In a sea of leadership books, How to Be a Great Boss by Sheldon Howe is a refreshing and practical guide—especially for those newer to leadership or looking to sharpen their people-management skills. Self-published in 2025, this book may not carry the polish of a major publishing house, but it more than makes up for it with clarity, relevance, and actionable advice.
Discovered while browsing the new release section of an online bookstore, this title was an unexpected gem. While the formatting and design may lack the finesse of traditionally published works, the content quickly proves its worth. Howe’s writing is direct and accessible, making it easy for busy professionals to absorb and apply the lessons without wading through jargon or theory-heavy chapters.
What sets this book apart is its practicality. Rather than focusing on abstract leadership philosophies, Howe zeroes in on the day-to-day realities of being a boss. He offers clear guidance on how to build trust, delegate effectively, communicate with impact, and handle difficult conversations—all essential skills for anyone managing people. The advice is grounded in real-world experience and supported by thoughtful research, making it both credible and relatable.
One of the book’s strengths is its focus on empowering others. Howe encourages leaders to shift their mindset from control to enablement—helping team members grow, take ownership, and make decisions confidently. This aligns well with modern leadership thinking, where influence and support often matter more than authority and oversight.
The book also includes helpful tools and frameworks, such as self-assessments, checklists, and reflection prompts. These make it easy for readers to evaluate their current leadership style and identify areas for growth. For newer leaders, this is especially valuable—it provides structure without being prescriptive, and guidance without being overwhelming.
Howe’s tone throughout is encouraging and grounded. He doesn’t present himself as a guru, but rather as a guide—someone who’s walked the path and wants to help others succeed. This makes the book feel personal and approachable, which is ideal for readers who may be navigating the challenges of leadership for the first time.
For experienced leaders, How to Be a Great Boss may serve as a useful refresher—a reminder of the fundamentals that often get lost in the complexity of senior roles. For emerging leaders, it’s a practical playbook that can accelerate confidence and capability.
How to Be a Great Boss is a highly recommended read for anyone looking to grow as a leader. It’s especially valuable for those early in their journey, offering practical tools and mindset shifts that can make a real difference. While it may not have the polish of a bestseller, its substance and sincerity shine through. If you’re serious about becoming a better boss—not just in title, but in impact—this book is well worth your time.
In the fast-paced business environment of Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific, leaders and managers face the challenge of balancing organizational agility with stability. Deloitte's 2025 Global Human Capital Trends report [CLICK HERE TO READ] provides valuable insights into navigating these complexities to enhance both business and human outcomes.
The report emphasizes that today's leaders must manage tensions between control and empowerment, stability and agility, and automation and augmentation. These are not binary choices but rather areas where finding the right balance can lead to organizational success.
One key concept introduced is "stagility," which combines stability and agility. As traditional sources of stability erode, organizations must create new anchors to adapt and thrive. This involves fostering a culture that supports rapid change while maintaining a sense of security for employees.
To achieve this balance, the report suggests several strategies:
By implementing these strategies, leaders and managers in the region can create a work environment that balances agility with stability, fostering a culture of innovation and resilience. This approach not only enhances organizational performance but also supports the well-being and engagement of employees, ultimately driving long-term success.
In a world of TikTok attention spans and YouTube streams, it’s become fashionable to write off television and radio as relics. But let’s be clear: that couldn’t be further from reality.
Television is still the GOAT
TV remains Australia’s brand-building juggernaut, delivering mass reach and frequency. It has evolved - no longer confined to a box in the living room but expanded across an ecosystem via linear broadcast, BVOD, and ad-supported SVOD services.
The numbers tell the story: 75% of household viewing is still linear and BVOD. Nearly 20 million Australians watch Free TV every week. 7 in 10 Australians watch linear TV weekly over 34% streaming via BVOD. A prime-time ad spot can reach more than 1 million Australians in a single hit. TV’s resilience is undeniable.
Revenue in BVOD across Australia climbed 32%, reflecting advertisers’ increasing embrace of this format as it brings digital targeting to TV. With 500+ FAST channels, TV has become a highly adaptable, data-driven ecosystem.
The payoff? Trust and impact. TV is regularly cited as the most trusted form of advertising across generations, followed closely by radio, ranking higher than all digital and social media platforms in terms of credibility and perceived legitimacy. This trust stems from stringent regulatory standards, professional production quality, and high cost of entry. Innovations like OzTAM’s VOZ now allow marketers to measure cross-platform reach with precision, making television both emotional and accountable.
Radio: The Underdog That Delivers
If TV is the GOAT, radio is the workhorse—reliable, affordable, and surprisingly powerful.
