As Gen Z enters the workforce, leaders face a unique challenge: how to cultivate leadership aspirations in a generation that’s rethinking traditional career paths. INSEAD’s recent article [READ IT HERE] sheds light on why many Gen Z professionals are hesitant to pursue management roles—and what organizations can do to change that.
A survey by Robert Walters reveals that 72% of Gen Z workers prefer individual career progression over managing others, and more than half lack interest in middle-management roles. The reasons are clear: stress, low perceived rewards, and a desire for work-life balance. Many young professionals see management as a high-pressure, low-impact endeavor, often filled with bureaucracy and endless meetings.
This shift is partly a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted a reevaluation of personal and professional priorities. Gen Z is also drawn to portfolio careers—flexible, multi-role paths that offer autonomy and fulfillment without the constraints of traditional hierarchies.
So, how can organizations nurture Gen Z’s leadership potential?
For leaders, the takeaway is clear: leadership development must evolve. By understanding Gen Z’s motivations and redesigning roles to reflect their values, organizations can unlock a new wave of passionate, capable leaders ready to drive change.
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This summary draws on key insights from McKinsey's recent article “Rewiring martech: From cost center to growth engine”. [Access here]
Marketing technology promised to revolutionise how businesses connect with customers. Yet despite billions invested, most marketers remain stuck automating old processes rather than unlocking transformational growth. For business leaders, AI now offers a crucial second chance—but only if you avoid repeating past mistakes.
The Reality Check
While 90% of C-suite executives believe best-in-class tools can drive revenue growth and customer loyalty, most organisations still rely on basic tactics like batch email campaigns and simple A/B testing. The gap between potential and reality is stark: only about one-third of organisations have reached transformational martech maturity.
Four Critical Barriers Holding You Back
Lack of executive ownership. Martech often operates in isolation with little C-suite visibility, leading to narrow use cases rather than enterprise-wide customer value. Without executive sponsorship embedded into business strategy, technology remains underutilised.
Overwhelming complexity. 47% of decision-makers cite stack complexity and integration challenges as key blockers preventing value. Rather than simplifying, organisations layer new tools onto legacy systems, creating fragmentation that undermines seamless customer journeys.
Missing ROI measurement. Here's the uncomfortable truth: not one of the 50 senior marketing leaders interviewed at Fortune 500 companies could clearly articulate their martech ROI. When investments aren't tied to revenue growth or customer lifetime value, martech becomes just another cost centre.
The talent gap. 34% of buyers cite under-skilled talent as a key hurdle to extracting value from technology. Tools are only valuable when your team can leverage them effectively.
Your AI-Powered Path Forward
AI is a co-pilot offering an opportunity to fundamentally reimagine martech as an intelligent, adaptive system. Start by elevating martech to C-suite priority status with clear governance and investment decisions tied to enterprise goals. Build a strong data strategy moving from fragmented identifiers to a dynamic customer graph that anticipates needs through predictive intelligence.
Simplify before you innovate. Rationalise overlapping tools, sunset legacy systems, and create an integrated operating model designed for personalised customer experiences. Most critically, measure what matters: quantify the total cost of ownership alongside incremental revenue from personalisation, faster time-to-market, and improved customer experiences.
However, technology delivers results when marketers are skilled and confident. Ongoing training and strong leadership enable marketing and operations teams to fully leverage the impact of marketing technology (martech).
This is marketing’s second chance. Don't waste it.
There’s a reason some brands and leaders can say one sentence and suddenly a market moves, a board shifts, a partner says yes, or an audience leans in. Persuasive communication isn’t about volume, dominance, or dumping facts on your stakeholders. It’s about meaning, emotion, simplicity and timing.
The best persuasive communicators in business today do 3 things exceptionally well:
When this aligns, persuasion becomes effortless. Not manipulative. Not aggressive. But elegant, strategic, high trust influence. Here are examples of some brands doing this really well.
Patagonia: The moral authority effect
Patagonia doesn’t just persuade through brand storytelling; they persuade through principled stance. When Patagonia ran that infamous Black Friday ad “Don’t Buy This Jacket” it didn’t make people buy less, it made people trust them more. And trust is the most efficient persuasion technology on earth. Their communication works because it is values-led, not persuasion-led. Ironically that’s what makes it even more persuasive, but the persuasion isn’t turning someone into an instant customer, it is turning them into an ally for life. People know that Patagonia will give them an excellent product but will also repair it and recycle it when they are done. They practice what they preach.
Airbnb: Sell the belonging not the bed.
Airbnb does not sell rooms. They sell the feeling of belonging anywhere. That idea is so sticky it became a global movement. Their brand narrative strategy is intentionally persuasive — because it reframes the value. Most hotel companies market “features”. Airbnb markets “identity” and uses phrases like “the world beyond your bucket list” and “don’t see a place, experience it.” Identity is always more persuasive than functionality and Airbnb understands this.
