December 8, 2022 - Outer space talks are a welcome addition to the US-Africa Leaders Summit - what's on the table

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Outer space talks are a welcome addition to the US-Africa Leaders Summit - what's on the table The focus will be on eight areas: economic engagement; peace, security and good governance; democracy and human rights; regional and global health security (including recovery from COVID-19 and pandemic preparedness); food security; climate change; diaspora ties; and education and youth leadership. Of the 55 African heads of governments, 49 have been invited to the summit. Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Sudan are currently on suspension from the Africa Union due to coups d’etats, hence they were not invited. Continued here

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The forgotten war: what Russia could win from the reignited conflict in Syria Largely overshadowed by the war in Ukraine, Syria remains a deeply divided and violent country, where military conflict has recently reignited. This new period of conflict in Syria, with Russia, Turkey and Israel all launching attacks, also reflects some of the battle lines of the Ukrainian war – and threatens to have ramifications for both battlegrounds. Continued here

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Want To Reduce Cognitive Decline? Consider Looking To Flavonols Found in Kale, Dark Chocolate and Yes, Even Wine  New research shows a link between consuming foods rich in flavonols and a slowdown of cognitive decline. Continued here

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5 Steps To Change Your Company’s Business Model Have a clear vision, map out the transition from old to new, build new systems to support decisions. Continued here

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Is Labour’s vision of a New Britain any different to the Tories' levelling up? Jack Newman works on the Review of the UK Constitution, a collaboration between the Bennett Institute for Public Policy and the Institute for Government. Former prime minister Gordon Brown’s review of the UK constitution could be a hugely significant moment for the UK. A radical agenda for political change is being offered by the party tipped to win the next election. Continued here

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After 51 Years, Southwest Airlines Is Testing a Major Change that Is Making Some People Upset. Why It's a Brilliant Idea A small test could be the sign of a big change to come. Continued here

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Your newest corporate nightmare: Bleisure - The Hustle Ever found yourself thinking, “I wish I could leave the comfort of my home to stand in a wine cave with my co-workers?” Neither have we! But too bad — companies are pouring cash previously allotted for office rent into destination corporate conferences that offer remote employees a bevy of in-person social and experiential programming, per Vox. Continued here

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From Pitch Deck to Data Room: Here's All the Data Startups Need To Track For Investors Take the mystery out of your investor pitch deck and data room. Continued here

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Why Retail Brands Are Setting Up Shop in the Palm Beach Area--and Finding Eager Customers Florida's Palm Beach county is home to a burgeoning retail boom--that's only likely to get bigger. Continued here

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Sport NZ’s transgender guidelines are a good start – but can they filter up from grassroots to elite competition? The release this week of Sport NZ’s new Guiding Principles for the Inclusion of Transgender People in Community Sport caused a minor and predictable controversy. One former parliamentarian called the guidelines “woke ideology”. Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson responded that such opposition was “petty and small-minded”. In reality, the guidelines are the result of extensive consultation over two years. They’re a response to national sports organisations calling for help in navigating the uncharted waters of imagining sport beyond the gender binary. Continued here

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The Value of Keeping the Right Customers Depending on which study you believe, and what industry you’re in, acquiring a new customer is anywhere from five to 25 times more expensive than retaining an existing one. It makes sense: you don’t have to spend time and resources going out and finding a new client — you just have to keep the one you have happy. If you’re not convinced that retaining customers is so valuable, consider research done by Frederick Reichheld of Bain & Company (the inventor of the net promoter score) that shows increasing customer retention rates by 5% increases profits by 25% to 95%. Continued here

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Today's Automation Anxiety Was Alive and Well in 1960 Electronic data processing, or EDP, rose to prominence in 1950s American business as a way to automate simple and regular tasks that involved large amounts of data. It was fast (comparatively), accurate, and transformative. And, like any new technology making its entrance into office life, it was met with profoundly mixed feelings. Continued here