Radio (including DAB+) has a very high reach with 15 million Australians tuning in weekly, and approximately 7 million people using ad-supported Spotify. Globally, radio ads boost brand awareness by 45%, with nearly half of listeners making a purchase after hearing one. ROI averages $5 for every $1 spent. And in cars, radio is unbeatable: 84% of adults tune in while driving. Radio audio enhances TV campaigns by incorporating audio brand cues. This helps keep the brand top-of-mind and aids in consumer recall.
Reach suggests that investing just 11% of your total above-the-line campaign budget on radio could double a campaign's effectiveness and ROI.
The Bottom Line
The only thing truly dead is the outdated perception of what broadcast advertising means in 2025. These mediums have evolved into adaptable, multi-channel engines that deliver reach, trust, and impact at scale. Integrating TV (especially BVOD/CTV) and radio into your IMC (integrated marketing communications) mix isn’t just nostalgia—it’s smart strategy that maximises top-of-the-funnel awareness and reach, whilst building long-term brand associations to keep your brand in the consideration set of customers.
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If you’ve ever played a game where no one explained the rules, you’ll know how quickly confusion turns into frustration. The same is true in business. Employees can’t deliver what leaders want if the expectations are murky. “Do your best” sounds inspiring, but it’s vague. “Submit the client proposal by Thursday at noon, using the updated template,” is a whole different story.
Here’s a simple example. A manager asks their assistant to “book a table for lunch with a potential investor.” They mean at a quiet bistro near the office. The assistant assumes they want to impress, so books the hottest new spot in town, complete with loud music and a 45-minute wait. Unsurprisingly the deal doesn’t exactly get off to a smooth start. Moral of the story? Precision saves both embarrassment and opportunity and clarity always beats assumptions.
Think of expectations like setting a GPS. If you tell someone, “Head north,” they might end up in Darwin. If you plug in the exact address, they’ll get to your office on time. Ambiguity is the enemy of accountability. When people don’t know exactly what’s expected, they default to their own interpretation, and that rarely matches yours.
How bad can a mere miscommunication really be though? Well, Boeing is a prime example of how it can cost billions and worse, human lives. Boeing was the global leader in commercial aircraft for decades. But in the mid-2010s, Airbus unveiled the fuel-efficient A320neo, winning massive orders. Boeing rushed to respond with an upgraded version of its 737: the 737 MAX. The goal was to get the plane to market quickly. What they failed to do was communicate the change to their pilots. Boeing engineers added a software system called MCAS (Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System) and as they considered it a minor adjustment, they didn’t want to burden the airline or pilots with new training sessions. Some were told it was a simple change; some were not even told it existed. Each team thought it was handling the communication responsibly, but critical details fell through the cracks.
In 2018 and 2019, two 737 MAX planes (Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302) crashed, killing 346 people. Investigations revealed that pilots were fighting a system they didn’t fully understand, with little training or documentation to guide them. It devasted thousands of families, ruined Boeing’s stellar reputation and cost them billions. This wasn’t a technical flaw; it was a communication failure at scale. The tragedy shows that miscommunication isn’t always about someone saying the wrong thing. Often it is simply about what is not said, or what it is assumed that everyone already knows.
Communicating expectations is not about micromanaging. It’s about drawing the map, so your team knows the destination and the boundaries of the road. Once they’re clear on that, you can step aside and let them drive.
Practical Advice: How to Communicate Expectations Clearly
Further Reading:
If you want to go deeper, try the book Radical Candor by Kim Scott. It’s a fantastic book on how to balance clarity with care, giving feedback and setting expectations in a way that empowers rather than alienates your team.
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When we talk about ROI, typically equating to financial returns, very few would place a furry friend on that list. Yet, as CPA Australia’s INTHEBLACK August 2025 issue makes clear, the reality is far more compelling. Pet ownership offers profound emotional, physical, and social dividends that vastly outweigh the costs see full article here
The cost side of the ledger
In Australia, pet ownership isn’t a trivial expense. Australians collectively spend over A$33 billion each year on their animal companions. That breaks down to around A$4,247 annually for dogs, and A$2,718 for cats, covering essentials like food, grooming, veterinary care, training, and vaccinations. For many households, this means pets claim a noticeable 10% of take-home pay.
The returns you can’t insure
Despite the financial outlay, the article emphasises that the true ROI of pets lies well beyond dollars:
Not without challenges
Of course, owning a pet carries responsibilities, even difficulties. The INTHEBLACK survey notes that 79% of owners report facing challenges ranging from training to healthcare and behaviour issues. But for most, the emotional and social gains overwhelmingly outweigh those hurdles.
Accounting for intangibles
As most financial professionals know, the value isn’t always clear on a balance sheet. Pet ownership embodies precisely this tension: tangible costs in currency, intangible, but deeply meaningful returns in mental wellness, health improvement, and social connection. Recognising these non-financial assets illustrates the broader value lens through which we might evaluate investment.
