"BiziNet Magazine #81 - Sep/Oct 2016" BiziNet™ Articles

I am listening to a man who would make anyone preparing for the biggest audition in his career forget what he was doing in the chair outside the studio, such is his capacity to put a stranger at ease. Can anybody be such a charming conversationalist and yet still carry his burden of responsibility every day of each week? Apparently ‘yes’ as Robbert Rietbroek, Chief Executive Officer at PepsiCo Australia & New Zealand tells of his life in that role and many others leading to it.

Persuasion is not the love-child of indoctrination. Nor does education instil wisdom for the ages, as we were once reminded by the great English polemicist, G.K. Chesterton, Quis docebit ipsum doctorem? Who teaches the teacher?

Travel between Australia and the USA has become much simpler and more comfortable with a carrier dedicated to catering for the needs of time-poor business people.

August 23 2016 will be remembered as an historic day when the eagle AmCham (the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia) landed in Greater Western Sydney.

A talking point that I find is often raised by a director when their company is in financial difficulty and liquidation may be imminent is whether they should change directors. Let me be clear in explaining that the reason the current director is contemplating putting in their spouse or finding someone else as a director (both of whom may know very little about the business or importantly the financial position of the company) is about self preservation.

There are all sorts of claims about how to create happy, productive workplaces. Many top tier organisations offer sleek work spaces, that look like Star Trek sets, Nespresso coffee stations and free fruit every Friday.  Although these perks are a gesture of appreciation, the underlying relationship employees have with the organisation and its leaders delivers the real productivity difference!