Insights
Everything here comes out of client work — what we saw, what we tried, and what it cost. We publish when we have learned something worth passing on, not to fill a content calendar.
Nobody can tell you what your potential is
We rate potential with a word nobody can define, then let it decide who gets the opportunity.
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The 5 questions every board must ask before approving an AI budget
Most AI budgets that reach a board cover about a third of the real cost. Here are the 5 questions to ask first.
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The delivery gap: a manifesto
The gap between the strategy on the wall and the reality on the floor. Why it opens, what it costs, and what closing it actually takes.
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We've given them the tools
Executives and the people who work for them are describing two different organisations. Sixty-seven points apart, in fact.
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What we build in Smartsheet, and what we ask before we build it
Intake, approvals, dashboards, resource heat maps and the joiners and leavers plumbing. What Five builds in Smartsheet, and the question we ask before anybody configures anything.
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Clean data vs. big data: why your AI strategy is only as good as your worst spreadsheet
Most enterprises think they have a data problem. What they actually have is an ownership problem.
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Most New Zealand boardrooms didn't choose their AI strategy. They inherited it.
Copilot came with M365. Gemini came with Workspace. Convenience got mistaken for a decision.
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Why the fear of your AI tool bill might cost more than the bill itself
Your most expensive AI tool might be the one you were too scared to switch on.
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The 1% rule that transformed British cycling - and why NZ leaders should apply it to AI
20% of organisations are capturing 74% of AI's value. Not with bigger programmes — with smarter experiments.
Read article →Simon CollinsonThe 1% rule that transformed British cycling - and why NZ leaders should apply it to AI
The executive mirror: your team won’t adopt AI if you haven’t
Your team won't adopt AI if you haven't. Why executive AI fluency — not technical expertise — decides whether adoption actually scales.
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You wouldn't parent like it's 1995. So why are you still leading that way?
Command-and-control leadership is colliding with AI. Why outcome-led, trust-based leadership is no longer optional for NZ leaders.
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Executive cloning: what if you could actually clone yourself?
Zuckerberg wants an AI to handle his internal comms so he can write code. Most leaders won't admit what they'd offload. Here's why they should.
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Upskilling vs. replacing: why it’s cheaper (and better) to train your experts in AI than to hire “AI experts”
Hiring an AI expert won't make your organisation AI-ready. The real IP lives in your people — upskill them, or lose both expertise and institutional memory.
Read article →Paula RianoUpskilling vs. replacing: why it’s cheaper (and better) to train your experts in AI than to hire “AI experts”
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The end of “busy work”: what your team can achieve when they aren’t stuck in spreadsheets
Your best people aren't leaving because of salary. They're leaving because their days are full of work that shouldn't require a human.
Read article →Paula RianoThe end of “busy work”: what your team can achieve when they aren’t stuck in spreadsheets
Wheelies, wipeouts and the best leadership lesson I've had all year!
Investing millions in AI? If your people are too afraid to experiment, none of it will land. The real ROI starts with psychological safety.
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The belief comes first. The performance follows.
Watching his sons prepare for football season, Nick makes the case that belief precedes performance — not the other way around.
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How AI turns a dashboard into an engine for enquiry
Leaders stop asking questions when the data is too hard to get at. AI changes that — turning curiosity into real-time answers without the delay or compromise.
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The gap between what we say and what we do
A leadership team believed in their culture. Two days walking the floors told a different story. That gap is where real change has to start.
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Stop counting blades of grass
Most reporting problems start before a single row of data is pulled. Four questions to ask before you open a spreadsheet.
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The 4-day work week: AI’s role in our changing reality
The 4-day week has moved from wellbeing perk to business strategy. AI is what makes it work at scale — here's the evidence from NZ enterprises.
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Facing economic headwinds with a strategic advantage: using AI to play a different game
Cost pressure is back, and cutting harder isn't the answer. How smart organisations are using AI as a strategic lever — not just a technology play.
