Talent Acquisition25:02 Enhancing Candidate Experience with AI29:53 Future Directions for AI in Talent Management

In this Leader Lounge episode of the People Performance Podcast, Alex Mather explores the Team of Teams concept and why today's leaders need to move beyond traditional hierarchies to build connected, agile organisations.Drawing on the work of Stanley McChrystal, Alex explains how organisations can overcome siloed working, improve collaboration, and make better decisions in complex, fast-changing environments.Discover the five principles of Team of Teams - flag on the hill, information flow, decentralised decision-making, dynamic subordination, and trust - and learn how they can help leaders create more adaptive, high-performing teams.-----Follow The People Performance Podcast for leadership, culture, and high-performance insights:Instagram: @peopleperformancepodcastTikTok: @peopleperformancepod

Zero Trust has transitioned from buzzword to basic necessity. As AI has transformed the cybersecurity landscape, becoming a tool for both attack and defence, organisations are being forced to rethink how thy protect themselves, their users, and their networks. Technology Now welcomes back friend of the show Jaye Tillson, CTO Security and HPE Distinguished Technologist to discuss:• The impact of AI on cyber threats as well as cybersecurity• How Zero Trust can contain breeches if they cannot be prevented entirely• Why limited access is more important than ever in a distributed network

Send us Fan MailThis week we had some excellent news..we've made the Longlist of the #BritishPodcastAwards 2026 in the factual category.. your time listening and suggestions for stories are really appreciated! Welcome to this episode where young reporter George Woodward and dad Tony catch up with Paul Middleton aka 'Piglet' the Director of Mechanical Engineering at North Yorkshire Moors Railway during filming for his new Channel 4 television series 'Steam Train Diaries'Sharon Gregory  takes a 'Railway Rideout' to Amerton Railway in Staffordshire and finds out about the 'Railway that never was' and Alasdair Stewart heads to one of London's hidden railway gems The Kempton Waterworks Railway to find out about its origins carrying coal to feed the triple expansion steam pumping engines that supplied water to London, through to the dedicated volunteers who are operating and developing it today!LISTENERS' CHOICE AWARDS #BRITISHPODCASTAWARDSWe are thrilled to be on the this year's Longlist of the British Podcast Awards 2026.If you would like to vote for us in the Listener's Choice Category you can do so  HERE . The first round is open until July 23rd 2026Links below to the Railways and Organisations we have mentioned:Steam Train Diaries Channel 4Paul Miller aka 'Piglet' - North York Moors Amerton Railway Hampton & Kempton Waterworks RailwayMWB No4 - Project websiteThis podcast is produced by Laura Raymond and presented by Alasdair Stewart and Sharon Gregory. Our 'Making Tracks' music is with kind permission of composer and musician Richard Durrant. It is a unique piece inspired by the rhythm of the historic rolling stock on the Ffestiniog Railway on the scenic journey from Harbour Station to Tan y Blwch. You can listen and download the full 'Tan y Bwlch' Ukulele Quartet here: Thank you to voice artist David King - for the Railway Ride outs voice over. Ukulele Quartet No. 1 "Tan y Bwlch"  Ukulele Quartet No. 1 "Tan y Bwlch" Richard Durrant · Single · 2019 · 3  songs.    

