On Friday 26th March, the anniversary of our entry into Level 4 lockdown, we attended Silver Linings, a business leaders event about learning to thrive in our ‘new normal’.
As promised, the programme covered business insights and critical lessons from the pandemic. But it delivered much more than just that. It got us thinking about compassionate leadership, looking after each other physically and mentally, and how we can harness our newfound connectivity.
Craig Hudson, Managing Director Xero New Zealand & Pacific Islands, started the day with impact, talking about leadership in unusual times, as well as the importance of looking after your teams’ physiological safety. Craig touched on the need to celebrate the positive stories of bounce back, something that hasn’t largely been picked up in mainstream media.
Craig Hudson, Xero
Another highlight was hearing from Sir Ian Taylor about his company, Animation Research Limited. He explained that to understand our ‘new normal’ we need to first ask, what was the old normal? This led to him taking us through his incredible, educational platform Mātauranga. Regardless of whether there are young learners in your life, it’s worth checking out the content ARL has created.
In the afternoon Dr. Michelle Dickinson sat down with Dr. Siouxsie Wiles for a chat about her science communication work during the pandemic. They also discussed the challenges she faces around getting the funding she needs to carry out her ever-important work and some of the horrendous trolling she faces online.
Dr. Siouxsie Wiles
Lisa King, known for founding buy one, give one service Eat My Lunch, developed and launched AF Drinks in 2020 as if there wasn’t enough going on! We were particularly interested in her mission because it links in with the Sustainable Development Goals, which are close to our heart at Foodprint. Specifically, AF Drinks works towards target 3.5, to strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol. It was also interesting to hear about their approach to building an aspirational brand.
Each of these stories, and many more, are detailed in Silver Linings: The Book. A great gift or addition to your book collection, it’s a snapshot in time and shows how New Zealand - and New Zealanders - respond when the going gets tough! Click here for your copy.
Special thanks to the team at Silver Linings for not only putting on a fantastic event but also inviting Foodprint along.