A rewarding investment
In essence, pet ownership is an investment where emotional, social, and physical returns deliver far richer ROI than any straight-line financial analysis might suggest. The narrative in INTHEBLACK reframes pets not as mere expenses but as holistic wealth generators, boosting wellbeing, forging community, and nurturing skills that enhance life’s quality.
So, when a furry friend enters your home, you may be making one of the most rewarding investments imaginable, one whose dividends are measured not in yields or interest, but in health, happiness, and human connection.
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Brad Mahon’s Leadership is Personal (2025, Advantage Books) is a compelling and refreshingly candid exploration of leadership in today’s fast-paced, high-stakes environment. Drawing on his extensive experience as a higher education leader and former college president, Mahon offers a deeply personal and practical guide for leaders across all sectors—whether seasoned executives or emerging professionals.
At the heart of Mahon’s philosophy is the belief that leadership begins within. He structures the book around three foundational pillars: self-leadership, community engagement, and internal culture. This triad forms the backbone of his argument that sustainable success is driven not just by strategy, but by authenticity, connection, and values.
The book opens with a call for introspection. Mahon encourages readers to embark on a personal voyage—first to understand themselves, then to connect outwardly, and finally to realign their organization’s culture. Chapters such as Finding Your Voice and Creating a Vision emphasize the importance of clarity, purpose, and emotional intelligence in leadership. Mahon’s writing is accessible and honest, often sharing his own failures alongside his successes, which adds credibility and relatability to his insights.
One of the book’s standout themes is community engagement. Mahon argues that leaders must actively build strategic partnerships and foster collaboration across sectors, especially with local communities. In an era where instant gratification dominates and customer patience is waning, he warns that leaders are expected to deliver results quickly, often with little margin for error. This pressure, he suggests, makes it even more critical for leaders to be grounded in their values and connected to their stakeholders.
The final section of the book focuses on corporate culture, urging leaders to “walk the talk.” Mahon explores how internal culture can either reinforce or undermine leadership efforts. Chapters like Putting Out the Welcome Mat and Leading by Example offer practical advice on creating inclusive, values-driven workplaces.
What sets Leadership is Personal apart is its blend of strategic insight and emotional depth. Mahon doesn’t just theorize—he teaches through lived experience, making the book both informative and inspiring. His belief that success can be studied and duplicated is empowering, and his lessons are applicable across industries.
In sum, Leadership is Personal is a must-read for anyone seeking to lead with integrity, impact, and purpose. It’s a timely reminder that leadership is not just about position—it’s about people, values, and the courage to grow. Highly recommended.
Conversations about psychosocial safety are becoming more common in workplaces. A challenge many leaders are grappling with is helping their teams distinguish between moments of healthy stretch, everyday stress, and genuine psychosocial risk.
The challenge is that people often confuse “feeling uncomfortable” with “feeling unsafe.” A prime example of this is receiving feedback. Having your ideas questioned or receiving constructive criticism can feel uncomfortable, yes, but it isn’t unsafe if handled respectfully. On the other hand, experiences like bullying, discrimination, harassment, or prolonged unmanaged workload stress do pose real risks and need to be taken seriously.
For a great read on how to differentiate between these, read this article by Tanya Heaney-Voogt. In summary though, a useful way to think about it is this:
As a leader, you don’t need to have all the answers, but you do need to stay curious. One simple way to do this is regular check-ins with questions like: “What’s been your biggest challenge this month?” or “Do you have the resources you need to succeed?” These conversations help you spot when someone is being stretched in a healthy way, or if they are slipping into unhealthy stress.
You might also include some deeper coaching-style questions like: “Which parts of your role give you energy? Which parts drain it?” This normalises the reality that every job has highs and lows, while giving you a clearer picture of where support might be needed.
At the end of the day, the goal isn’t to remove all stress. Not only is that unachievable, but it would hinder positive growth. The goal is creating the right balance where people are encouraged to grow, supported through the tough patches, and protected from harm. In keeping these clear distinctions, leaders can foster both resilience and safety across their teams.
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Here's a sobering reality: 80% of companies believe they deliver superior service, but only 8% of customers agree. This massive disconnect isn't just alarming—it's expensive. Service gaps are silently bleeding your revenue and reputation.
The SERVQUAL model identifies five critical service quality gaps where customer expectations and perceptions are out of sync with your service standards, policies, and staff actions. Resolve them, and you'll transform frustrated customers into loyal advocates.
The Five Service Gaps That Kill Customer Loyalty
1. Knowledge Gap – You're assuming what customers want instead of knowing. A tech company assumes clients want faster response times when they actually value thorough, expert solutions over speed.