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Inside Japan's most minimalist homes "The home – before it is a place of beauty – is a place for safety, and assessed according to its alignment with its natural surroundings," says Mihoko Iida, whose new book Japanese Interiors takes a look inside some of Japan's most interesting private homes. From urban apartments to mountain and seaside escapes, the spaces featured in the book all share this idea of what home interiors mean in Japan, and how they are informed by a sense of harmony and balance with their surrounding environment.  Alongside the homes' proximity to nature is the pared-back simplicity for which Japanese design has become known. "Minimalism has a long history in Japan," explains author Iida, "rooted in the teachings of Zen Buddhism that came to our country via China, and found a foothold beginning around the 12th Century." Continued here

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How to Write Concisely It’s not the end of the world if you use an unnecessary word now and then, write the occasional overlapping sentence, or tell us what you’re doing in a sentence before you do it. But the extra words add up. In this article, the author offers advice for how to make your writing shorter and sharper. Continued here

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The Five Stages of DEI Maturity Many organizations take big actions in the realm of DEI because of something they see another company do—such as publicly declaring themselves champions of people of color or setting an ambitious top-down DEI strategy across the firm. However, these grand stances usually fizzle out, leaving leaders frustrated and saying, “DEI work is too hard. It takes too long to see results.” Continued here

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The British island stuck in time The map of the British Isles is a cornucopia of islands, many of which are so transporting and preposterous they almost seem like make-believe. Cradled by the Ardnamurchan peninsula in Scotland, Eilean Shona inspired Peter Pan author JM Barrie to dream up Neverland – tidal Loch Moidart on which it sits is almost a magic mirror. Another Scottish island, Inchconnachan, has an almost unbelievable population of wallabies, a marsupial predominantly native to Australia and New Guinea. Adrift off Anglesey in Wales, meanwhile, is Llanddwyn Island – the so-named "Island of Love", where the Welsh celebrate Saint Dwynwen, the country's patron saint of lovers. Continued here

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Hegel is considered the hardest philosopher, but his views aren’t actually that outlandish There has been much excitement at the discovery of a treasure trove of notes from the lectures of the great German idealist philosopher G.W.F. Hegel. The several thousand pages date from Hegel’s time at the University of Heidelberg (1816-18), when he returned to academic life after a nine-year absence. Continued here

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What Makes a Great Executive Retreat After a two-year hiatus, the annual executive retreat is making a comeback. In theory, the CEO gathers company executives off-site to focus on strategy, and the team returns with clear goals and a sense of camaraderie. In reality, wall-to-wall PowerPoint presentations are often the order of the day. Information flows in one direction, followed by improvised, open-mic Q&As. Executives fight for their individual fiefdoms. Teamwork is often notable by its absence. The ultimate output is a list of ambiguous messages that are scarcely actionable and rarely followed up. In short, retreats are often an expensive waste of time. The author presents a more creative approach CEOs can take to make the most of this annual opportunity with their executive teams. Continued here

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To resolve youth violence, Canada must move beyond policing and prison The most recent shooting involving a Toronto high school student this October highlighted a rising problem with gun violence in North American schools. In Canada’s largest city, it raised alarms about how the crisis is getting worse and skewing younger. The recent tragedy is reminiscent of other high-profile shootings within Toronto high schools. In 2007, 15-year-old high school student Jordan Manners was fatally shot at school. In the years since Manners’s death, numerous recommendations on gun violence came out of reports and committees. However, little has been done to improve the danger of gun violence for Toronto teens. Continued here

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As homelessness grows, its stark impact on health is becoming clearer across Europe Trabajadora Social. Investigadora en la FIIBAP. Profesora de Grado y Máster en la Facultad de Trabajo Social, Universidad Complutense de Madrid Médico de familia investigador en Fundación para la Investigación e Innovación Biosanitaria en Atención Primaria (FIIBAP). Director del Máster en Salud Escolar y docente en Facultad de Salud, Universidad Camilo José Cela Continued here