A tough job market rewards the people who can say, in one sentence, why they, and not the other thousand applicants, should get the role. This episode turns into a live coaching session. Dr. Kyle Elliott, a tech career and executive coach, walks Ben through the exercise he uses with senior leaders across Silicon Valley: gathering feedback from people who knew you as a child and people who know you now, then finding the overlap. That overlap, in Kyle's language, is your fabulousness, the specific and provable things that set you apart from everyone else with a similar background. The episode moves from theory into practice quickly. Kyle coaches Ben live, drawing out how Ben's own friends describe him, then pressing for the proof behind each trait: not just positive, but the specific week a deal fell through and Ben kept going anyway. That gap between a personality trait and a concrete story is where resumes and LinkedIn profiles usually fall flat, a problem Sales Engineers, Technical Consultants, and Customer Success leaders run into constantly once a market tightens. The conversation also covers the part of hiring nobody agrees on right now: how much AI is actually reading resumes, and how much a candidate should let AI write theirs. Kyle's answer, drawn from clients inside Google, Amazon, and other large tech companies, cuts against the assumption that bots decide everything. He also unpacks his cake and frosting framework for balancing the qualifications a role demands against the individuality that gets someone remembered, and how to talk about weaknesses in an interview without hiding them or handing the interviewer a reason to say no. Dr. Kyle Elliott, is a tech career coach and executive coach at CaffeinatedKyle.com, working with senior managers, executives, and job seekers across Silicon Valley and the wider tech industry. He is a member of the invitation-only Forbes Coaches Council and a consultant with the Myers-Briggs Company, and his coaching has been featured in Business Insider, Fortune, and the Harvard Business Review. Show notes footer: Listen and subscribe: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1yU6AcoCLySqE1wGn80HOT?si=649d8f8c3d8b47a3 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/tech-world-human-skills/id1674003078 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@techworldhumanskills/podcasts Newsletter and archive: https://www.techworldhumanskills.com Connect with Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benpthoughts Technical Storytelling for Individuals: https://www.elevatedyou.live/individuals Technical Storytelling for Organisations: https://www.elevatedyou.live/organisations Dr Kyle Elliott: https://caffeinatedkyle.com/freebies/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylecromerelliott/

Instead of backing shiny new projects, The Boring Fund is raising money for - as the name suggests - the "boring bits" like rent, power, accounting and administration costs that are often the hardest to cover.

Farmers who graze their livestock on what's called Common Land in England were being excluded from the government's new farming environmental support schemes - not because they didn't qualify, but because the Rural Payments Agency's computer system wasn't up to the job of processing their applications. However, campaigners say that the system's being changed and commoners will now be able to apply.Changing sea temperatures, rising fuel costs and offshore windfarms are all challenges for the fishing industry. All week we'll be exploring the state of the sector. We start off by asking the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations about fishing stocks, recruitment and an octopus bloom off UK waters. ,The combination of higher fertiliser and fuel prices, and challenging weather mean farmers have their thinking caps firmly on their heads when considering long-term options for how they farm in the future. Should they use less fertiliser and fuel, to save costs and help the environment and can they do that, while still producing enough of the food we all need? We bring to together a buying cooperative, a university professor and a potato grower to discuss.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

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AI is making our technology smarter… but it's also making it much, much hotter. With higher demand for HPC and enterprise AI, data centres are having to adapt to meet the changing demands on the modern world. This week, Technology Now is joined by Jason Zeiler Principal Product Manager for Next Generation Infrastructure and HPC/AI Liquid Cooling at HPE to find out:• The efficiency benefits of liquid cooling compared to air cooling and why that isn't always enough to convince enterprises to switch• Whether future data centres will be built from first principles around liquid cooling infrastructure• How higher operating temperatures are feeding back into microchip manufacturers' designs for the next generation of chips

