On Culture: Sam Altman's Sunny Vision, Culturati:AI's 4 Pillars of Focus, World Economic Forum's Predictions for the Future, The Speak-Up Gap as Silent Killer, Gen Z 'Conscious Unbossing' & ESG today

Myste Wylde
Sep 25, 2024
6 min read

Dear Culturati Insider,

Sam Altman says it's an exciting time.

AI is propelling us into the Intelligence Age, unlocking immense opportunity to amplify human potential. And while the World Economic Forum predicts a net loss of 14 million jobs by 2027 due to these, and other, technological advancements, we can help protect our workforce by ensuring equitable access to AI, preventing it from becoming the privilege of the affluent few. (This article reminds us of the importance of Access. We believe AI fluency will be a differentiating skill driving wages and wealth. Our Culturati:AI Taskforce may add it as a fourth frame along with Augmentation, Automation, and Agency—more below.)

As we think further about the future of work, data reflecting Gen Z's desire to avoid the well-worn rung of middle management gives us additional incentive to rethink business models. Numbers don't lie. Reported costs of $1 trillion in misconduct prove the value of corporate integrity—and of cultures that encourage employees to speak up. By embedding ethical, sustainable practices into our strategies, we can enhance resilience, build lasting stakeholder trust, boost the bottom line, and benefit societal well-being.

In short, we agree with Sam. It is a pivotal moment where technology, workforce dynamics, and corporate responsibility are converging. By embracing these shifts and committing to responsible innovation, we can create organizations where everyone thrives. Our hope is create a future where technology enhances our humanity, access is universal, and the possibilities for growth and impact are boundless...and we need your help for that. What are you thinking?

Yours in earnest,

Myste Wylde, COO

Culturati:AI Taskforce

Our mission with the Culturati:AI Taskforce is to democratize AI by focusing on augmentation, automation, agency, and access—empowering leaders to enhance human capabilities, streamline processes, foster employee autonomy, and ensure inclusive innovation at all levels of our organizations.

Augmentation: Enhancing human capabilities with AI tools.

Automation: Streamlining processes to increase efficiency, freeing our people to focus on creative and strategic initiatives.

Agency: Empowering team members with the autonomy to leverage AI in ways that align with their roles and personal growth.

Access: Ensuring AI resources are available to all, preventing disparities and fostering inclusive innovation.

The Global Job Market is Shifting. Here's How to Unlock Opportunity in the Jobs Transition

World Economic Forum

By Andrew Silva

Summary: The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report forecasts a significant shift in the job market by 2027, with 23% of current roles evolving, leading to the creation of 69 million new jobs and the displacement of 83 million existing ones, netting a 14 million job loss globally. This unprecedented transition, propelled by technological advancements, notably in Generative AI, and the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, underscores the necessity for strategic workforce management to sustain growth and protect workers. The report highlights the crucial need for robust social protections, particularly for the nearly 2 billion informal workers globally, who are most vulnerable to economic shifts and job displacement. To navigate this transformation, the Forum advocates for a proactive approach through targeted reskilling, enhanced job matching, comprehensive safety nets, and multi-stakeholder collaboration, aiming to align labor supply with market demand, mitigate unemployment, and ensure economic stability and upward mobility for workers worldwide.

READ ARTICLE IN FULL

The Speak-Up Gap Is Killing Your Company: How to Fix It

Fast Company

By Erica Salmon Byrne

Summary: Since 2020, U.S. corporations have accumulated an astonishing $221.9 billion in fines, penalties, and settlements for regulatory violations, per Violation Tracker. This figure reached a cumulative $1 trillion since 2000, with far-reaching consequences beyond financial losses, affecting brand reputation, R&D, investment opportunities, and talent retention. Ethisphere reveals that up to 75 acts of misconduct for every 1,000 employees goes unreported due to fears of retaliation or ineffective responses. The prevalence of unreported issues perpetuates legal and regulatory risks, stressing the need for robust speak-up cultures. Effective management practices include: encouraging open dialogue about ethical issues, practicing active listening to ensure concerns are addressed, reinforcing ethical culture in regular discussions, avoiding perceived retaliatory actions post-reporting, transparently sharing investigation outcomes, and establishing strong organizational values to guide decision-making. These practices are critical to fostering an environment where speaking up is respected and integrated into the company's core values, mitigating risks and enhancing corporate integrity.

READ ARTICLE IN FULL

Gen Z Are ‘Conscious Unbossing’—Avoiding Stressful Middle Management Roles

Fortune

By Orianna Rosa Royle

Summary: Amid widespread cuts to middle management—positions accounting for nearly one-third of layoffs in 2023—72% of Gen Z employees prefer advancing as individual contributors rather than becoming middle managers, according to recruitment firm Robert Walters. Over half are disinterested in managing others, also citing high stress and low reward, a trend dubbed "conscious unbossing." Even among the 36% who foresee managerial roles, many are reluctant due to witnessing millennial managers face burnout and layoffs. Reports indicate that Gen Z seeks success without management burdens, with many aspiring to become entrepreneurs or influencers, as evidenced by LinkedIn data reflecting "founder" as the second fastest-growing title among Gen Z graduates. For leaders, this signals a looming leadership gap that organizations will need to address to ensure future operational effectiveness.

READ ARTICLE IN FULL

It's Time to Unbundle ESG

Harvard Business Review

By Aaron K. Chatterji and Michael W. Toffel

Summary: ESG is at a crucial inflection point, reflecting the growing importance of corporate responsibility in today's business landscape. Amidst significant industry shifts, such as BlackRock's reevaluation of traditional ESG frameworks and regulatory advancements like the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, there is a clear directive for businesses to reassess how environmental, social, and governance factors are integrated into their strategic and operational plans. This recalibration emphasizes identifying and leveraging sustainability issues that directly impact both the bottom line and societal well-being. It involves a strategic focus on understanding the opportunities and threats that ESG factors present to a company's competitiveness in the short and long term. For leaders committed to advancing corporate responsibility, this approach is about more than mitigating risks—it’s about seizing opportunities to enhance operational resilience and build enduring stakeholder trust. By articulating a clear corporate purpose and skillfully managing the balance between financial performance and social impact, firms position themselves as frontrunners in a business era where accountability and profitability are deeply interconnected.

READ ARTICLE IN FULL

The Intelligence Age

By Sam Altman

Summary: AI will dramatically amplify human capabilities in the coming decades, enabling achievements once thought impossible. With deep learning's success scaling predictably through increased compute and data, we're on the cusp of the Intelligence Age, potentially reaching superintelligence within a few thousand days. To ensure AI is accessible and fluent for all, it's critical to drive down compute costs by investing in abundant energy and chips; without sufficient infrastructure, AI could become a scarce resource, igniting conflict or serving only the affluent. While AI may significantly impact labor markets, most jobs will evolve more slowly than expected, and new roles will emerge as people enhance their abilities. By addressing challenges and maximizing AI's benefits, we can tackle grand issues like climate change, achieve scientific breakthroughs, and usher in an era where everyone's lives improve beyond today's standards.

READ ARTICLE IN FULL

Want the full newsletter each week in your inbox? Sign up now to save time and stay on top of trends.