Special thanks to Leonard Lacson for this blog entry which reviews the advancement of artificial intelligence with a focus on business and other applications and his own experience with using AI tools. Leonard earned his bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from York University in Toronto, Canada. He has been working as a software developer since 2017. Leonard has completed consulting and development work for clients such as Audi, The Bank of Montreal, John Deere, and Mitel. Leonard currently works as a software engineer at a telecommunications startup based in New York City.
While recently bursting onto the “mainstream” scene,” the field of artificial intelligence has been around for quite some time with continuing improvement and application to countless real-world scenarios. Now, however, “artificial intelligence” and “machine learning” seem to be thrown around as ubiquitous buzzwords — and for good reason. AI has the potential to empower businesses — and its users — to do more.
Morten Hansen’s book Great at Work is a must-read for all who strive to be just that, great at work. The research-based, compelling narrative delves into nine “secrets of performance.” In this blog I want to use two of them as a springboard to share my own observations and add a third. So, what does it take to be great at work?
Author: Dirk Schlimm, Partner, Jenoir International | | Categories: Leadership
For the past 12 years, I have been teaching in the Directors Education Program (DEP) at business schools across Canada. In more than one hundred sessions, I have asked the same question: “What is the most important responsibility of a public company board?” Typical answers include assuming stewardship of the corporation, adopting a strategic plan, identifying the principal risks of the business, and holding management accountable. These are critical tasks indeed, but the board's most important job is this: to make sure the corporation has the right chief executive officer. Governance expert extraordinaire, David Beatty OBE, calls it the “sacred duty of the board.” David’s pronouncement is seconded by investment legend Warren Buffett. “The bedrock challenge for directors remains constant,” he writes. “Find and retain a talented CEO …”
The arrival of the Omicron variant towards the end of 2021, dashed hopes that societies, at least those with wide vaccine availability, were returning to pre-pandemic lives. Some had indeed thought that the pandemic was over; business executives were eager to post pictures of air travel (my first trip since …), trade show attendance, and various team building events. And who could blame them, it was good to finally be among people again. Working at the office also staged a comeback, at least in certain areas. With working from home (WFH) no longer imposed by necessity, however, the debate had now shifted as to whether and/or to what extent we should all head back to the office or whether working remote should become part of the “new normal.”
Relationships require work. This is as true for families as it is for businesses and is doubly true for family businesses. In Canada, the most recent Rogers family business drama has captivated the nation even more than the turmoil surrounding the Stronach family business empire. Eleven million Canadians are Rogers customers after all. Of course, Canada is hardly alone when it comes to family business quarrels. Earlier this year, the Economist chronicled “explosive” family feuds in Germany’s powerhouse companies (surprisingly calling them surprising), and the New York Times highlighted some of the relational struggles of American family firms. Family businesses are also a key feature of the Japanese economy, possibly even holding the record for longevity - the Takenaka construction company, for example, goes back to the year 1610.
Since writing Influencing Powerful People (IPP) 10 years ago, I have become somewhat of a “conversation coach.” I teach “difficult conversations in the boardroom” at the University of Toronto’s Directors Education program, I act as a sounding board and advisor for those getting ready for a difficult conversation with a powerful person, and I have these conversations myself (a good reminder of how hard this really is). Despite all my exposure to the topic, I have not found the “three sure-fire steps to win every argument.” But I have learned more about it: I have seen the difference between what others and I thought would happen and what did happen; I had the opportunity to debrief (sometimes in great detail) on what worked well, what was insufficient and what backfired; and I got to reflect on what should be a lesson for next time. Most of what I wrote in “IPP Rule 15” remains valid, but here are some insights that stand out after careful inspection, reflection, and application. Most of this takes the perspective of an executive “talking to the boss.” For a recent review of persuasion techniques from an external advisor perspective please have a look at Lothar Determann’s earlier contribution to our IPP 2.0 series.
“I don’t have time for this.” This cry of exasperation sums up the frustration when senior executives or board members find themselves drawn into conflict among their people. This includes conflict among peers, leaders vs their direct reports, or between regional or functional champions. “Don’t they realize they are on the same team?” And yet internal conflict has more potential to be toxic than squabbles with outsiders be they competitors, suppliers and even customers. Left unattended, internal conflict can become all consuming, paralyze the organization, and poison relationships. Once it spirals out of control, you will have to make time, whether you like it or not. Bad conflict prioritizes itself so to speak.