Liquid Death: Ridiculous clarity wins attention
Liquid Death’s brand is theatre. They take water, one of the world’s most boring commodities, and turn it into a metal band satire that “murders your thirst”. They persuade by breaking patterns and being extremely clear about what they are (and what they’re not). It proves that if everyone is trying to sound serious, the funniest person in the room becomes the most persuasive, as long as the brand promise still holds weight.
So, what does this mean for your business? The art of persuasive communication is not mysterious. It is built by design. Business leaders who communicate persuasively do not talk at people. They architect engagement with people. This is where persuasion becomes the twin of leadership, because leadership isn’t about coercion, it’s about creating gravitational pull.
5 Things Every Business Should Consider for Persuasive Communication Best Practice:
Persuasive communication isn’t magic, it is a learnable craft and the more you intentionally practice it, the more naturally your ideas will spread and stick.
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For leaders and managers across various sectors in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific, creating a workplace that balances productivity with employee well-being is crucial. A recent report by INSEAD [CLICK HERE TO READ] highlights the significant benefits of incorporating fun into the workplace, demonstrating that it can lead to higher engagement, creativity, and collaboration among employees.
The report, authored by Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries, emphasizes that fun should not be seen as trivial or counterproductive. Instead, it plays a vital role in fostering a positive work environment. Fun at work triggers the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and oxytocin, which boost mood, reduce stress, and strengthen social bonds. This physiological response can lead to a more motivated and cohesive team.
To effectively inject fun into the workplace, the report suggests several strategies:
For organizations across all sectors, these strategies can be particularly impactful. By fostering a fun and engaging work environment, leaders can enhance employee satisfaction and retention, ultimately contributing to the organization's mission and goals. Embracing fun at work is not just about making the workplace enjoyable; it's about creating a culture where employees feel valued and motivated to contribute their best.
In conclusion, injecting fun into the workplace is a powerful tool for leaders and managers. It can transform the work environment, leading to greater productivity, creativity, and overall well-being for employees. By adopting these strategies, organizations can build a more resilient and successful future.
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Humor in leadership can be a powerful tool, but it must be used wisely. A recent report from Warwick Business School [CLICK HERE TO READ] explores the benefits and potential pitfalls of CEOs using humor in the workplace. Here’s a summary tailored for not-for-profit leaders and managers.
Building Connections
Humor can help leaders connect with their teams on a personal level. For not-for-profits, where mission-driven work often involves high stress and emotional investment, humor can lighten the atmosphere and foster a sense of camaraderie. Self-deprecating humor, in particular, can humanize leaders and make them more approachable.
Enhancing Communication
Effective use of humor can enhance communication by making messages more memorable and engaging. It can be a strategic tool to introduce new ideas, highlight inconsistencies, or address sensitive issues in a non-threatening way. For not-for-profits, this can be particularly useful in rallying support for initiatives or navigating complex stakeholder relationships.
Cautionary Tales
However, humor must be used with caution. Inappropriate or poorly timed jokes can backfire, leading to misunderstandings or even damaging the leader’s credibility. The report cites examples where humor has had negative repercussions, emphasizing the importance of context and audience awareness.
Practical Tips for Leaders
Conclusion
For not-for-profit leaders, humor can be a valuable tool to build stronger connections, enhance communication, and create a positive work environment. By using humor thoughtfully and authentically, leaders can foster a more engaged and motivated team, ultimately driving greater impact in their communities.
Franklin Markow’s Organizational Behaviour in Christian Perspective (2024, Baker Academic) is a standout resource for anyone seeking to understand organizational dynamics through a faith-based lens. Drawing on his extensive experience as a university educator and leader, Markow presents a clear, well-structured exploration of key organizational behaviour concepts—such as motivation, communication, team dynamics, and culture—while grounding them in Christian principles.
What makes this book particularly valuable is its seamless integration of faith and theory. Readers don’t need to reinterpret secular models to fit a Christian worldview; Markow does this work for them, offering biblically informed insights throughout. The book’s logical flow and accessible language make it suitable for students, educators, and practitioners alike. If I were still lecturing, this would undoubtedly be my required textbook for any course on organizational behaviour or leadership in a faith-based context.
A central theme is that effective leaders must be students not only of leadership but of the organizations they serve. Markow emphasizes the importance of understanding systems and structures, encouraging a holistic approach to leadership rooted in stewardship and service.
Each chapter includes case studies, discussion questions, and curated resources, making it ideal for classroom use or group study. The examples are drawn from real-world Christian contexts, enhancing relevance and application.
In short, this is a highly recommended text for anyone in faith-based leadership or organizational roles. It’s academically sound, spiritually grounded, and immensely practical—a rare and valuable combination.
In 2025, the risk of “manager crash” is real—and not-for-profit leaders must take note. According to Atlassian’s recent article [READ IT HERE], middle managers are facing unprecedented levels of burnout, disengagement, and pressure, driven by years of pandemic-related disruption, shifting work models, and insufficient institutional support.