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The leadership readiness gap
Organisational change is outpacing leadership capability. 72% of leaders say they're not fully prepared. Here are four questions every board should be asking.
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KPIs for AI: what metrics actually matter? (Hint: it’s not “number of prompts written”)
Measuring AI by prompts written misses the point entirely. The real KPIs are business outcomes, ethical integration, and how well AI lifts your people.
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Let’s be honest: too many of our brilliant AI pilots in New Zealand are not scaling!
Too many NZ AI pilots are stuck in perpetual pilot mode. Experimenting with tools isn't a strategy — scaling real change is.
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The rebirth of co-operative business models for the AI era
In this article, James Kitney explores how AI is eroding entry-level roles and reshaping traditional career pathways.
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Te anga whakamua i mua i te tino: Te mīharo o te AI ki te whakatutuki i ngā mea kāore i taea
AI is making the 'too hard' basket smaller. A reflection on te wiki o te Reo Māori, live translation, and what tools make possible.
Read article →Nick Mackeson-SmithTe anga whakamua i mua i te tino: Te mīharo o te AI ki te whakatutuki i ngā mea kāore i taea
Why most people technology RFPs fail before they even start
Most HRIS and payroll RFPs are designed to fail. They chase features, ignore culture, and skip the process work that makes any system actually land.
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What happens when leaders wear their tradition with pride
What does it take to build a workplace where leaders feel proud to bring their full heritage to work — not just during language weeks, but every day?
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Clarity counts - why goals and measures matter
When teams lose sight of what success looks like, everything suffers. Practical advice on making goals clear, progress visible, and measurement meaningful.
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The strategic lever most organisations are missing
Strategy gets set. Targets get agreed. But capability — what people need to know, do, and be — keeps getting left until it's too late.
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From delivery to direction-setting – the executive leadership mindset shift(s)
Moving into an executive role is about more than a new job title. Five critical mindset shifts that separate good leaders from genuinely great ones.
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You can do anything, but not everything all at once: how to be smarter with your yes
The pressure to 'do more with less' is real — but overcommitting burns people out. Here's how leaders and teams can get smarter about their yes.
Read article →Nick Mackeson-SmithYou can do anything, but not everything all at once: how to be smarter with your yes
Leading through the grey
Leading through uncertainty demands more personal resilience than most expect. The gap between knowing that and actually building it is where real leadership lives.
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Beyond the to-do list: the critical distinction between leadership accountability and responsibility
Responsibility can be delegated. Accountability cannot. Sally Schmall unpacks why this distinction is the key to trust, ownership, and high performance.
Read article →Sally SchmallBeyond the to-do list: the critical distinction between leadership accountability and responsibility
Leading through uncertainty: the essence of resilient leadership
True resilience isn't about avoiding hard situations — it's about responding to them with agility, adaptability, and a clear sense of purpose.
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Navigating the rainbow: building inclusive leadership in NZ
Building an inclusive team in NZ isn't about box-ticking. It's about creating a place where everyone truly belongs and ideas genuinely spark.
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Leveraging affordable AI for enhanced productivity
AI is no longer just for tech giants. Affordable tools now free people up for the work that matters.
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How experience can reinvent boring products
Functionality gets you in the game. Experience wins it. A taxi vs. Uber story that shows why reimagining how customers interact with your product changes everything.
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Intentional design of your offboarding experience
People remember how they left. Designing your offboarding experience intentionally — before you're forced to — is good for your brand, culture, and future hires.
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What's psychosocial legislation all about, and what can we do about it?
Three CPOs in Sydney asked us the same question in one day. What psychosocial legislation means, and why NZ should get ahead of it.
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Cut with a scalpel, not a chainsaw: strategic cost management and investment beyond the economic cycle
Cutting costs in a downturn and scrambling to grow in the upturn — there's a smarter cycle. How to manage costs strategically, not just reactively.
Read article →James KitneyCut with a scalpel, not a chainsaw: strategic cost management and investment beyond the economic cycle
(Why) should we return to the office?
