Life and business has changed so much over the last 12 months, it can be a challenge to find your bearings as a leader. Here are some great business resources to get up to speed on effective technologies and to discover how great CEOs manage their people, juggle competing interests and lead through crises.
The Podcast Business Leaders Are Listening To: a16z
When Boss Magazine asked CEOs to name their favourite podcasts, ANZ’s Shayne Elliott and Telstra’s Andrew Penn both nominated The a16z Podcast, with Elliott saying it “stretches” his thinking about how to apply technology at the bank. The podcast, from venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, looks at how trends in technology are shaping business and the way we live. Highlights include a January episode on organising the ever-growing power of “Developers as Creatives” in your organisation.
The Gadget You Know You Want: Samsung UV Steriliser and Wireless Charger
Worried that wiping a device with alcohol is only a few steps short of popping it in the dishwasher? This gadget’s design looks more clinical than corporate and so it should; Samsung says UV lights in the Samsung UV Steriliser and Wireless Charger kill 99 per cent of the bacteria on the top and underside of your phone, earbuds, sunglasses – whatever you can fit inside – within 10 minutes. That it can also wirelessly charge the latest android and iOS smartphones with its Qi-enabled wireless charge technology while it sterilises them is a bonus.
SEE ALSO: Workplace Hygiene Tips to Keep Employees Healthy
The Best Book for Your Bedside Table: The CEO Test
In The CEO Test: Master the Challenges That Make or Break All Leaders, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Adam Bryant has cherry-picked from wisdoms he recorded during more than 500 interviews for his “Corner Office” column in The New York Times, where CEOs explain exactly how they approach their job. Bryant and business veteran Kevin Sharer have co-authored this practical guide about how to build teams, handle crises and manage the sometimes conflicting demands of running a business.
The Idea Tech Companies Are Talking About: Sharing
It might surprise some, given the threat of data breaches, that transparency is such a hot topic. A Deloitte paper urges businesses to make 2021 the year they question the tradition of restricting information within divisions, arguing that trust fuels productivity and that “diversity of perspectives breeds innovation”. Software companies GitLab and Basecamp encourage sharing project communications company-wide and in writing, so employees are all literally on the same page.
SEE ALSO: The Best Office Gadgets to Improve Productivity
The Best New Tech: Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro
Launched at the same time as the new Samsung Galaxy S21 Series 5G smartphone, these sleek earbuds make taking calls and running virtual meetings easier. They connect to your device via Bluetooth, freeing you from pesky cords (ideal if you're the type who likes to walk around during a verbal brainstorm) and have active noise cancellation that adapts the sound levels to the environment (handy if your neighbour decides to start up the lawn mower on your WFH day). Plus, they come in violet and silver, as well as black, should you want to up your accessory game in your next virtual meeting.
