The Conversation
Empathy is under attack — but it remains vital for leadership and connection
Once considered a universal good, empathy now divides as much as it unites. Empathy has long been viewed as a straightforward strength in leadership, but it has recently become a political flashpoint.
Impostor syndrome: the cost of being ‘superwoman’ at work and beyond
Nowadays, media often celebrate the “girlboss” – the entrepreneur who works 80-hour weeks to build her brand and success – while corporate campaigns show women who “lean in” in the boardroom and maintain flawless family lives. These cultural ideals create the illusion that women in leadership are more empowered than ever. However, our research shows that some of them feel exhausted, constrained by expectations, and pressured to embody an ideal that leaves little space for vulnerability.
The ‘anxiety economy’ is booming. But should companies be profiting from our fears?
Ron Lach/Pexels, The Conversation, CC BY-SAWhen the newly appointed chief executive of tracking app Life360 recently described the company as part of the “anxiety economy”, it sounded like a throwaway phrase. But it was also surprisingly candid.
Businesses have a moral responsibility to stand up to autocrats
Aspiring autocrats are increasingly pressuring businesses to co-operate with their quest for wealth and power, such as by demanding they direct corporate funds towards their personal enrichment or fire personnel who are critical of them.
Is the Australian sharemarket headed for a correction? Here’s one way to judge
William West/AFP via Getty ImagesThe Australian sharemarket has had a remarkably strong run since December 2023, when the S&P/ASX 200 index was around 7,000. In recent weeks the index topped 9,000 for the first time, a rise of about 16% on an annualised basis over this 21-month period.
From intention to impact: 3 ways men in leadership can build equitable workplaces that work for everyone
Many top-performing companies say they are committed to supporting women in the workplace, and there’s reason to believe most men want to be better allies to women as well. They just don’t know how.
From fear to fluency: what our students learned when they used AI across an entire course
KTStock/Getty ImagesWhen artificial intelligence (AI) enters the classroom, the focus is often on the risk of plagiarism or shortcuts.
An attempt to lower NZ electricity prices could end up doing the opposite – here’s why
In its quest to lower electricity prices for New Zealand households, the Electricity Authority may inadvertently make the situation worse.
This week, the authority announced plans to require New Zealand’s “gentailers” – firms that both generate electricity and retail it to consumers – to offer the same supply terms to independent retailers as they do to their own retail arms.
State Department layoffs could hurt US companies’ ability to compete globally – an economist explains why
When more than 1,300 people at the U.S. State Department lost their jobs in a mass firing this summer, most headlines focused on what it meant for American diplomacy. But the layoffs are about more than embassies and foreign policy – they could also make it harder for U.S. companies to compete in global markets.
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