THE SPIDERWEB EFFECT In observing influential people there are certain traits which they have in common. And I have since come to appreciate that influence can be learnt and mastered. I see influence as like a spider’s web. An influential leader starts by having influence on a small group (the immediate team members), thereafter they…
How can the energy industry adapt to meet the needs of a growing population while supporting low-carbon growth? Katherine Hamilton says that this essential transition will not happen without collaboration between large energy companies, entrepreneurs, the finance sector and consumers Why should we be thinking about the future of energy? The energy sector is already…
Confidence is defined as ‘a feeling or belief that one can have faith in or rely on someone or something’. There are a series of actions and thoughts that will contribute towards you being perceived as confident. Let us take a look at these factors as they relate to speaking in public. Upside-down ‘U’: As…
The fastest growing segment of the wealth management industry is now digital and is referred to as “robo-advisory services”. The assets under management (AUM) of this segment are expected to grow by 2 500% by 2020 to reach a potential market value of US$489 billion” (Deloitte Insights, June 2016). Estimates are ‘robos’ will deal with…
I have always thought that speaking on this topic to this audience would be preaching to the converted. However, I have had a number of interactions in the last year where the importance of this topic has been highlighted to me, along with the awareness that most of us are not using it to our…
What a time to be alive. No really, it is. I don’t mean this in the ironic way the Internet does. Ignoring the lack of hover boards for the moment, it’s amazing to consider how many sci-fi ideas are about to enter the mainstream in our lifetime: drones, virtual assistants, robots, 3D printing and, probably…
The speed of change is incredibly fast, with telecoms, healthcare and IT companies setting the trend on the outer edge. In fact, in almost every industry, groundbreaking leaps into the future are being reported on a daily basis. However, one industry remains painfully silent – the accounting profession. Why? We’ve been tied up in a…
Background The Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan, presented the National Budget for the 2017/2018 financial year on Wednesday, 22 February 2017. The Budget brought about both burden and relief in the form of adjustments to various tax tables for individuals. For example, the Budget increased the minimum taxable bracket for individuals earning from R0 to…
In November 2016, 2 529 aspiring CAs(SA) nervously sat for their final professional examination, the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC). Now SAICA can announce that 89% (2 247) of these candidates passed The CA(SA) journey is not for the faint-hearted. It takes a minimum of seven years to complete and those who begin the journey…
How can you reinvent your field? Many times in history, individuals or corporations have stood out because they thought outside the box and reinvented the way they approached and did something. This then marked a change in the entire industry or field, and so their names and stories have made history. Take the high jump,…