Pru is a huge advocate of technology. People need to embrace technology and not be afraid of the changes technology brings to the workplace. Technological change can take away a lot of low level repetitive administrative work, which stops creativity and limits time on high-value roles and responsibilities. There will be more time to think and more personal time.

Cassandra has always led a remote team. However, engaging new employees in a remote workforce is challenging. The biggest problem is transitioning employees who are used to the day to day personal interaction to a remote environment.

Leading a remote team takes time. It is essential not to be in a hurry. Team members need to be monitored professionally and emotionally.

The new boundaries between personal and professional have been redrawn. Increased acceptance and tolerance for children, cats and dogs in meetings is now a reality.

The reality now is that teams will work in a hybrid environment. The near future is all about in the room, virtual and in work. How are we blending learning into the profession? There is not enough time for skills development if the work style does not change.

The critical skills which are emerging are unlearning and relearning new skills. Are you able to challenge and relook at all pre-developed assumptions? Unlearning and relearning is necessary new skill.

The enabling technology is developing quicker than the leaders.

Prateek runs his business in the same way he supports his clients. His team is entirely remote. It is more relaxing and time-efficient to work from home.

The enabler is technology. There are a lot of systems. After hiring the right people, they need to be given the best possible technology which permits practical work and collaboration.

Creativity is one of the top 3 requirements for the modern organisation. How can things be different in the future?

Leaders need to be more conscious of the necessary conditions that permit employees and leaders to think differently. The right conditions need to be established in conjunction with the required culture, encouraging and rewarding risk-taking.

Leaders need to exhibit creative behaviours. Show curiosity, listen and allow the requisite time for experimentation and testing. Doing this encourages the team to do the same.

Sometimes the skills deficit are essential such as business communications and even the ability to make a decision.

Young female entrepreneurs face many barriers. The Girls Leadership network in the ACT and NSW focuses on helping young women access and use their network.

Young people are treated as pets and owned objects. Parenting should be about curation. Parents do not own their kids.

We have arrived at a place where young people have incredible capabilities but we have not worked out how the young can utilise this potential

Everyone is born creative, and this decreases as we get older. Creativity is an essential human element. Creativity is at its best when people can sit around and collaborate. How people communicate with each other impacts the degree of creativity.

An example of this is the use of animation to improve communication improve the quality of life, and have a positive interaction.

There are two streams to the future of work:

• Firstly the continued use of technologies to put the process and the machine at the centre. E.g. traditional call centres where technology is owned by the few for the benefit of the few. Automation can get rid of people. People are dispensable.

• Secondly: the use of technology where people are at the centre. Technology augments people and enhances humanity.

The actual marketing talent lies in marketers that can build relationships, trust and engage with the customers. Give away free education and advice that helps the audience make an informed decision.

Organisation leaders need to develop Mutual Beneficial Partnerships (MBP), agencies that specialise in intent-based data and targeted marketing programs. The marketing strategy needs to streamline the focus towards the specific customer base rather than casting a broad net.

Aaron is Vice President, Research & Advisory for Gartner’s HR practice. He advises heads of HR, heads of IT, boards and executives on HR Strategy, the future of work and the HR issues that impact the executive teams and the board. At the moment, this is the future of work. Many companies are concerned about this topic.

Aaron is a passionate sociologist and psychologist. He has always been passionate about the human condition. He sees the human condition as one that exists in a society. Within this, the humanisation of work and work that is uniquely and predominantly human. How do we create work and workplaces which are set up for humanised work?

Jenny’s challenge is to turn this self-perception around in her customers to discover how excellent learning can be to improve skills and lifestyle.

People learn and think in different ways. Neuro diversity studies are providing new opportunities for people and the education systems.

Young people are growing up passionate about how they can improve the world and create a sustainable environment.

Education helps people be their best selves.

Leaders need to be more empathetic towards the people they lead and their customers. Of course, the requirement varies from country to country, but developing countries are moving fast. More women in senior positions and less mandating about this. It’s happening based on merit and a better educated, ambitious, aspirational workforce.

The modern leadership offering is focused on a more empathetic style. Not every leader can make the change. It’s a combination of personal choice and psychology. There are a proportion of leaders who sit at the sociopathic end of life. They are never going to be able to make the transition to the new requirement for leaders. The majority of leaders are open-minded and capable of change.

A lot of leaders or aspiring leaders are very concerned about their status. For many, becoming more empathetic is a loss of status. This concern is known as status anxiety.

If you are passionate about your product then you can tell a story, you can be a marketer. Of course, storytelling is going back to how marketing started. Consumers want an emotional connection. They don’t want Google or Facebook telling them what to buy.

Leadership skills are very different. Not being a directing boss. Leadership is now a hub and spoke role. The hub is updating each team member and keeping them connected to the team. The spoke is a requirement to be more intimate with the staff working at home.

The blurring of the personal life of staff and the business life makes leadership a little more complicated. Some staff are struggling with separating home and work. Children not being able to go to school has complicated this.

Some examples of extra support given to staff is to ensure the technology tools and the physical work environment are proportionate to the productivity requirements.

For graduate students, try to get an internship in the area of expertise or interest. Sometimes the early internship will be unpaid but make sure this is for a limited time. Look at an agency or mentor who is working in the space where your passion lies.

Babette Bensoussan has had a corporate career with companies like Levi Strauss and Apple Computers. Following this, she started her own business consulting business in the area of strategy and competition. She has co-authored seven books that are sold in universities around the world and translated into several languages. Babette is an adjunct professor at the University of Sydney.

The one key difference between young people and older, more experienced players is naivety. It is important to remember that investors want their money back. What are you doing to show that you can compete? Do not let the passion for your idea blind you to the competitors in the market.

There is so much more innovation happening in Australia now than 30 years ago. Atlassian, AfterPay, Canva are all global brands that have started their life in the innovative environment in Australia. The shortage of capital was always a barrier to innovation. However, the capital markets are becoming more supportive. Lower interest rates are driving investors to take a bit more risk.