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The fur trade shows us that Canada has a long history of unethical business practices With rising prices caused by inflation, Canadians are struggling to afford the basic costs of living. According to a recent Angus Reid Institute study, nearly 60 per cent of Canadians are struggling to provide food for their families. Meanwhile, profits are surging for grocery retailers, raising concerns about monopolies. In today’s market economy, competition means standing out by offering customers more while working faster for less cost. Among top grocery retailers in Canada like Loblaws, Sobeys and Metro, it also means protecting and growing their dominant market position. The pandemic and other global crises has been especially profitable for the food business sector. Continued here

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How to Tactfully Interject in a Virtual Meeting Interjecting during virtual meetings can be challenging when working on a distributed team, but it’s a skill worth cultivating. The author offers strategies to help you interject with tact: 1) signal your interest. 2) try the “pass the baton” strategy, 3) look for natural transition points, 4) keep it brief, and 5) be assertive when necessary. Continued here

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Stop Ghosting and Start Saying No Ghosting is a common phenomenon in both personal and professional relationships. While it’s easy to lament being ghosted, it’s harder to admit that many of us have ghosted someone else. You promise to make a business introduction, offer to review a resume, commit to being a reference, volunteer to speak on a panel, or say you’ll provide feedback to a colleague — and you don’t follow through. Ghosting can have consequences that you may not immediately recognize — for example, you could miss out on great talent, partnership opportunities, revenue, or even your own next leadership role. Ghosting can also erode bridges in your networks, leaving others with the impression that you’re unreliable. Repeated ghosting can have a devastating impact on your leadership brand. The author presents five ways to strike a balance between managing your time and energy while at the same time following through on the commitments you’ve made. Continued here

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Internet search results could be increasing your carbon emissions Almost everyone thinks they know how to use Google, and they usually get the answer they want. Many will intuitively know that the query “milk good for you” leads to different results than “milk bad for you”. The same goes for queries for “climate change” versus “climate hoax”, or for “2020 US Elections valid” versus “stop the steal”. Since search engines are more a “wish list” than an authoritative source, they can help spread mis- and disinformation which can be harmful for democracy or society. They are not neutral information brokers. Continued here

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Serial Entrepreneur Marc Lore Wins Often--Here's His Secret This visionary, tactician, operator, disrupter, competitor, and former track star has won many ways--and always with speed. Continued here

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Writing a Rejection Letter (with Samples) I have a friend who appraises antiques — assigning a dollar value to the old Chinese vase your grandmother used for storing pencils, telling you how much those silver knickknacks from Aunt Fern are worth. He says the hardest part of his job, the part he dreads the most, is telling people that their treasure is worthless. Continued here

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Build-to-rent is seen as affordable, but it's unlikely to help those most in need Australians desperately need more affordable homes, particularly homes for rent. The prospect of home ownership is rapidly receding for many people, especially younger generations (as the chart below shows). More people than ever are being forced into a tight rental market. Making things worse, many traditional providers of residential rentals, the “mum and dad” investors, are selling their investments to take the capital gains. Continued here

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The next big thing for influencers is less influencing - The Hustle Coming this season to your TikTok feed: fewer Gen-Z digital stars posing with Louis Vuitton bags. According to Wired, influencers and the brands who pay them are reconsidering their roles as inflation dents wallets, energy prices soar in Europe, and the world flirts with a global recession. Continued here

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Ukraine war: Poland welcomed refugees with open arms at first, but survey shows relations are becoming more strained Around 1.5 million Ukrainians have settled in Poland in the aftermath of the full-scale Russian incursion of Ukraine in February 2022. The latest group comprises mainly women and children, in contrast to those already there who were predominantly male and economically active and who had migrated from Ukraine after the political upheavals of 2014 mainly for economic reasons. Ukrainians now make up 3% of Poland’s population, whereas Poland was until recently practically mono-ethnic, with only a small number of minorities or refugees. Today Russian and Ukrainian can be heard on every major Polish street and the two languages have become part of the public landscape. Continued here