Becoming a new leader is one of the most dangerous promotions in business. The person who was promoted for hard work, strong KPIs, early starts, late finishes and personal accountability suddenly becomes responsible for other people's performance. That sounds like career progress, but it can become a trap. Many new managers in Japan, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the US receive little or no formal leadership training. They are expected to work it out alone. The problem is that the skills that earned the promotion are not the same skills needed to succeed as a leader. The new game is leverage, coaching, persuasion and building capability through the team. Why do new leaders struggle after promotion? New leaders struggle because they keep doing the work that got them promoted instead of learning how to lead others. They remain top performers, but they fail to multiply performance through the team. This is common in sales, finance, operations, technology and professional services. A strong individual contributor becomes a team leader and still tries to personally save the numbers. That works for a while, until the organisation raises the target and individual output hits its limit. A leader with ten people has access to eighty hours of team effort in a single day, while one heroic manager has only sixteen hours at most. The leverage is obvious, but many new leaders miss it. Do now: Stop measuring your value only by your personal output. Measure how much better the team performs because of your leadership. How can new leaders stop doing and start leading? New leaders must deliberately shift time from personal production to team development, coaching and performance management. The goal is not to be the busiest player; it is to become the conductor of the orchestra. The orchestra conductor does not play the violin, trumpet or drums. The conductor studies the musicians, aligns timing, manages egos, draws out potential and lifts the whole performance. New managers must do the same. Yes, some may still carry clients or operational responsibilities, especially in SMEs and lean organisations. But over time, they should move those tasks to capable team members and invest more time in developing people. Do now: Audit your week. Reduce low-leverage personal tasks and increase time spent coaching, delegating and improving team capability. How should new leaders balance people and process? New leaders need enough process to protect the organisation and enough freedom to allow creativity, ownership and experimentation. Too many rules kill initiative; too few controls create risk. Compliance matters. Rules protect companies from legal, financial and reputational disaster. We have all seen finance-world examples where weak controls and adrenaline-fuelled risk-taking damaged or destroyed firms. But if every action requires permission, the team stops thinking. In Japanese companies, where stability and process discipline are often strong, leaders must create safe space for ideas while respecting governance. In startups, the danger may be the opposite: too much freedom and not enough control. Do now: Clarify non-negotiable rules, then invite the team to find better paths within those boundaries. Why should leaders encourage ideas from the team? Leaders should encourage team ideas because creativity, ownership and engagement grow when people help shape the solution. If every answer comes from the boss, the team becomes passive. New leaders often let ego get in the way. They think, "I am the boss, so the best ideas should come from me." Or worse, they fear that a talented team member might replace them. That is small thinking. Organisations everywhere are crying out for leaders who create more leaders. A manager known as a "leader creating machine" becomes more valuable, not less. If nobody can replace you, you may be trapped in the same role forever. Do now: Ask the team for options before giving your answer. Build people who can eventually replace you. Why is coaching essential for first-time managers? Coaching is essential because the leader's job is to help people become better than they already are. If everyone keeps working the same way, the team will keep getting the same results. Many new leaders were self-sufficient high achievers. They did not need much help, so they underestimate how much coaching others require. But people do not automatically change because the boss wants better numbers. They may want the company, market, customers or boss to change while they stay exactly as they are. That is where coaching, listening and persuasion become core leadership skills. Dale Carnegie-style leadership is not command and control; it is influence, trust and development. Do now: Schedule regular coaching conversations and focus on behaviour change, not just task updates. What should new leaders study to keep succeeding? New leaders should study leadership deliberately because management skill does not arrive through osmosis.Promotion gives authority, but study builds capability. First-time managers should study delegation, coaching, listening, persuasion, conflict management, motivation and performance accountability. In Japan's consensus-oriented business culture, persuasion and listening are especially important because blunt orders often create surface agreement without real commitment. In Western organisations, speed and directness may be valued, but influence still matters. The Darwinian "up or out" business world does not forgive leaders who refuse to grow. Do now: Treat leadership as a discipline. Study it, practise it and get feedback before small mistakes become career-limiting habits. Final Summary New leaders succeed when they understand that promotion changes the job. What worked before will not be enough now. The leader must stop being only the best player and start building the whole team's performance. Three priorities matter most. First, stop doing everything yourself and start gaining leverage through others. Second, balance process with people so the organisation stays safe while creativity survives. Third, become a genius coach who listens, persuades and develops capability. Study the new role seriously. In leadership, survival and success belong to the people who learn fastest. Author Bio Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews, which are widely followed by executives seeking success strategies in Japan.

Recorded in front of a live studio audience at HPE Discover 2026, Michael Bird talks to EVP, President and General Manager of HPE Networking, Rami Rahim, about the future of our network infrastructure. Key takeaways include:What self-driving networks really are, why they are important and how driving business impactHow trust can be a barrier to the adoption of self-driving networks, and how this can be overcomeTop ways AI in our networks benefit IT professionals around the world

