Can we communicate better by saying less? With Ros Atkins and Drew McMillan
The Green Room: Questions That Matter Most In Business
Release Date: 10/22/2024
The Green Room: Questions That Matter Most In Business
When you imagine the future, is it powered by clean energy or driven by AI? As the UK works towards its net-zero goals, our energy system is being asked to do more than ever before – delivering power that’s cleaner, smarter, and more reliable to support an increasingly digital and connected world The future isn’t just electric – it’s intelligent. Artificial intelligence is transforming the way we live and work, boosting productivity, driving economic growth, and helping to tackle some of society’s biggest challenges. But AI doesn’t run on ideas and data alone – it runs on...
info_outlineThe Green Room: Questions That Matter Most In Business
A lot has changed about how we work and do business. But one truth has remained the same – the importance of relationships. We’ve all felt the benefits of building good business relationships; successful projects, faster progress, confident decisions, career opportunities and meaningful support. We’ve probably all felt the effects of less-good relationships too; stilted results, miscommunication, lack of trust and a lot of frustration. Whether it’s the long-standing client who just introduced a new leader, the potential client who isn’t really looking to...
info_outlineThe Green Room: Questions That Matter Most In Business
We’re used to using technology to help us make decisions. We research, we report and we act. But are we ready to let technology make those decisions by itself? Generative AI has already changed the way we work - helping us write, code, and create in ways that once felt impossible. But now, we’re moving one step further into a world where technology doesn’t just suggest or report – it learns, reasons and acts. For business leaders, the appeal with Agentic AI is clear: faster growth, higher productivity, greater efficiency. In fact, studies show that 42% have...
info_outlineThe Green Room: Questions That Matter Most In Business
For many of us, defence is invisible. As we go about our everyday lives, we rarely have cause to think about it. And that’s a good thing. It means that the defence sector is doing its job well and preventing threats from becoming incidents that make headlines or change lives. But what that job entails, how it’s best done and the tools that are used to do it is changing. As geopolitical tension and new technology transform the nature of the threats, and how we fight them, defence is becoming more important and more visible for all of us. Defence spending has increased globally...
info_outlineThe Green Room: Questions That Matter Most In Business
Trust influences everything. It helps shape decisions, drives loyalty, and defines reputation. It’s the foundation of strong leadership, lasting relationships, and long-term success, across all areas of society. But in today’s world, trust is harder to earn – and easier to lose. And at times, it can feel like a balancing act due to shifting values and high expectations. 71% of people say they’re more likely to buy from a brand they trust – and 78% will recommend one. Trust shapes the businesses we choose to work with, buy from and believe in. And with many organisations learning...
info_outlineThe Green Room: Questions That Matter Most In Business
We’ve all got a lot savvier about sustainability in recent years. We know the size of the climate challenge facing the planet. And we know that the planet needs more than statements, green logos and commitments to use the printer less to tackle it. As we all make more sustainable choices and changes in our personal lives, we look to the businesses we buy from and work for to do the same. Our expectations are higher than ever before, but are some businesses better placed to meet them than others? That’s what we’re exploring with Rory MacFadyen, co-founder of Reflo, and David Rakowski,...
info_outlineThe Green Room: Questions That Matter Most In Business
In a data-driven world, it’s easy to get lost in a maze of metrics. We start by looking for helpful measurements that will allow us to track our progress, set goals and make more informed decisions. But we can quickly lose sight of what we’re tracking and why we’re tracking it. Because it’s easy to collect data – the challenge is knowing how best to use it. So, what needs to happen to ensure metrics aren’t just numbers on a page, but drivers of real change? And how do we use them to give what we say – and do – more meaning and direction? That’s what we’re...
info_outlineThe Green Room: Questions That Matter Most In Business
What you know matters, but who you know matters more. That’s not quite how the original saying goes, but perhaps it’s time for an update. Whereas once ‘It’s not what you know, it’s who you know’ might have been whispered and accompanied by a raised eyebrow, things have shifted. A strong network doesn’t, or shouldn’t, act as a substitute for our skills. But it can provide us with more opportunities to demonstrate them. According to LinkedIn, 70% of jobs aren’t even advertised on job websites, with 85% of all jobs filled through networking. So, your network,...
info_outlineThe Green Room: Questions That Matter Most In Business
You learn something new every day. At least, that’s how the saying goes. But it’s not always how the reality goes – particularly when it comes to our work. Even though 84% of us feel like learning adds more purpose to our work, demanding deadlines and overflowing inboxes often stop us from finding time to focus on our own development. But being given the time and space to learn new things can lead to some seriously good things, like new opportunities, career growth and improved mental wellbeing. And what’s good for us, is good for business too. In fact, research shows that...
info_outlineThe Green Room: Questions That Matter Most In Business
“Well done is better than well said.” You might have heard that famous saying from Benjamin Franklin. And it’s one that reminds us of the importance of action over words. But what does it take exactly? When it comes to solving some of the world’s biggest problems or doing business in a more sustainable and responsible way, there’s no shortage of people talking and theorising. And that’s a good thing. Hearing and learning from others is important. But right now, the world needs more people driving impact as opposed to simply just talking about...
info_outlineDing. Breaking news. Ding. New email. Ding. Whatsapp group. Ding. New email. Ding. Whatsapp again. Ding. Another email. Ding. Ding. Ding.
Studies show that we have more information in our brains than almost anyone alive hundreds of years ago processed in their lifetime. And it feels like it, doesn’t it?
So we’re receiving more information than ever before. And there are more ways than ever before to send it. But that doesn’t mean we’re any better at communicating it. That we’re understanding it. Or feeling understood.
Whether we’re home or at work, getting communication right is important. It’s the most sought-after soft skill in the job market, but for a ‘soft’ skill it can be hard to master. So, what can we learn from the world’s best communicators? And how can we apply it to our careers, our teams and our businesses?
That’s what we’re exploring with Ros Atkins, BBC journalist and analysis editor, and Drew McMillan, Director of Communications and Engagement at Deloitte, in this episode of The Green Room as we ask: Can we communicate better by saying less?
Tune in to find out:
- What Ros learned from Obama’s former speech writer
- Why communicating well is more challenging than ever before
- A common mistake we all make when communicating at work
- One phrase that can make any message resonate
Enjoyed this episode? Check our website for our recommendations to learn more about this topic: deloitte.co.uk/greenroompodcasts
You can also watch our episodes on Youtube: youtube.com/@DeloitteUK
Loaf Catering here: loafcatering.com
Guests: Ros Atkins, BBC journalist and broadcaster, and Drew McMillan from Deloitte
Hosts: Stephanie Dobbs and Lizzie Elston
Original music: Ali Barrett