C-Suite Perspectives

How does a company develop a foundation and plan for giving back to the community? Companies across the country and in every industry are contemplating how to best train their current and future workforce, aligning their values and assets to help drive change in our society. 

In this episode of CEO Perspectives, David Etzwiler, CEO, Siemens Foundation, joins President and CEO Steve Odland to discuss how companies can think strategically about how to make their biggest impact. 

Tune in to find out: 

· What is the best way to develop workforce training programs? 

· How can companies reduce health disparities in their communities? 

· What can companies do to build sustainability efforts into their planning? 

For more Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead: 

· Read: From Crisis to Opportunity: Corporate Citizenship and Philanthropy in 2023 

· Attend: 2023 Corporate Citizenship Summit 

“The fact of the matter is, growth in the labor market is slowing, when it comes to white males and older white males. And so you have to look at your practices -- as a society, as an employer, as an academician -- and ask yourself, how do I appeal to a different market? How do I make sure that women understand these jobs are out here [and] what the value of them is? How do I think through how childcare or transportation might have to be better developed? How do I think of community communities of color, and how they perceive or don't perceive access to these jobs?” -- David Etzwiler, CEO, Siemens Foundation 

“We're very narrowly focused within workforce training, those jobs that require more than a high school degree, less than a college degree and strong technical skills. … These are a floor to a career, not a ceiling to a career. They're really an opportunity to advance to the middle class and beyond.” -- David Etzwiler, CEO, Siemens Foundation

Being a CEO is like playing tennis against 10 people at once. That’s the take of one former CEO who now leads and coaches C-Suite executives. When there are a million things flying at you at once, how do you delegate, negotiate and manage? 

In this episode of CEO Perspectives, Jack Stahl, co-founder of CNEXT, joins The Conference Board President and CEO Steve Odland to discuss the five key components of successful C-Suite leadership. 

Tune in to find out: 

· What three key tasks does every CEO need to deliver on? 

· How can leaders encourage workers to effectively use their time in-office? 

· Are informal conversations better than formal training programs? 

For more Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead: 

· Read content on Coaching, Mentorship & Sponsorship 

· Access the Global Executive Coaching Survey 2023 (Member only) 

“Being a CEO, or even a senior leader inside a company, is kind of like playing tennis against 10 people at once. Things are coming at you so fast, and so furious, so having a way to think about the work that you do can be very powerful.” -- Jack Stahl, co-founder of CNEXT 

Recent years have tested our resiliency in myriad ways: a global pandemic, wars, and economic uncertainly have all strained our limits. We often think about resiliency in individual terms, but what does it look like for businesses to be resilient? And how can companies cultivate flexibility in the face of change? 

In this episode of CEO Perspectives, Jon Bahl, CEO of Agility Recovery, joins Paul Washington, Executive Director of the ESG Center at The Conference Board, to discuss how organizations can make operational resilience a competitive advantage. 

Tune in to find out: 

· What is operational resilience? 

· How do companies and other organizations cultivate it? 

· What would it look like to simplify resiliency and make it more accessible? 

· How can CEOs themselves be more resilient? 

· What five disruptions are resiliency professionals calling out as ones to watch? 

For more Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead: 

· Read: Making Operational Resilience a Competitive Advantage 

· Access: The ESG Center at The Conference Board 

Today's research from The Conference Board shows US consumer confidence declined moderately in October—a trend C-Suite executives will want to watch. Consumers are particularly concerned about rising food and energy costs.  

In this episode of CEO Perspectives, Dana Peterson, Chief Economist, joins Erik Lundh, Principal Economist, both of The Conference Board, to discuss newly released data on consumer confidence in the US. 

Tune in to find out: 

· What is the main message the C-Suite should take away from today’s US Consumer Confidence Index?  

·  What caused the movement in the overall confidence index? 

· What is The Conference Board’s forecast for the US economy, and does it match consumers’ expectations? 

· How will rising consumer debt affect the financial sector?          

For more Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead: 

· The Consumer Confidence Index for October 2023 

· Q3 GDP expands by an unsustainable 4.9 percent 

The Conference Board expects global growth to slow to 2.5%, well below the 3.3% average prior to the pandemic. Declining contributions from labor and capital are mainly responsible for the downward trend. But new technologies, investment in people, and high productivity could improve growth. What should leaders know about operating in this environment? In this episode, Dana Peterson, Chief Economist and Leader of the Economy, Strategy & Finance Center, joins Steve Odland, President and CEO, both of The Conference Board, to discuss the outlook and economic conditions around the globe. 

Tune in to find out:   

·       What are the upsides and downsides to the outlook over the next decade?  

·       How are the three inputs to the global economy—labor, capital, and productivity—shifting and impacting growth? What will this “mix” look like in the decade ahead? 

·       What trends are on the horizon—globally and within regions? 

·       Which economies will drive growth over the next decade?  

·       How might the Israel-Hamas war effect the MENA region economy, and consequently, the rest of the world? 