Why It Matters
Managers are the linchpin of any organization. In the not-for-profit sector, where resources are often stretched and missions are deeply people-focused, the wellbeing of managers directly impacts team morale, service delivery, and community outcomes. When managers burn out, the ripple effects can be severe—leading to higher staff turnover, reduced productivity, and diminished impact.
Key Risks
The article identifies “psychosocial hazards” as major contributors to manager burnout. These include unmanageable workloads, unrealistic deadlines, and a lack of psychological safety. Managers are 36% more likely than non-managers to report burnout and 24% more likely to consider quitting within six months.
What Not-for-Profits Can Do
The Bottom Line
Avoiding a manager crash isn’t just about protecting individuals—it’s about safeguarding the future of your organization. By proactively supporting your managers, you’re investing in the resilience, effectiveness, and sustainability of your mission.
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Every business feels the rush: slash prices, watch sales spike, celebrate. But like any drug, the discount high comes with a brutal comedown—and an addiction that's hard to break.
What Is the Sales Promotion Trap?
The promotion trap occurs when brands become dependent on discounts, creating a cycle that weakens brand equity and shrinks profits. You train customers to wait for deals, competitors match your cuts, margins evaporate, and suddenly you can't raise prices without losing sales. Constant promotions send a message to the market that your regular price is inflated and the discounted price is your product's true worth.
Even Australia's retail giants aren't immune. In 2024, the ACCC took Woolworths and Coles to court over misleading discount claims involving hundreds of products—evidence of how far discount dependency can push businesses into questionable practices. Meanwhile, 87% of Australians plan to rely on promotional deals and discounts, reinforcing the cycle.
The Two Paths: Building vs Borrowing
Not all promotions are created equal. Understanding this distinction is your way out.
Consumer Franchise-Building (CFB) promotions strengthen your brand while driving sales. They communicate unique product attributes, reinforce brand preference, and encourage customers to buy at full price next time. Examples include:
Non-Franchise-Building (non-FB) promotions focus purely on short-term sales spikes through price-offs, rebates, and bonus packs. They rarely build lasting brand value and often just borrow customers from competitors—or from your own future full-price sales.
Why CFB Promotions Break the Cycle
Research shows 61% believe discounts in sales are often exaggerated, while 78% of buying moments are unrelated to price promotions—they're driven by cultural events, community connections, and emotional triggers. This is where CFB promotions thrive.
CFB promotions work because they shift customer focus from "How cheap is it?" to "Why do I want this?" They:
Rehab Action Plan
Smart, selective promotions—supported by brand-building advertising—are powerful, driving both immediate sales and long-term loyalty. Over-discounting is like a drug: the short-term rush is tempting but unsustainable.
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As we look toward 2026, Gartner’s latest research shows how Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs) are rethinking their priorities for the next phase of work. The focus is shifting from traditional HR operations to a more strategic agenda that brings together technology, people and culture to strengthen organisational resilience (You can download and read the full Gartner summary here.)
Gartner identifies four key priorities shaping the future of HR and leadership:
For CHROs and senior leaders alike, these insights provide a roadmap for leading through disruption. They highlight the importance of combining technological capability with human discernment, and of ensuring that innovation strengthens both performance and purpose in equal measure.
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If your in-house team is stretched thin, your growth has plateaued, or you're simply ready to scale faster, an ad agency can be transformative. But the wrong choice? That's money down the drain. Here's how to find your fit.
Know Your Options
Get Clear on What You Actually Need
Before reaching out to anyone, define your goals (brand awareness? lead generation?), your budget reality, which channels matter most, and where your team needs support versus what you can handle internally. This clarity attracts agencies whose strengths match your gaps—not just those with impressive client lists.
Ask the Right Questions
When vetting agencies, dig into:
One red flag: if the pitch team seems too polished compared to who you'll actually work with, push for clarity.
Budget Reality Check
Here's what many SMB owners miss: your marketing budget needs to cover both agency fees and media spend. If you have $1,500 monthly for Google or social media ads, and even a budget agency charges $500 for management, you're left with roughly $30 daily for actual ads. For most businesses, that won't yield meaningful results.
A better rule of thumb: agency fees typically run 15-25% of your total media spend, or you need at least 3-4x the agency's monthly fee available for advertising. So if you're investing $5K monthly in ads, budget $1,000-1,500 for management. Less than that, and you're better off upskilling internally or using DIY platforms until you can scale properly.
Build a Brief & Make It Official
A solid brief that includes clear objectives, target audience, key messages, existing assets and constraints, budget and timeline helps agencies deliver targeted proposals. Once you've chosen an agency, formalise everything: clear KPIs, fee structures (consider performance-based elements for accountability), regular check-in schedules, and contract terms that protect both sides.
The Bottom Line
The right agency becomes a genuine partner who understands your business and delivers measurable growth. The wrong one becomes your biggest regret at budget review time.
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