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10 Unconventional Rules for Captivating Public Speaking From Jazz Expert and Best-Selling Author Ted Gioia Who should you look to for public speaking advice? Author Ted Gioia suggests thinking more like a jazz musician. Continued here

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Invisible skin mites called Demodex almost certainly live on your face – but what about your mascara? Demodex are a family of eight-legged mites that live in the hair follicles and associated sebaceous or oil glands of many mammals. Two species are known in humans – Demodex folliculorum, which lives mainly in hair follicles on our faces (especially eyelashes and eyebrows), and Demodex brevis, which sets up home in the oil glands on the face and elsewhere. Continued here

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Why mourning a pet can be harder than grieving for a person Reader in Education with Psychology and Centre for Death and Society, University of Bath But there are complexities. Some groups of people are more likely to develop intimate bonds with their pets. This includes isolated older people, people who have lost trust in humans, and people who rely on assistance animals. Continued here

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Here's Why Alexa--and Siri and the Google Assistant--Don't Understand You as Well as They Should A former Amazon Echo engineer explains. Continued here

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For an Out of This World Shower Experience, This Founder Turned to Rocket Engines Nebia's showerheads have saved consumers nearly half a billion gallons of water. But its simple solution took years to develop. Continued here

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Using art and song to help bring the world's largest mangrove swamp back from the brink Located in the low-lying islands in the Bay of Bengal, the Sundarbans straddle the border between India and Bangladesh and cover more than 1 million hectares, making them the world’s largest single contiguous mangrove swamp. A Ramsar site and a UNESCO World Heritage site inscribed in 1987, they are home to a wide range of critically endangered fauna, including the Bengal tiger, the Ganges dolphin, river terrapin, the estuarine crocodile and the Indian python, along with approximately 428 species of birds, 120 fish, 42 mammal, 35 reptile and 8 amphibian species. More than 60 plant species can be found there, able to tolerate the saline estuarine conditions. Unfortunately, mangrove swamps have suffered significant degradation due to human encroachment, illegal logging, and seawater levels, which lead to increasing salinity of the surrounding areas. Approximately 40% of the mangrove cover in the Sundarbans has disappeared over the last 20 years. Continued here

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How To Run a Meeting Why is it that any single meeting may be a waste of time, an irritant, or barrier to the achievement of an organization’s objectives? The answer lies in the fact, as the author says, that “all sorts of human crosscurrents can sweep the discussion off course, and errors of psychology and technique on the chairman’s part can defeat its purposes.” This article offers guidelines on how to right things that go wrong in meetings. The discussion covers the functions of a meeting, the distinctions in size and type of meetings, ways to define the objectives, making preparations, the chairman’s role, and ways to conduct a meeting that will achieve its objectives. Continued here

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Using Emojis to Connect with Your Team Employees don’t check their emotions at the office door — or Zoom room. But it can be harder to read how your team is feeling when you’re working remotely or in a hybrid office. Managers can use emojis as a fun and easy way to connect with their team. They can offer deeper insight on how your team is feeling, help you build your own cognitive empathy, help you model appropriate emotions, and help reinforce your company culture. Emoji usage can be an intergenerational and cultural minefield, however, so if you are new to the practice, the authors suggest starting with simple emojis (for example, a thumbs up) rather than those that represent complex emotions. Continued here

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7 Rules for Persuasive Dissent Decisions formed from a diversity of opinions usually lead to better long-term outcomes. So, when you believe that your team or organization is missing something important, moving in the wrong direction, or taking too much risk, you need to speak up. Done effectively, dissent challenges groupthink, reminds those in the majority that there are alternatives paths, and prompts everyone to get creative about solutions. Six decades of scientific research point to strategies those without formal power can use to make sure their dissenting ideas are heard. First, pass the in-group test by showing how you fit in. Then pass the group threat test by showing how you have your team’s best interest at heart. Make sure your message is consistent but creative tailored for different people, lean on objective information, address obstacles and risks, and encourage collaboration. Finally, make sure to get support. Dissent isn’t easy but it can be extremely worthwhile. Continued here