Organisations face unprecedented levels of challenge. New technologies, economic and geopolitical instability and more create complexity on a scale most organisations are ill-equipped to address. Confusion reigns and most people at work struggle to know what to address first. But how much of our current work turmoil is compounded by out-of-date working practices and processes? How much day-to-day work activity no longer delivers value? Colleagues are endlessly busy but are they doing work that matters? This episode, Chris Lovett introduces the concept of workplace minimalism. His latest book Relentless is an elegy for simplifying work so that people can deliver better outcomes. For harried internal communicators, this is an episode not to be missed.   About Chris Lovett Chris Lovett is an executive coach, TEDx speaker, and the author of two books about the power of less. His TEDx talk, 'Less Busy More Impact', and his bestselling first book Discovery of Less established him as one of the UK's most distinctive voices on sustainable work and living with less. His second book, Relentless: The Power of Doing Less in a Workplace that Demands More, brings that same philosophy into the workplace, helping the busiest of people manage their time, prevent burnout and navigate the chaos of modern work. Over the last ten years Chris has coached c-suite teams and senior leaders in FTSE100 companies spanning Europe, APAC and the US, as well as clients in the legal, retail and insurance industries. His work has been featured in The Times, The Independent, CEO Magazine, Marie Claire and HR Magazine, and he has appeared on dozens of podcasts including Leaders in Finance, Truth Lies and Work, and The Self Care Club. With endorsements from Olympic legend Colin Jackson CBE, Professor of Leadership Dr Megan Reitz and LinkedIn Top Voice Bruce Daisley, Chris strikes the perfect balance between inspirational coach and your mate down the pub, warm, witty and occasionally hilarious.   Find Chris on LinkedIn:         https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-lovett-29176933/ Chris's website:                      https://www.chrislovett.co.uk/ Chris's SubStack:                    https://chrislovett3.substack.com/  

