April FM: Gen AI adoption, use, and ethics; tips to avoid burnout

Bayport Financial Services’ CEO Alfred Ramosedi, FCMA, CGMA, explains why having employees return to the office is not enough to improve productivity and why leaders should transparently explain expectations of workers.  Ramosedi details the benefits for organisations that are intentional about bringing employees back to the office, where morale could be affected by return-to-office policies, and what three things senior leaders can do to drive productivity across all work models and environments.  What you’ll learn from this episode: §  Four reasons companies are asking employees to return to the office. §  Why leaders need to understand and communicate how they intend to measure productivity. §  Three possible advantages for companies’ bringing employees back to the office. §  Morale concerns that could arise from return-to-office policies. §  The importance of rewarding employees with flexible working arrangements. §  Three things leaders can consider to drive productivity across all work models.

Author Mike Drayton, a clinical psychologist and leadership coach at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School, explores attributes professionals can build on to be more persuasive at work, key distinctions between persuasion and manipulation, and examples of coercion in the workplace. He also explains why expanding influence in the workplace is less about “clever words or phrases” and more about exhibiting expertise and reliability. On 8 May, Drayton is scheduled to speak on influencing and persuasion skills at AICPA & CIMA’s 2025 CPD 360 Annual Conference at the Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement in the UK.  Last July on the FM podcast, he shared tips for managing burnout, including how to adopt firm boundaries to prioritise wellbeing. What you’ll learn from this episode:  §  Some differences between influence and persuasion. §  Attributes and behaviours that can make us more persuasive. §  Distinctions between persuasion and manipulation. §  How to spot and respond to coercive tactics in the workplace. §  Two fundamental traits that make us more respected at work. §  Questions to help professionals identify their strengths and weaknesses.

This episode features Oliver Rowe, FM’s editor-in-chief, detailing the contents of the magazine’s April digital edition.   The discussion highlights articles on artificial intelligence (AI), including one that advises how finance can steer AI adoption. Rowe also details the key points of an article on understanding and avoiding burnout and discusses April’s regular columns. Also included: an explanation of how members can access the April digital edition as well as the issue library. What you’ll learn from this episode: ·         The edition’s focus on AI and explanation of three AI-related articles. ·         Advice from regular FM writer Rhymer Rigby on avoiding burnout. ·         A practical Excel article: How to create a chart template in Excel. ·         The other articles in the edition, including regular columns, a Q&A with Association CEO Mark Koziel, CPA, CGMA, and Institute News. ·         Ways to access the April edition.

Andrew Pain, a motivational, mental health, and wellbeing speaker, explains why we should be cautious about using gut feelings to help us make decisions.  Pain also explains psychological and environmental steps we can take to ensure our decision-making processes are fair and logical and offers ways organisations can make conversations around biases more comfortable and accessible. “If we want to make better decisions, then we need to understand these biases and how we relate to them,” Pain said. What you’ll learn from this episode: §  Why our gut instincts are often flawed. §  A mental checklist for working through problems effectively. §  Resources to improve our awareness of biased thinking. §  One way organisations can improve bias training courses. §  Environmental factors and stimuli that can interact with cognitive processing.

Wassia Kamon, CPA, a member of AICPA & CIMA’s Women’s Initiatives Executive Committee (WIEC), emphasises the interplay between gender equity, representation, and establishing yourself as a leader in this podcast episode celebrating International Women’s Day. Kamon discloses how seeing gender representation early in her career helped her find her voice at work while balancing study and family commitments. She also explains why women often endure “subconscious” doubts when it comes recognising their worth as a leader. International Women’s Day this year is on Saturday 8 March. What you’ll learn from this episode: Why more women are climbing the ladder in the profession. Gender representation’s impact on work culture. The relationship between hybrid work and equal opportunities. How the WIEC engages and empowers women in finance. The convergence of underrepresentation and impostor syndrome.

Clare Haynes, an organisational psychology specialist and leadership coach, explains why there is a disconnection between teams and leadership, and suggests some ways leaders can get meaningful feedback from their teams.  Haynes also identifies some qualities and traits that can help leaders grow in their roles, and why it’s important for leaders to “have a sounding board” during times of stress and increased pressure.  What you’ll learn from this episode:  §  Why teams and management are becoming more disconnected from each other. §  The relationship between new working environments and skill loss. §  Two ways leaders can elicit constructive feedback from their teams. §  Notable traits and qualities that inspire better leadership. §  Tactics to reduce stress and minimise burnout risks for leaders.

This episode features Oliver Rowe, the editor-in-chief of FM, detailing the contents of the February digital edition of the magazine. The discussion summarises articles on developing executive presence, more effective people leadership, and the right way to share and analyse data. Rowe explains how members can access the most recent edition of the online magazine as well as the issue library. What you’ll learn from this episode: ·         Strategies for building executive presence, including the advice that not all the skills are must-haves. ·         A summary of an article on ensuring that DEI initiatives enhance business outcomes. ·         How finance business partners can optimise so-called “democratised” data. ·         Details about the cover story on managing people.

 Zach Rattner, co-founder of global software development company Yembo, says that when it comes to artificial intelligence, organisations are eager to get started with AI but wary of the pitfalls. “Every group is figuring out what does it mean for them, and the rules of how it is going to end up are still being decided,” he said on this episode of the FM podcast, recorded at UK & Ireland ENGAGE. Rattner explains beneficial ways to explore those tools to help professionals and leaders work better with them, what interpersonal skills professionals could sharpen as organisations become more driven by technology, and why it’s counterproductive to resist experimenting with technology.  What you’ll learn from this episode:  §  Where finance professionals can expand their thinking around the possibilities of AI. §  How to avoid “losing your seat at the table” for AI conversations. §  Platforms that can help professionals upskill and enhance AI literacy. §  The essential interpersonal skills to develop for the digital era. §  Why fear of failure is a roadblock to AI proficiency.

Former CIMA President Sarah Ghosh, FCMA, CGMA, discusses the ways the finance function is evolving and the skills finance professionals will need to develop to lead their organisations on that journey.  Ghosh explains the value of continous learning, some of the “power skills” management accountants and finance professionals can adopt to drive value for their organisations as business partners, and what finance professionals need to start thinking about as their roles broaden.  What you’ll learn from this episode:  §  Three themes to think about as the finance profession evolves. §  The interplay between data storytelling and technology. §  What “power skills” are critical to navigating the profession in the future. §  Key skills for becoming a better business partner. §  The career development opportunities that emanate from expanding your role.

Financial trainer, speaker, and author Andi Lonnen discusses the skills finance professionals need to develop to move into a finance business partner role. Lonnen’s formula for success sets out the ways finance professionals can upskill to move into the role with knowledge, creativity, and confidence.  She also discusses the importance of speaking the language of other departments, where a background in finance can be advantageous to the role, and how professionals looking to make the transition can develop a deeper understanding of their organisation’s goals and challenges.  What you’ll learn from this episode: §  Nine skills finance professionals need to be effective business partners. §  Ways to demonstrate and translate finance skills into business language. §  The importance of getting “personal” when forming connections across departments. §  How finance professionals can add value to their organisations in a business partner role. §  Why remembering to be human is fundamental to success.