The way we communicate is changing so very profoundly. With family and friends overseas it is all through Messenger,
WhatsApp, Viber, Skype, Instagram, Google Hangouts, Apple Facetime and many other equally great apps.
We can learn to do just about anything via YouTube – want to know how to paint an ugly vinyl bathroom floor, build a log cabin, or learn to play the guitar?
But no matter how you and your team communicate and learn, being in business is still all about people – how you relate to them, how they see you as their leader and how you treat them as individuals with lives to live outside of your workplace.
We have called this issue The People Issue, because each of our feature stories highlights a different aspect of leading your team, whether that be safeguarding their mental health (page 6); putting employee experience at the heart of your business strategy (page 12); or how to ensure a virtual or dispersed team remain connected to you and their colleagues (page 14).
We also take a look at the influencer market in New Zealand (page 8) which is, again, all about people connecting with people and in this instance making purchases based on that connection. It is a growing market and one that its proponents say has, in fact, been around for centuries.
Another connection tool we highlight is that of a London based company called what3words. It has taken the globe and divided it into a grid of three-by-three metre squares giving each one a unique three-word address. It is a fascinating concept and one that allows its users to connect to the precise location of anyone, anywhere in the countries it operates in. Here’s hoping it’s coming our way soon.
I hope you enjoy this issue and find it useful in your daily working life.
