Steve Dennis, strategic growth consultant and author on risk taking in leadership strategy. His books "Remarkable Retail" and "Leaders Leap," call for companies to adapt quickly to disruption. They stress the importance of being ‘remarkable’, avoiding mediocrity, and taking bold, transformative actions to stay relevant. Explaining the key principles of leadership he describes in his latest book, he says that leaders must embrace change, foster a culture of experimentation, and pay attention to opposing points of view from a more diverse workforce.

#BusinessStrategy #Leadership #Disruption

Vikram Sharma, Operating Partner at S2G Investments on the massive opportunities of new technology for digitization and legacy industries. The former division president of Information Resources, or IRI, and former CEO of Shop Local says that 80% of US GDP comes from low-digitized industries, presenting significant opportunities for innovation.  An extraordinary combination of businessman, strategist and technologist, he argues that technology, while it might be scary, is coming to enable us. He says that in both the real world and the investment world, it’s important to marry math and meaning, and that ROI with storytelling can inspire and drive transformation.

#Business #Innovation #Technology

Jack Myers, media ecologist, leadership strategist and author of The Tao of Leadership on how ancient principles can guide the modern business. The former executive at CBS TV and ABC Radio, and founder of The Myers Report and Media Village Education Foundation argues that leadership In the AI era will be built around five Taoist values: harmony, flexibility, balance, stability and integrity, integrating technology with human creativity and helping business adapt to rapid technological changes. He predicts the rise of the 'Nexus Generation,' born into an AI-integrated world, which will play a critical role as human intuition and creativity learn to coexist with AI in the future workplace.

#Business #Leadership

Jack Klues, former director at Publicis Groupe, on the current talent crisis in the advertising industry. The architect of what is now Publicis Media built his career at Leo Burnett Media and says that long-term employee growth over constant job churn is about companies investing in their people. The role of leaders, he says, is to foster a supportive environment in the age of AI, shifting from boss behaviour to collaborative leadership. And short-term pitch cycles and the commoditization of talent, he argues, degrade trust, respect, and integrity in client-agency relationships.

#Business #Leadership #AI

Kass and Mike Lazerow are serial entrepreneurs, investors, and authors of Shoveling $!it: A Love Story About the Entrepreneur’s Messy Path to Success. As the co-founders of Golf.com and Buddy Media—acquired by Salesforce for $745 million—they bring a wealth of experience from decades of building businesses and supporting nearly 100 early-stage startup founders as angel investors and advisors. They explore how AI and no-code platforms are breaking down barriers to entry, fueling a record surge in new businesses and reshaping the rise of entrepreneurs as the new franchisees. The heart of their message is that the balance between passion and persistence is the key to business success. 

Pre-order their book here:www.shovelingshit.com

#Entrepeneur #DigitalBusiness #Leadership

Seth Green, Dean of the University of Chicago Graham School on how to navigate career transitions while keeping sight of our North Star, ‘traveling lightly" as we balance purpose over material wealth in achieving a fulfilling life. The co-architect of the University’s Leadership in Society Initiative, aimed at helping accomplished individuals transition to meaningful second careers, argues the importance of lifelong learning, especially in a rapidly changing world in which many are now climbing two career mountains. Ultimately, he says, we need to align our careers with personal values and to balance joy and meaning in work. 

#Business #Leadership

Donna Dupont, founder and chief strategist for Purple Compass on the importance of good governance and forward planning in business as we face the challenges of climate security and extreme weather events. As an award-winning designer and futurist who helps organizations build their future literacy, she argues how in preparation for future risks, we can see future opportunities. She reminds us that the ramifications of climate change impact every one of us, both as leaders and as individuals, but that in business, it will affect how we hire talent, how we manage risk and where potential clients might or might not spend their money.

#ClimateChange #Business #FutureOfWork

Scott Donaton, currently Chief Marketing and Content Officer at Versus Game, on brand storytelling and the agility of startups. The former Global Chief Creative and Content Officer at Digitas who became CMO at Hulu argues that Versus Game's AI-driven engagement engine which gamifies content to enhance user interaction is a glimpse of the future in media. He says that companies need to embrace the Next Big Thing – especially the AI era of brand storytelling, and to move at the speed of startups if they are to stay competitive.  

#Marketing #Media #FutureOfWork #BrandStorytelling