What becomes possible for us as coaches when we move beyond the privacy of one to one conversations and begin working with the energy, complexity, and potential of groups and teams? In this episode of The Coaching Crowd podcast, we explored why so many coaches are choosing to train in group and team coaching, and why this area of coaching practice feels increasingly relevant in today's professional landscape. We wanted to bring this conversation to the podcast because coaching is no longer limited to one to one development conversations. More organisations, leaders, teams, and individuals are seeking collective development experiences. They want spaces where people can learn together, reflect together, challenge one another, and feel part of something more connected. That matters because so many people are experiencing disconnection, pressure, and exhaustion. Group coaching and team coaching can create powerful spaces where people feel seen, heard, and supported by others who may be facing similar questions or challenges. In a professional context, this also gives coaches the opportunity to work more systemically, supporting culture, communication, leadership development, and organisational change at scale. During the conversation, we reflected on the size of the opportunity for coaches. Group and team coaching are not new, but more coaches are now asking how they can broaden their work, move into organisations, support teams, run development programmes, and offer more than individual coaching sessions. For coaches who have mainly worked one to one, this shift can feel exciting, but also intimidating. We spoke about how group dynamics and team dynamics are far more complex than individual coaching. When you move into a one to many setting, there are more relationships, expectations, emotions, roles, and patterns in the room. This means coaches need more than confidence. They need structure, skill, presence, and an understanding of the psychodynamics that can emerge when people come together. One of the key reflections from this episode was that training in group and team coaching can benefit you even when you are not yet sure whether you want to specialise in this area. It develops your systemic thinking. It helps you see your one to one coaching clients as part of wider systems, including families, teams, organisations, communities, and cultures. That naturally expands the quality of the questions you ask and the way you support clients to understand themselves. We also explored how training in this area can open doors. Many coaches begin with one to one coaching in an organisation and then get asked whether they can support a team, design a programme, facilitate a workshop, or help with a leadership development initiative. Those moments can be exciting, but they can also create doubt. Having training behind you can give you the confidence, credibility, and practical tools to say yes to those opportunities. Another important theme was the need for coaches to think strategically about their business. Group and team coaching can help create more scalable offers, more variety, and more routes into organisational contracts. It can sit alongside one to one coaching, leadership development programmes, workshops, internal coaching roles, and wider organisational development work. We also reflected on the human nature of this work. Modern coaching is not only about performance. It is relational, emotionally intelligent, and systemic. In a world where artificial intelligence is changing how people work, human relationships are becoming even more important. Knowledge may be increasingly available, but connection, trust, culture, and shared understanding still require human presence. That is why group and team coaching feels so valuable. It supports people to understand how they relate, communicate, collaborate, and make progress together. It also gives coaches the chance to engage with the living, breathing reality of organisational culture and human behaviour. In the episode, we also shared more about our Group and Team Coaching programme, including the five phases that sit at the heart of the course: Grounding and Gathering, where we explore how to set the work up for success and orientate people into the coaching experience. Roles and Responsibilities, where we consider the role of the coach and the roles that people naturally take up in groups and teams. Options and Opportunity, where we explore coaching methodologies, practical activities, and ways to work creatively with groups and teams. Union and Understanding, where we look at group dynamics and the complexity of human behaviour in collective spaces. Presence and Progress, where we focus on closure, endings, progress, sustainability, and how groups and teams recognise and carry forward change. We also discussed the mindset of a group and team coach, because this is emotional work. How we resource ourselves, what we believe about groups, and how we manage our own presence will shape the quality of the work we offer. This episode is for coaches who are curious about expanding their practice, leaders and HR professionals who already work with groups and teams, and anyone who wants to build more confidence in facilitating meaningful collective development. Ultimately, group and team coaching is not an either or choice. It can sit beautifully alongside one to one coaching. It can widen your impact, strengthen your coaching practice, create new business opportunities, and help you work with the rich complexity of people, culture, and systems. Timestamps: 00:00: Welcome to The Coaching Crowd podcast 00:06: Why so many coaches are training in group and team coaching 00:38: Five reasons to consider group and team coaching 01:58: The size of the opportunity for coaches 03:59: How group and team coaching enhances one to one coaching 05:52: Building confidence to pitch group and team coaching work 06:56: Organisational contracts, leadership development, and scalable offers 08:22: Why group and team coaching requires specific training 09:36: The relational, emotional, and systemic nature of modern coaching 10:02: How AI and changing workplaces are influencing team dynamics 10:44: Overview of the Group and Team Coaching programme 11:10: Grounding and Gathering 11:45: Roles and Responsibilities 12:16: Options and Opportunity 12:46: Union and Understanding 13:06: Presence and Progress 14:00: Mindset and business development for group and team coaches 15:16: Why group and team coaching can be energising and valuable 16:13: Facilitated programme structure and how to join Key Lessons Learned: • Group and team coaching allows coaches to create impact beyond one to one conversations by working with collective learning, shared reflection, and systemic change. • Training in group and team coaching can strengthen your one to one coaching because it helps you see clients within the wider systems they belong to. • Group dynamics and team dynamics are more complex than individual coaching, so coaches need specific skills, structure, and confidence to work well in these spaces. • Organisations are increasingly investing in collective development because workplace culture, relationships, communication, and leadership are changing rapidly. • Group and team coaching can open doors to organisational contracts, leadership development programmes, workshops, internal coaching roles, and more scalable coaching offers. • Effective onboarding is crucial because how a group or team enters the coaching experience shapes the safety, clarity, and outcomes of the work. • Human presence, emotional intelligence, and relational skill remain essential in group and team coaching, especially as AI continues to reshape how people work. • Group and team coaching can bring more variety, energy, and strategic growth into a coaching business. • The work is not only for qualified one to one coaches. It can also support leaders, HR professionals, learning and development practitioners, and organisational development specialists. • Group and team coaching is not a replacement for one to one coaching. It can sit alongside it as a powerful extension of your coaching practice. Keywords: group coaching, team coaching, group and team coaching, coaching training, coach training, coaching CPD, one to one coaching, coaching skills, systemic coaching, organisational coaching, leadership development, team development, group dynamics, team dynamics, ,coaching practice, coaching business, coaching programme, emotional intelligence in coaching, workplace coaching, coaching for organisations, Links & Resources Group and Team Coaching course: https://igcompany.com/group