“Dirk’s mastery of influence, negotiation, and sales principles is second to none. Both online and in-person, he grabs your attention with a sharp wit and deep intellect and doesn’t let go. Perhaps most impressive, however, is his ability to quickly relate tools and concepts to real-world experiences in virtually any industry. Truly a global leader in his field.” Derek Lothian, ICD.D, President & CEO, Insurance Brokers Association of Saskatchewan, Past Chair, Saskatchewan Business Council
Like many endeavors in business and in life, effective negotiation requires “hard” (technical) and “soft” (people) skills. Depending on their background, executives will attribute more weight to one or the other, but they will do so at their peril. Technical and people skills don’t just complement each other, they reinforce each other and bringing both to the negotiation table will have a multiplier effect.
What is the new normal, and how do we adapt? A White Paper on implementing a successful work from home model in any industry.
By Jaye Cabreros*
You may remember our previous article discussing the benefits of implementing a WHF policy at your workplace. 11 months into the pandemic, and with more data on our hands, we are able to address the major barriers to WFH and how to overcome them. Jaye Cabreros is a research consultant for Jenoir® International and has analyzed the factors required for a successful WFH model in the blog below, as well as the attached full White Paper.
With the global pandemic showing no signs of reversal, any significant quality of life improvement is unlikely to arise until a sizeable majority of the world's population is vaccinated. It is also unlikely, then, that the global workforce will see any wholesale regressions towards a pre-pandemic work arrangement any time soon.
When it comes to national embarrassments, one would be hard pressed to do better than Berlin Brandenburg Airport (FBB), or known by its IATA airport code BER. The “new” international airport of Germany’s national capital opened, on the down-low so to speak, on November 1st, 2020. The quietness of the affair had good reason: BER started operations 9 years late and billions over budget; plans for the airport had actually begun as early as 1990, the year of German reunification making this a, no typo, 30-year airport building project.
Will working from home become the new standard? An analysis of the costs and benefits of remote work in a rapidly evolving business climate
By Jaye Cabreros*
Eight months into the pandemic the novelty of working from home has worn off. Some companies are now contemplating a permanent shift to WFH while others can't wait to bring their people back to the office. Jaye Cabreros is a research consultant for Jenoir® International and has analyzed the costs and benefits of working from home.
With the current global health pandemic underway, many companies worldwide have opted towards a work-at-home model for non-essential employees. The consensus of this model, while mostly positive, has been mixed. While proponents argue it offers a better work-life balance, countless debate an overall drop in productivity since the beginning of the pandemic.
Six Questions that Will Help You Manage/Lead Better While Working from Anywhere
By Dirk Schlimm
The world is changing and so must managers and leaders. In fact, the “you must change'' mantra has reached somewhat of a fever pitch as the COVID pandemic is wearing on. But is managing really that different in the “new normal” of working from home?
Special thanks to Lothar Determann for this blog entry. It is part of the IPP 2.0 Blog Series, which revisits the “rules” introduced in Dirk’s book Influencing Powerful Peopleand invites experts from various sectors to share their perspective on the topic. Lothar is one of the world's eminent experts in the field of data privacy. He practices technology law as a partner at Baker McKenzie in Palo Alto and teaches computer, Internet, and data privacy law at Freie Universität Berlin, University of California, Berkeley School of Law, and Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco.
Privacy leaders are in the eye of a perfect storm. Influencers and influenced alike can benefit from situational awareness and recognizing different approaches commonly used by advisors:
I am grateful to my friend Tom Kennedy, EVP at JR Bechtle International Executive Recruiting, for providing key pointers on this topic. With close to 25 years in international search, Tom has been assessing people across industries and cultures via video long before the COVID economy and ubiquitous WFH came along.
Eminent teamwork expert, John Katzenbach, shares three insights about teamwork that are worth repeating: (1) teamwork is not about team building, it is about performance; (2) teamwork happens across departments and hierarchies; and (3) the most ambitious goals can only be achieved through teamwork. If Katzenbach is right, and I believe he is, teamwork has never been more important: With the massive upheaval brought on by COVID-19, working together well is not just a nice idea, it is an imperative.
Times of crisis are when leaders show what they are made of. Winston Churchill, a long-time political outsider, led England through the dark times of WWII promising nothing but blood, sweat and tears; Rudi Giuliani, first perceived as rigid and self-righteous, won praise for uniting New Yorkers in the aftermath of 9/11; and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, criticized equally on the left and on the right, was the one who reassured Americans during the anxieties of the Great Depression.