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Indonesia's new criminal code isn't just about sex outside marriage. It endangers press and religious freedom Indonesia’s controversial new criminal code was passed into law on Tuesday, replacing a clunky old code dating back to at least 1918. Lawmakers have tried for decades to replace it. In fact, the last time legislators tried in 2019, it triggered the largest public protests in Indonesia since the 1998 fall of former president Soeharto. This time, politicians rushed it through at short notice, despite widespread criticism and limited opportunities for public consultation. In the end, the code passed with the support of all but two small parties. Continued here

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Why Walking Away From Disney Was the Right Move for This Robotics Company Paul Berberian learned the hard way that bigger isn't always better, and Sphero is thriving thanks to the pivot it made Continued here

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How to Respond to a Rude Comment at Work Most people have experienced incivility at work — anything from a rude customer or snippy boss to ambiguously curt emails from otherwise friendly colleagues. To handle these situations, address your own emotions first and ask yourself why you’re feeling offended. Then weigh the pros and cons of calling the person on their rudeness. Finally, use language that deflects the blame from the other person and focuses on the behavior’s effect on you and that helps to establish shared norms. Continued here

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For Better Negotiations, Cut "But" from Your Vocabulary It’s hard to think of a word that triggers more reactivity and drains more trust from conversation than “but.” Notice how often you hear it (and say it) when you’re negotiating or arguing. Notice how this one word changes the temperature and tone in the moment. To prevent the damage that “but” inflicts, the author offers three hacks: 1) Focus on what’s said before “but,” 2) Replace “but” with curiosity, and 3) Stop before the “but.” Each of these moves requires courage, patience, and practice — and the return on investment is impressive. Continued here

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To Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking, Stop Thinking About Yourself Even the most confident speakers find ways to distance themselves from their audience. It’s how our brains are programmed, so how can we overcome it? Human generosity. The key to calming the amygdala and disarming our panic button is to turn the focus away from ourselves — away from whether we will mess up or whether the audience will like us — and toward helping the audience. Showing kindness and generosity to others has been shown to activate the vagus nerve, which has the power to calm the fight-or-flight response. When we are kind to others, we tend to feel calmer and less stressed. The same principle applies in speaking. When we approach speaking with a spirit of generosity, we counteract the sensation of being under attack and we feel less nervous. Continued here