In this episode of Why Care?, Nadia Nagamootoo is joined by writer, broadcaster and campaigner Jamie Klingler for a conversation about accidental activism, women's safety, police reform and the institutional failures that still leave women carrying the burden of risk. Jamie reflects on the moment Sarah Everard's murder pushed her from behind-the-scenes media work into national campaigning, how Reclaim These Streets was formed at breakneck speed, and why the vigil and High Court fight became a turning point in the public conversation on violence against women and girls.From there, the conversation widens into what has changed, what has not, and what leaders still fail to understand. Jamie speaks candidly about consent, male entitlement, the emotional toll of becoming a public voice on women's safety, and why organisations cannot keep treating violence, harassment and misogyny as if they sit outside the workplace. The result is a powerful episode about courage, accountability and what it really takes to change culture rather than simply comment on it.Key TakeawaysThe public conversation on violence against women has moved, but institutions still lag behind.Consent education needs to go far beyond teaching girls how to say no.Men who want to help often need practical, behaviour-based guidance rather than abstract reassurance that they are “one of the good ones”.Organisations already know where the risks are. The issue is usually not awareness but whether leaders are willing to act early and decisively. Guest BioJamie Klingler became an activist and campaigner for women's safety and police reform as one of the founders of Reclaim These Streets, an organisation that was created after Sarah Everard, was abducted, raped and murdered by a serving police officer. The organisation tried to hold a vigil for Sarah, but the Metropolitan Police said they weren't allowed. In doing so and trying to silence them; Reclaim These Streets fought them in the High Court for violating their human right to assemble, and won. Jamie speaks on becoming an accidental activist and using her media and events expertise to create a real impact. Her TEDx talk on How to Reclaim Your Life is here: https://www.ted.com/talks/jamie_klingler_reclaim_yourself_the_most_valuable_investment_you_ll_makeLinks Jamie: ⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ Nadia Nagamootoo:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠ | Buy ⁠⁠⁠Beyond Discomfort⁠⁠⁠Avenir Consulting: ⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/avenirconsultingservices⁠⁠⁠Produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mauro Kenji Serra⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kenji Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠

What is happening at HPE Discover?This week Technology Now is bobbing along at HPE Discover Las Vegas 2026 at the Venetian Resort Las Vegas, HPE's annual customer and partner event. We ask what's changed since last year in the tech industry, how is HPE responding to the ever increasing rate of evolution in the sector, and what should our businesses and organizations be on the look out for in the next 12 months. Antonio Neri, President and CEO of HPE joins the show to tell us more.This is Technology Now, a weekly show from Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Every week, hosts Michael Bird and Sam Jarrell look at a story that's been making headlines, take a look at the technology behind it, and explain why it matters to organizations. This episode is available in both audio and video formats.About Antonio Neri: https://www.hpe.com/uk/en/leadership-bios/antonio-neri.html

Ian Turner has spent over two decades as a Chief People Officer watching the same slow collision happen inside organisations: brilliant performers get promoted into leadership roles, never get developed as leaders, and quietly become — in Ian's phrase — "overpaid doers." This episode asks what it actually takes to be a human-centric business leader, why that capability is in shorter supply than it should be, and what the real commercial cost is when organisations let it drift.The conversation lands on a deceptively simple idea: sustainable performance comes from leaders who hold the commercial and the human in the same hand at the same time — not alternating between them, but integrating both as a single discipline. Ian reframes what that looks like in practice, from getting out of your furrow in the carpet to understanding that every tech transformation is actually a people transformation with a tech element.Key Themes & TakeawaysLeaders who succeed long-term care passionately about two things simultaneously: delivering results and the people delivering them — treating these as one system, not a trade-off.Organisations have created a generation of "overpaid doers" — people promoted for technical excellence who were never equipped, trained, or expected to actually lead.The "furrow in the carpet" is a powerful diagnostic: if your daily movement through an organisation never changes, your leadership reach probably doesn't either.Attrition, stagnation, and cultural echo chambers are not people problems — they're the commercial consequences of ignoring the human side of performance.Post-COVID, companies that genuinely cared about their people maintained flexible, human-aware cultures; those that did it out of necessity are now facing the cultural bill.The most powerful thing a leader can offer isn't advice — it's belief. Coaching someone to their own solution builds both the answer and the person.Every tech transformation is a people transformation with a tech element — and leaders who frame it the other way around will keep hitting the same wall.Three Reasons to ListenListen if your organisation keeps hitting numbers in the short term but quietly haemorrhaging your best people — Ian names exactly why, and it's not what most senior leaders want to hear.Listen if you've ever caught yourself thinking that leadership is "on the side of the desk" — this conversation will reframe that as a strategic and commercial error, not just a personal development gap.Listen if you're trying to make the case internally that human-centric leadership isn't soft — Ian builds the business argument clearly, without ever making it fluffy.Notable Quotes"They don't become leaders because they're recruited into those more senior roles because they've been a great salesperson, a great product person, a great marketer — and they've not been recruited because they show true leadership traits." — Ian Turner"Every transformation is a people transformation with a tech element. It's not a tech transformation with a people element." — Ian Turner"One of the most powerful things you can offer another person isn't advice — it's belief." — Ian Turner (referencing Jenny Rogers, Coaching Skills)Ian's bioIan Turner, a Chief People Officer, talent strategist and leadership coach with over two decades of experience shaping people and culture across some of the UK's most recognised organisations. From leading transformation programmes and building high-performing teams to championing social mobility and developing future talent, Ian has built a reputation for combining commercial acumen with a genuinely human approach to leadership. He's passionate about helping people realise their potential and creating workplaces where both individuals and organisations can thrive.