The push to return to the office is growing. But is it the right move? Three honest reasons why leaders are doing it — and what to weigh up.
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Gaining traction at the executive table
The first six months in a new senior role are make or break. Sally Schmall unpacks the four challenges every new executive faces — and how to navigate them.
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Navigating the emotional and mental challenges of right-sizing
The true measure of leadership is leading with humanity — especially when the decisions are hard.
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Ditch the decks, unleash the dragons: why strategy isn’t a game trapped in spreadsheets and PowerPoint
Strategy doesn't belong in a deck. Today's best leaders embrace uncertainty, experiment fast, and engage directly with the market. Here's how.
Read article →James KitneyDitch the decks, unleash the dragons: why strategy isn’t a game trapped in spreadsheets and PowerPoint
Creating an inclusive environment for LGBTQI+ and MVPFAFF+ communities
Inclusion isn't a policy — it's a practice. Practical steps for building workplaces where LGBTQI+ and MVPFAFF+ people feel genuinely safe and respected.
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The imperative of understanding organisational culture
Culture isn't a poster on the wall. Deep discovery beats pulse surveys every time — here's why understanding what actually drives your culture changes everything.
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A more human-centred approach to strategy
Strategy has long been written by a few, handed down to many. Here's why that needs to change — and what a more human-centred approach looks like.
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Preparing your young workers to move up (or move on)
It's bittersweet when your best people leave. Here's how to invest in youth talent generously — so they stay longer, come back, and become fierce advocates.
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Five ways to welcome youth talent to your organisation
“I want to be meaningfully engaged and not feel stupid.” Five practical ways to welcome young talent and make them genuinely feel like they belong.
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The future skills you’re looking for are already here
Auckland's rangatahi already have the adaptability, digital fluency, and resilience employers are hunting for. The talent pipeline is right here.
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The ultimate guide to accessibility for Tāngata Whaikaha
Around 25% of New Zealand's population has a disability — yet workplace accessibility still fails them. Here's what meaningful inclusion actually looks like.
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Connecting with IDEA
D&I doesn't go far enough. By focusing on inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility together, we get closer to workplaces that truly work for everyone.
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Surviving re-entry to professional life
Coming back to work after baby #3 during lockdown? Three neuroscience-backed things that cut through the blur and brought back some clarity.
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Achieve anything
Most people know what they want. Fewer know how to get there. Here's how to stop your mind getting in the way of your own ambitions.
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To stack or not to stack…
Most of us frame obligations as things we have to do — but we almost always have more choice than we think. A simple reframe that opens up options.
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Changing your mind
An agile practitioner catching herself resisting change? It happens. Here's an honest reflection on when adaptability gets harder than we'd like to admit.
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Making meetings magic
Most meetings don't need to happen. Those that do? Keep them to three parts: need to know, check this, help me. Simple, short, done.
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Give the gift of feedforward this Christmas
Feedback looks back. Feedforward looks forward. It's a small shift that makes hard conversations easier — and shows people you genuinely care.
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Do something you love
“Follow your passion” sounds like a cliché. Turns out it’s actually solid career advice — here’s the honest case for why it holds up.
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Lightbulb moments
Changing a brake light on a beaten-up Fiat taught me more about how people actually learn than any course has.
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The hybrid working revolution
The pandemic forced a new way of working. Employees embraced it. Now comes the moment that determines whether you build something better — or slide back.
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Case study: The Warehouse Group’s digital agile bootcamp - success through sustained grit, teamwork and innovation
1,000 people. 2 weeks' notice. A global pandemic. How The Warehouse Group pulled off a virtual agile transformation that had no right to work — but did.
Read article →Nick Mackeson-SmithCase study: The Warehouse Group’s digital agile bootcamp - success through sustained grit, teamwork and innovation
How to help others to stop ‘reloading’ in conversations
Reloading — thinking about what to say while someone else is still talking — kills real conversation. These coaching questions help your people break the habit.