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How to Write a Winning Business Plan You’ve got a great idea for a new product or service—how can you persuade investors to support it? Flashy PowerPoint slides aren’t enough; you need a winning business plan. A compelling plan accurately reflects the viewpoints of your three key constituencies: the market, potential investors, and the producer (the entrepreneur or inventor of the new offering). Continued here S41 What is RET and what does it want? The Radical Economic Transformation faction in South Africa explained University of the Witwatersrand provides support as a hosting partner of The Conversation AFRICA. It has been standard for some years, in any analysis of South Africa’s governing party, the African National Congress (ANC), to refer to the “radical economic transformation” (RET) faction. Yet, there has been little serious analysis of what it is. Continued here S55 Female artists earn less than men. Coming from a diverse cultural background incurs even more of a penalty – but there is good news, too Artists all over the world, regardless of their gender, earn considerably less than professionals in occupations requiring similar levels of education and qualifications. In an analysis of gender differences in the incomes of professional artists in Australia that we undertook in 2020, we found the creative incomes of women were 30% less than those of men. Continued here S66 COP15 biodiversity summit in Montréal: Canada failed to meet its 2020 conservation targets. Will 2030 be any better? PhD Candidate, Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics / Guelph Institute of Development Studies, University of Guelph The 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is underway in Montréal. Like the COP27 climate conference held in Egypt last month, the goal of this conference is to get member nations to make agreements that can help reverse or slow down the damage being done to our planet. Continued here S14 Working Through Your On-Camera Meeting Anxiety On-camera meetings aren’t going away, and they can be particularly nerve-wracking for people with anxiety. This article offers five questions to ask yourself to help quell on-camera meeting stress: What do I have control over? Where am I putting my attention? How am I preparing? How am I pacing my day or week? And, do I know how to handle a hostile conversation? By better understanding the roots of your anxiety, and recognizing the parts of remote work you’re grateful for, you can begin to build habits to make virtual meetings a little less daunting. Continued here S40 Breast cancer patients in South Africa are battling to maintain treatment because of high transport costs Specialist Consultant / Head: Breast and Endocrine Surgery Unit, Stellenbosch University South Africa has a two-tiered health system. Public health services – which are largely provided free of charge – are run and funded by the state. Private healthcare is owned and run by the private sector. Patients have to pay themselves or via medical insurance to access private care. Continued here S51 Why sports sponsorship is unlikely to save cryptocurrency firms from 'crypto winter' If you have been watching the Fifa World Cup in Qatar closely, you will have noticed the advertising on the hoardings around the pitch. Alongside the usual names – Adidas, Coca-Cola, Visa – there are some new ones, including Crypto.com, the Singapore-based cryptocurrency and payment platform. Crypto firms’ use of celebrities has become notorious of late but many are also starting to sponsoring sports events, teams and venues. It’s not a new phenomenon for industries to rely heavily on sponsorship as a communications strategy. Tobacco led the way in the 1990s, then beer brands took the lead, followed by telecommunications, airlines and sports betting companies more recently. Continued here S39 Mosquitoes are not repelled by vitamins and other oral supplements you might take A longstanding medical myth suggests that taking vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, can make your body repel mosquitoes. A “systemic repellent” that makes your whole body unappealing to biting insects certainly sounds good. Even if you correctly reject the misinformation questioning safe and effective repellents like DEET, oral repellents would still have the benefit that you wouldn’t need to worry about covering every inch of exposed skin or carrying containers of bug spray whenever you venture into the great outdoors. Continued here S46 China could face a catastrophic COVID surge as it lifts restrictions – here’s how it might play out China is the only major country which, until now, has continued to enforce a zero-COVID strategy. Other countries, including Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, also sought to eliminate COVID entirely earlier in the pandemic. But all eventually abandoned this approach because of the mounting social and economic costs and the realisation that local elimination of COVID was largely futile and only transient. China’s strategy, which has relied on measures including mass testing, shutdowns of entire cities and provinces, and quarantining anyone who may have been exposed to the virus, has increasingly become untenable. The harsh and often arbitrary enforcement of zero COVID has fuelled growing resentment among the population, culminating in large public protests. Continued here S4 How to Stop Saying "Um," "Ah," and "You Know" When you