In this week's episode, Scott McInnes sits down with Christine Armstrong, to dive deep into the critical importance of connection in the workplace. Together they explore how workplace trends have eroded relationships and the role of intentionality in creating a thriving organisational culture.  Christine offers practical strategies to rebuild trust at work and really nurture those vital human connections.    Key Takeaways:  Connection is a deliberate act, not a happy accident  Hierarchical and operational policies inadvertently undermine trust  Connection thrives on small, frequent interactions, not grand initiatives  Trust is the foundation for difficult conversations and authentic connection  The middle layer of work relationships has been lost to societal and organisational shifts  Organisations should design work around human needs, not assumptions of tradition  Simple listening and positive reinforcement are the most cost-effective trust builders    Timestamps:  00:00 Introduction to Connection in the Workplace  02:20 The Importance of Connection  05:20 Impact of COVID on Workplace Connections  08:09 Rebuilding Connections: Strategies and Initiatives  11:39 Creating Learning Moments and Engagement  14:12 Responsibility for Connection in the Workplace  19:50 Navigating Difficult Conversations  23:46 Assuming Positive Intent in Communication  27:02 Meeting Diverse Needs in the Workplace  30:40 Consequences of Weak Connections  35:06 The Power of Listening to Rebuild Connections       Connect with us:  LinkedIn  |  YouTube  |  Instagram     Connect with Christine:  LinkedIn |  Website   

Are we prepared for the deployment of a functional quantum computer? This week, Technology Now is returning to the topic of post quantum cryptography. We ask why the deadline for migrating to PQC enabled systems has been moved up, we discover what a quantum computer actually needs to be cryptographically relevant, and we pose the question: when it comes to migrating your systems to quantum resistant forms of encryption, could it already be too late for some people to start?This is Technology Now, a weekly show from Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Every week, hosts Michael Bird and Sam Jarrell look at a story that's been making headlines, take a look at the technology behind it, and explain why it matters to organizations.

What happens when the technology keeping essential services running fails at the worst possible moment? When most people think about workplace technology, they picture laptops, smartphones, and office software. But for millions of workers maintaining power networks, repairing infrastructure, supporting emergency services, managing transport systems, and operating in remote environments, technology has a very different job to do. It has to work every single time, often in conditions where failure is simply not an option. In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I speak with Alex Gittins from Getac about the changing world of field operations, rugged computing, and the growing role of Edge AI in supporting the deskless workforce. Alex explains why rugged technology is far more than placing a consumer device inside a protective case. From extreme temperatures and harsh weather to vibration, dust, poor connectivity, and demanding working environments, true rugged devices are engineered from the ground up to support people working where most technology struggles. We also discuss the often-overlooked reality that around 80% of the global workforce operates away from a desk. These workers are increasingly dependent on digital tools to receive work orders, access mapping systems, capture field data, complete inspections, and communicate with central teams in real time. The conversation also turns to Edge AI and its growing importance for frontline teams. Rather than relying on constant connectivity and cloud processing, Edge AI enables workers to access intelligence directly on their devices. Whether identifying damaged assets through image recognition, guiding inspections, reducing paperwork, or supporting faster decision-making, AI is becoming a practical tool for improving efficiency and safety in the field. Alex also shares how customer expectations are changing. Organisations are no longer buying devices in isolation. Instead, they are involving technology providers much earlier in the process to help design complete solutions that can support future operational requirements. From defence roots to modern field operations, this episode offers a fascinating look at the technology helping keep critical services running behind the scenes. How will AI, connectivity, and rugged computing continue to reshape the future of work for the billions of people who never sit behind a desk?