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Let’s get phygital
Blending the store and the app into one journey. What 'phygital' actually means for retail.
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The space-race to build the Netflix of learning
What if learning worked like Netflix? One team at Spark actually built it — and the lessons about data, hooks, and human behaviour are fascinating.
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How to lead your team well when working remotely
Some leaders thrived through the crisis. Others froze. The difference wasn't luck — it was a set of behaviours and mindsets that great leaders already had.
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COVID-19 - time for lemonade
Jobs lost, doors closing, relationships strained. When life hands you something hard, here's how to find the moves worth making — even now.
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Learning enablement
What we learned turning a traditional learning team into a Learning Enablement function at Spark.
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A parent’s guide to systems
Systems are like children — they need the right tools, the right support, and a village around them. A practical take on digital adoption through a parent's lens.
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Everything you do isn’t going to bring joy to the customer, some things just have to get done.
Not every task serves the customer directly — and that's fine. Understanding the difference between working for the business and in it changes everything.
Read article →Racheal ReevesEverything you do isn’t going to bring joy to the customer, some things just have to get done.
Fixing the problem of knowledge management
“Knowledge is power” — but only if it actually flows. Here’s why how we manage knowledge often works against us, and what to do about it.
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Why are you really doing it?
Before you build the deck, answer one question: what does your audience actually care about? A practical framework for audience-centric presenting.
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Smash 2024
Plan the year while you're still relaxed and the inbox is quiet — before the routine picks up again.
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Leading brilliantly through change
Change can be tough, exhilarating, or both. Leading it well always starts with putting people first.
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The “R” word
One person who's been made redundant 3 times shares what restructures actually teach you — and what leaders can do better.
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Why giving feedback is ALWAYS the right thing to do
Croissant on a senior leader's face. A junior employee who noticed. A lesson in why saying the kind thing is always the right thing.
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Employers - get ready for your future employees
Education is changing fast. The skills your future employees will have — and need — look very different. Here's what employers should be preparing for.
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Unbelievable new joiner experiences
A great first day costs almost nothing. Here are five things any leader can do to make a new joiner feel like they made the right choice.
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One on one conversations that spark joy
One-on-ones don't need to be a chore — and rigid templates are usually why they are.
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Future skills for New Zealand
Nick's take from the ATEED Future Ready Summit: the skills every New Zealander should be building now to stay ahead of what's coming.
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A new kind of leadership
Great leaders seem harder to find than ever. What's driving the leadership drain — and what does genuinely good leadership actually look like today?
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Take empowerment back
Lazy managers have been using 'empowerment' as cover for years. It's time to take the word back and use it the right way.
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Leadership development for our time
Courses and sink-or-swim don't build great leaders. The better way is to develop leaders with your people — not on them or to them.
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Getting agile right
Agile fails when organisations focus on structure and ignore mindset. Both halves matter equally — here's what doing agile and being agile actually look like.
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Business strategy: Hunker down or pivot?
When headwinds hit, most businesses hunker down. But is that really the smartest move? There may be a better play — one that puts you ahead of the curve.
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The critical connection between organisational culture and strategic success.
Annual culture surveys only tell you where you were. Here's why deep discovery — not a pulse check — is what actually drives strategic alignment.
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Reimagining outplacement.
Outplacement hasn't kept pace with the world of work. Here's what a more human, modern approach to redundancy support could look like.
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Doing it all: addressing 2023’s C-suite wishlist with WalkMe
Efficiency, better CX, and innovation all at once — that's what the C-suite wants. Here's how digital adoption platforms like WalkMe make it achievable.
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The dangers of a communications vacuum in times of change.
When leaders go quiet during change, people fill the silence with their own stories — and those stories are almost never reassuring.
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Digital transformation. The time is now.
Digital transformation is no longer optional. Here's why New Zealand organisations need to move now, and how the right platform makes the difference.
Read article →Reading is easy. Changing is the hard part.
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