get rattled while speaking — whether you’re nervous, distracted, or at a loss for what comes next — it’s easy to lean on filler words, such as “um,” “ah,” or “you know.” These words can become crutches that diminish our credibility and distract from our message. To eliminate such words from your speech, replace them with pauses. To train yourself to do this, take these three steps. First, identify your crutch words and pair them with an action. Every time you catch yourself saying “like,” for example, tap your leg. Once you’ve become aware of your filler words as they try to escape your lips, begin forcing yourself to be silent. Finally, practice more than you think you should. The optimal ratio of preparation to performance is one hour of practice for every minute of presentation. Continued here S57 Wage theft has reached pandemic proportions, so why hasn't the Albanese government criminalised it? Australia’s first criminal case over wage theft is under way, with charges laid against the owner of a Victorian restaurant that allegedly underpaid staff by thousands of dollars. If found guilty, the owner of the Macedon Lounge, northwest of Melbourne, faces a fine of more than $1 million and potentially jail time under Victoria’s Wage Theft Act. Continued here S60 The oldest DNA ever found reveals a snapshot of a vanished world At the icy northern tip of Greenland, far into the Artic Circle, a deep bed of sediment beneath the mouth of a fjord has lain frozen and undisturbed for 2 million years. Known as the Kap København Formation, this relic of a vanished world dates to a period when Earth was much warmer than it is today. The sediment built up in a shallow bay over a period of 20,000 years, before being buried beneath ice and permafrost. Continued here S65 Convictions remain rare when police are accused of sexual assault Over the past few years, social movements from #MeToo to Black Lives Matter have raised awareness of sexual violence, police brutality and systemic racism. In November 2022, a woman of the Oneida First Nation launched a $6 million lawsuit against the London Police Service in Ontario alleging their negligent handling of her sexual assault report. The suit asserts that three police officers sexually abused the woman for years beginning at the age of 12. She says despite making reports to the police force and to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) of Ontario, a police oversight agency, virtually nothing was done. Continued here S2 How to Approach an Office Romance (and How Not To) Should you date a coworker? Before you act on your feelings, it’s important to think through the risks — and there are quite a few. If you still want to move forward, research shows that your intentions matter. Your coworkers’ reactions will reflect what they believe your motives to be. It’s also important to know your companies policies. Many companies prohibit employees from dating coworkers, vendors, customers, or suppliers, or require specific disclosures, so be sure to investigate before you start a relationship. And if you do start dating someone, don’t try to hide the relationship from your manager or colleagues — it will only erode trust. Continued here S59 How physios and occupational therapists are helping long COVID sufferers Karen Liu is affiliated with Western Sydney University and South Western Sydney Local Health District. Treating people for long COVID – that is, symptoms that last longer than four weeks after COVID infection – can be extremely complex due to the wide variety of problems associated with the condition. Continued here S33 Ask Sanyin: How Do I Escape the Specter of My Predecessor? I’m new in a C-suite role and struggling with my predecessor’s long shadow — especially their great results and popularity with employees. How do I get my predecessor out of my head and stop second-guessing my decisions? Chances are, you are not alone in this dilemma: The past year saw one of the highest rates of executive turnover in decades. Few new leaders start with a blank slate. You are wise to focus on how comparing yourself with your predecessor is affecting your confidence, rather than trying to win a popularity contest against a ghost. In my coaching and advisory work with CEOs and their successors, I’ve consistently found that leaders who transition effectively are able to resist the urge to overprove themselves by trying to show that they are the smartest person in the room. As beloved as your predecessor is, you may be in this seat because they did all they could and have left you a foundation that you can take to the next level, or because now the organization needs you to be the change maker. This is a different phase for the organization, and therefore it requires a different combination of leadership assets. Ponder this introspective question suggested by former Microsoft U.S. CTO and TIAA board director Gina Loften: “What do you and the team that you are building bring to the table that is needed at this point in time?” Continued here S19 Pricing and the Psychology of Consumption For example, suppose that Mary and Bill join a health club. Bill pays $600 on enrolling; Mary selects the $50-per-month plan. Who’s more likely to renew their membership? Mary. Every month, she’s reminded of the cost—so she works out more, to get her money’s worth. And members who frequently work out tend to renew. Continued here S6 How to Ask for a Promotion First, reflect on what you want. Is there a job you covet or do