Glasgow

It’s all too easy to think of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, robots, the metaverse, and ‘green’ energy in terms of extremes. On the positive side, they might change the world for the better by solving problems, offering more convenience and connection, and cutting costs – all while creating more wealth for some people than at any other time in human history. On the negative side, they can erode our privacy, civil liberties and human rights, worsen inequality, destroy jobs, harm our health and the environment, and even kill us in new ways.

Navigating between these extreme views is challenging enough, but there are further complications. First, emerging technologies are unfolding at an such speed and complexity that it’s impossible for any one individual, team, organisation, or country to see the whole picture, much less to master it. Second, they are often accompanied by so much hype, noise, and political polarisation that it can be difficult to determine their potential, value, and utility. 

This talk aims to move beyond the hype-doom cycle to look at emerging technologies in terms of the problems can they solve, the opportunities they create, and whether the risks associated with them are worth the trade-offs. We’ll look at why we innovate – and what stops us from innovating. And we’ll explore how we can use the history of technological innovation as a guide to the present and the future.

A simple internet search on “Leadership” will lead one to a volume of definitions and finding; “top 10 attributes”; 8 leadership skills; 5 must have characteristic; the dos and don’ts of leadership.  The numerous principles of leadership are vapid at best. But the crucible of leadership is about preparation, thought processes, and actions at volatile moments in time.  Not all will rise to the occasion. Whether it’s a large-scale change management, split second decisions on the battlefield, or betting on radical ideas, your ability as a leader to stay clarified and focused while the environment around you is uncertain, or crumbling around you, may determine your project, teams, or company’s, survival, success, or extinction.

As leaders how do we recognize opportunity through unknown, unclear, and uncertain circumstances, remain undaunted, and lead with clarity, innovation, and grace.

Yvette takes us through a discussion of her numerous examples of leading teams and large, complex, multi-faceted organizations on and off the battlefield and in high stakes, ambiguous, and hostile environments, whether outwitting adversaries on the battlefield, gaining ground in the global space race, or building decentralized innovative teams yvette will lead a discussion on being “In Extremis Leader Ready”

Well-known Irish economist Jim Power is a popular speaker and an advisor to both corporates and SMEs, as well as co-hosting the popular economic podcast, ‘The Other Hand’. Jim helps people to see economics as a ‘social science’—driven more by human behaviour than data—so that they can use economic trends to make better decisions and enjoy greater success.  

Jim believes that economics impacts everything. Politics, policy, how much money we earn—these are just the start. Economics is also very closely linked to health, both physical and mental. In the current world, economics’ role is no longer to forecast the future with certainty. Rather, it’s about economic insights that help us make choices that improve quality of life. In his talks, Jim not only looks at what the economic and financial environment might look like, he also elaborates on shifting forces and influences such as politics, demographics and, increasingly, climate change. 

More recently he has been talking about the importance of brand. In a world where disruptive forces can cause rapid changes, companies need a strong brand presence if they are to succeed, as customers are more likely to remain loyal even when price fluctuates.