Fix: Deploy monthly customer surveys and social listening tools. Track complaints for patterns, not just volume.
2. Policy Gap – Your internal standards miss what customers actually need. Your "24-hour response" policy sounds good internally, but customers in crisis need same-day acknowledgment.
Fix: Align policies and processes with customer priorities. If quick resolution matters most, measure and reward first-call resolution rates.
3. Delivery Gap – Staff are unable to execute or fail to deliver to your standards. Your team knows the policy but lacks training, authority, resources, or motivation to deliver.
Fix: Empower frontline staff with decision-making authority. Zappos gives customer service reps unlimited time per call and authority to send flowers or upgrade shipping—without supervisor approval.
4. Communication Gap – Your marketing promises don’t match the actual service provided. Your website promises "white-glove service," but customers get basic support.
Fix: Audit every customer-facing message. Under-promise and over-deliver. One bad experience drives away 54% of customers permanently.
5. Perception Gap – You think you delivered great service, but customers disagree. This happens when you measure internal metrics instead of customer experience.
Fix: Follow up within 48 hours of service delivery. Ask specific questions: "Did we solve your problem completely?" not "How was your experience?"
Why Closing the Gaps Matters
Customers rating their experience as "excellent" are 5.2 times more likely to buy again. Reducing customer churn by just 5% can boost profits by 25-95%.
Your 30-Day Action Plan
Stop guessing. Start measuring. Because every service gap left open or ignored is a competitor’s opportunity and costs you customers.
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The 2025 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends report [CLICK HERE TO READ] highlights a critical challenge for not-for-profit organizations - closing the experience gap. This gap, the disparity between the experience employers seek and what workers possess, is a significant barrier to effective talent development and organizational success.
Understanding the Experience Gap
The experience gap arises when new hires lack the practical experience required for their roles, despite having the necessary education and skills. This issue is exacerbated by the increasing complexity of work and the rapid pace of technological change. For not-for-profits, this gap can hinder mission delivery and operational efficiency.
Strategies for Bridging the Gap
The Role of Leadership
Leadership plays a pivotal role in addressing the experience gap. Not-for-profit leaders must champion talent development initiatives and ensure that their organizations are committed to closing this gap. By prioritizing employee growth and development, leaders can enhance organizational capacity and better serve their communities.
In conclusion, closing the experience gap is essential for not-for-profits to thrive in a rapidly changing environment. By investing in talent development, leveraging technology, fostering a learning culture, and collaborating with external partners, organizations can equip their employees with the experience needed to achieve their missions effectively.
In the not-for-profit sector, making unbiased decisions is crucial for achieving fair and effective outcomes. A recent McKinsey report [CLICK HERE TO READ] provides valuable insights into common biases that can affect decision-making and offers strategies to mitigate them. Here’s a summary tailored for not-for-profit leaders and managers in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific.
1. Recognizing Common Biases
The report identifies several common biases that can influence decision-making, including confirmation bias, anchoring, and overconfidence. For not-for-profits, these biases can lead to suboptimal resource allocation and program outcomes. Recognizing these biases is the first step towards mitigating their impact.
2. Implementing Structured Decision-Making Processes
To counteract biases, the report recommends implementing structured decision-making processes. This includes setting clear criteria for decisions, using checklists, and involving diverse perspectives. For not-for-profits, this approach ensures that decisions are made based on objective criteria and comprehensive analysis.
3. Encouraging Diverse Perspectives
Involving a diverse group of stakeholders in the decision-making process can help mitigate biases. Not-for-profits should seek input from board members, staff, beneficiaries, and external experts. This diversity of thought can uncover blind spots and lead to more balanced decisions.
4. Leveraging Data and Analytics
Using data and analytics can provide an objective basis for decision-making. The report emphasizes the importance of relying on data rather than intuition. Not-for-profits can benefit from investing in data collection and analysis tools to support evidence-based decisions.
5. Promoting a Culture of Accountability
Creating a culture of accountability where team members feel responsible for their decisions can reduce the influence of biases. Not-for-profit leaders should encourage transparency and open dialogue about decision-making processes. This fosters an environment where biases are openly discussed and addressed.
6. Continuous Learning and Improvement
Finally, the report highlights the importance of continuous learning and improvement. Not-for-profits should regularly review their decision-making processes and outcomes to identify areas for improvement. This ongoing evaluation helps organizations adapt and refine their strategies over time.
By addressing biases in decision-making, not-for-profit leaders and managers can enhance the effectiveness and fairness of their decisions. Implementing structured processes, encouraging diverse perspectives, leveraging data, promoting accountability, and committing to continuous improvement will enable organizations to better serve their communities and achieve their missions.