you wish to create a new role? Do you want to move up — or might a lateral move interest you? Answering these questions helps you position your request. Second, build a case. Prepare a memo that outlines your strengths, recent successes, and impact. Next, talk to your boss and make your intentions clear. Beware that asking for a promotion is rarely a “one and done” discussion; rather, it’s a series of ongoing conversations. Your objective is to plant the seed and then nurture that seed over time. Finally, don’t get discouraged if you don’t get what you want right away. Continue to do good work and look for ways to elevate the level at which you operate. Continued here S67 Electric vehicles: if the UK is serious about being a major player, here's what needs to happen The UK’s efforts to become a global player in electric vehicles (EVs) are back in the spotlight with two government announcements: a £500 million loan guarantee for Ford and a £73 million package to support various smaller clean transport projects. The loan guarantee is enabling Ford to spend £230 million on its Halewood plant near Liverpool to nearly double output of EV powertrains to 420,000 units a year. Powertrains are the motor and other parts that propel EVs forward. Continued here S53 These are the implications of the latest wave of mega-fires for the European Green Deal Profesor Ayudante Doctor en Análisis Geográfico Regional, Universidad de Zaragoza Investigador Predoctoral, UNED - Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia Continued here S56 Australia wants international students to stay and work after graduation. They find it difficult for 4 reasons International students are flooding back to Australian universities. Some predictions say 2023 could even see record numbers of overseas students in the country. This is not only good news for universities, but potentially good news for Australian employers. Part of the Albanese government’s plan to boost skills in Australia is to try and ensure more students stay longer after they graduate and join the workforce. Continued here S22 The 20 Most Common Things That Come Up During Reference Checks Along with job applications, resumes, and interviews, a reference check is one of the most common parts of the hiring process. It remains the one piece of information that is not provided by the applicant him or herself, alleviating some of the problems with information that is provided by the applicant — faking, embellishment, and omissions of previous work or other related experience. Continued here S7 Storytelling That Moves People Persuasion is the centerpiece of business activity. Customers must be convinced to buy your company’s products or services, employees and colleagues to go along with a new strategic plan or reorganization, investors to buy (or not to sell) your stock, and partners to sign the next deal. But despite the critical importance of persuasion, most executives struggle to communicate, let alone inspire. Too often, they get lost in the accoutrements of companyspeak: PowerPoint slides, dry memos, and hyperbolic missives from the corporate communications department. Even the most carefully researched and considered efforts are routinely greeted with cynicism, lassitude, or outright dismissal. Continued here S61 Can machines invent things without human help? These AI examples show the answer is ‘yes’ The question of whether artificial intelligence (AI) can invent is nearly 200 years old, going back to the very beginning of computing. Victorian mathematician Ada Lovelace wrote what’s generally considered the first computer program. As she did, she wondered about the limits of what computers could do. In 1843 Lovelace wrote, in regard to what is arguably the first general purpose programmable computer: Continued here S62 Georgia runoff: Candidate quality meant fewer Republicans turned out for Walker Runoff elections tend to be races of attrition. Turnout will most likely be lower, as voters are less accustomed to turning out for off-cycle elections. Candidates, then, must try to minimize attrition among their supporters, and the one with the least erosion is most likely to win. Such was the case in Georgia on Dec. 6, 2022. Fewer people voted for either candidate in the runoff: Sen. Raphael Warnock, the Democratic incumbent, saw the number of people who turned out to vote for him drop by about 131,000 from the November vote; Republican Herschel Walker lost closer to 200,000 voters. This would explain how Warnock was able to grow his lead in the runoff. Continued here S58 We live in a time of 'late capitalism'. But what does that mean? And what's so late about it? The term “late capitalism” seems to be everywhere as a trending meme – often used as a kind of shorthand to illustrate the absurdities of certain free market economies. On Twitter, you will find the hashtags #latecapitalism (English), #tardocapitalismo (Italian), #capitalismotardio (Spanish), and #spätkapitalismus (German), among others. Typically, they satirise notions such as the idea of endless growth. Continued here S38 Russian troops' poor performance and low morale may worsen during a winter of more discontent Founding Director, Modern War Institute, United States Military Academy West Point With Russian troops digging trenches to prepare for an expected winter standoff, it would be easy to conclude that fighting will slow in Ukraine until after the ground thaws in the spring. 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