Staying informed in a time of too much information..

In my first blog post I mentioned the “read it later” basket. I suspect most of us have this well intentioned pile that we never get to. We also all have our favourite media, news and social feeds - how easy is it to lose an hour scrolling!

You are also not a robot, so don't be too hard on yourself and set unreasonable self expectation!

Staying informed on global and local economic events and trends is incredibly important.

Being able to understand what is shaping and influencing decisions globally, to country, through to organisation, will influence and help form your views on impact and strategy. What does a particular situation mean for your business or for your customers?

There are the worrying global topics of climate change, poverty, inequality, unemployment and cyber-crime. We are experiencing the reality of a global pandemic right now.

Then there is everything else. How to stay informed on new technology and changing customer behaviour. New thinking on everything from problem solving, to culture, to data.

Sensationalist journalism and opinion pieces are found with the push of button. It can be overwhelming and consuming. So how best to stay informed without getting caught up in the rubbish?

Select one credible business news source and start your day with global, local and financial market news. Possibly labourious at first, however once habit, you will find you can quickly scan key and relevant topics.

My personal choice is the Australian Financial Review. This is not a cheap subscription, however I do think worth the investment. There may be a daily copy in your office or local café as an alternative to buying a subscription. If this is your approach, ensure it is a daily habit for maximum impact.

Outside of Australia, there are many quality global business publications to choose from.

The ability to have informed business conversations with colleagues and clients is a must. The more informed you are, the more comfortable, confident and engaging you will be.

Now that you have your daily news feed covered, time to refine a core group of information sources on everything else! Some suggestions below, however the key is to find those reference sources based on topics you find insightful, or inform on areas and skills you wish to develop. Along the way, naturally there will be recommendations and articles that will grab your attention. Not one source will have the solution to everything. Hear from a number and then form your own view.

Some suggestions.

Books

I love reading and currently have approx 30 books from business to novels, sitting there waiting to be read right now!

If you are not a big reader, explore online book summary services. Blinkist is one - providing key insights, in summarised version, of non-fiction books.

Global Insights

Harvard Business Review – a reasonably costly subscription, however insights on every business topic by business and academic experts.You will find a limited number of free articles each month if you follow on Linkedin. A good way to test this is right for you.

McKinsey & Co – Free subscription and regular, informative articles on a wide range of topics. PWC, Bain, Boston Consulting Group and Deloitte also all have informative insights.

World Economic Forum (WEF) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) – delve deeper into big global issues, with some really interesting reading. I am sure everyone in the Insurance Industry is aware of the Swiss Re / WEF annual SONAR emerging risks report.

As mentioned earlier, the key is to selecting your core information source group. Based on the topic, then find another 2 or 3 trusted sources/views. We all love the internet, however as you know, there are millions of articles and opinions on every topic. This is where it becomes overwhelming and we are back to the “read it later” pile.

Try and keep your social media feeds until the evening and of course the weekend is yours!

If you are having trouble trying to get off your Instagram or Facebook scroll, there is a fantastic book called Tiny Habits - The small changes that change everything - BJ Fogg PhD which might be helpful.

There is no perfect solution to any of this. It really is about starting your day well, being informed by credible sources and creating a few “new” habits.

Happy to provide any book recommendations along the way – just send me a note.

“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” Charles.W.Eliot

Until next time

Lisa