For more Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead™:     

·       Read: Global Economic Outlook 2024 to 2036 

·       Read: Economic Forecast for the US Economy 

·       Visit: The Global Recession Hub: Navigating the Economic Storm (continuously updated) 

·       Visit: Data Central for forecasts and long-term projections 

With recent rating downgrades of banks heavily exposed to commercial real estate (CRE)—and office space in particular—concerns about the US banking sector are resurfacing. The unprecedented shift to flexible work has not only prompted many companies to seek a smaller footprint but also spaces with greater energy efficiency for sustainability and modern amenities to lure workers back to the office. 

In this episode of CEO Perspectives, Erin McLaughlin, Senior Economist in the Economy, Strategy & Finance Center, joins Steve Odland, President and CEO, both of The Conference Board, to discuss what this shift and plummeting CRE values may mean for banking, lending, and economy in general. 

Tune in to find out:    

· How have business conditions changed in the wake of hybrid work arrangements?    

· Small and mid-size banks hold the most CRE assets; what could this mean for their future or for M&A activity?  

· What is the Fed doing to prevent bank failures?    

· What are the potential ripple effects throughout the economy—and the urban landscape? 

For more Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead™:     

· Read: 2023 Banking Crisis: US By the Numbers, 6-Month Update  

· Watch: Economy Watch: The 2024 Global Economic Outlook 

The Conference Board Measure of CEO Confidence™ for Q4 shows that US CEOs are less optimistic about the economy than they were last quarter. So how should leaders be thinking about the opportunities and risks in the current economy? In this episode of CEO Perspectives, Dana M Peterson, Chief Economist, joins Steve Odland, President and CEO, both of The Conference Board, to discuss what’s top-of-mind for CEOs right now—and what this could mean to all leaders thinking about strategy in the current economic climate.   

Tune in to find out:  

· CEOs say they’re planning to increase investment. Does this make sense in the current economy?  

· Are CEOs still expecting a recession?

· What does this mean for the labor and wages?

· How are CEOs prioritizing risks? 

· What’s in store for future interest rate hikes or cuts? 

For more Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead™:   

· See the survey results: CEO Confidence Dips in Q4 

· Read: The Global Economic Outlook

· Read: US Consumer Confidence Fell Again in September 

The advent of “Killer AI” could mean the use of artificial intelligence—by design or through unintended consequences—that directly leads to physical harm or death of human beings. What should business leaders know about this potential? In this episode, Nathan Summers, AI Research Analyst with the Luxembourg Tech School, and Dr. Sergio Coronado, Professor at the University of Luxembourg, join Steve Odland, CEO of The Conference Board, to discuss their recent report, On Defining Killer AI and the potential impacts for business and society. 

Tune in to find out: 

·   How could AI could harm businesses and society?

·   What financial impacts should businesses consider?

· What steps should businesses take to ensure the safety of this emerging capability?

·   AI is already affecting mental health in virtual systems like social media—could it cause deaths?

·   Should the government get involved? What could be the consequences of government involvement?

·   Should the EU AI legislation or other frameworks be used as models for regulating AI to prevent harm?  

For more Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead™:    

Read: Explainability in AI: The Key to Trustworthy AI Decisions  

Visit: AI: The Next Transformation: Your guide to real-world application  

Exhaustion on the front lines. A dire shortage of health care workers. New technologies that change and disrupt. These are a few of the challenges faced by one of the largest health care providers in the US before, during, and after the pandemic. In this episode of CEO Perspectives, Jennifer Berres, Senior Vice-President and Chief Human Resources Officer at HCA Healthcare, joins Rebecca Ray, Emeritus Human Capital Center Leader at The Conference Board, to discuss HCA’s dynamic human capital journey and how innovations and technology have enabled greater support for caregivers. 

Tune in to discover: 

·       How did technology and AI deliver not only automation but also free up staff to maximize patient-centered care? 

·       What direct investments and partnerships for training did HCA develop to become the largest provider of RNs in the nation? 

·       How did the organization address burnout during the pandemic? 

For more Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead: 

·       Read The Reimagined Workplace 2023: Striking a Delicate Balance 

·       Attend Winning in the New AI Landscape 

AI has had a long evolution but only recently has shown a significant leap. Leaders are now playing “catch up” with the ramifications. In this episode, Joel Trammell, CEO, author and educator, joins Steve Odland, CEO of The Conference Board, to discuss how leaders should think about AI’s impact on their business—and their own roles as leaders. 

Tune in to find out: 

·       How might the role of CEOs and leaders evolve with AI—and what will become of human judgment and adaptability? 

·       How can CEOs use AI to augment their effectiveness as managers and leaders?   

·       Why should AI be seen as an iterative transformation not an overnight revolution? 

·       Why should CEOs view AI as an enhancement or augmentation of human capabilities?  

·       What could AI mean for a shift in skill sets in demand and the “war for talent”? 

For more Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead™:   

Read: Explainability in AI: The Key to Trustworthy AI Decisions 

Visit: AI: The Next Transformation: Your guide to real-world application