Top of the post 📩 …

• A profitable portfolio for 2024

• 40% of jobs worldwide affected by AI: IMF

• Remote workers are receiving fewer promotions

• Success story: Michelle Gass is finally Levi Strauss CEO

• A diet for the champions

Weekly Catchups

News | Industry Insights | Trends

• 💰 15 Offbeat Investment Opportunities 
  In a departure from tech stocks, Wall Street pros recommend small-caps, value stocks, and other under-the-radar opportunities that can deliver better returns than 2023. From single-stock recommendations to industry-wide opportunities, Stifel Research rounds up 15 investments.

• 📞 Job Holders: AI Incoming

  40% of jobs worldwide are affected by AI says, IMF. Here’s a breakdown of AI’s impact on jobs: 60% of jobs in advanced economies ( UK, US) are exposed to AI, 40% in emerging market economies (China, Brazil, India), and 26% in low-income countries. Some of the most threatened kinds of jobs? Telemarketing and cold-calling for services.

• 🏠 Not Even Remotely Close 
  A study from Live Data Technology suggests remote workers are promoted 31% less often than workers who choose to commute to the office at least part-time. For employees working in a hybrid model, 5.6% were promoted in 2023, while only 3.9% were those working from home. 

Nurturing The Leader Within

Personal Development | Success Story

From Setback to Comeback

Michelle Gass is finally Levi Strauss CEO. But before reaching the summit, she had to take the descent.

“It took a level of humility. I had to check my ego at the door,”  Michelle Gass, former Fortune 500 CEO of Kohl had said on her way to being demoted to Chief Executive at Levi Strauss when she decided to join in 2022. Levi’s already had a CEO, Chip Bergh, and the board of directors would not have it any other way. 

Gass decided to take the plunge because she wanted to build something meaningful for a brand with 170 years of legacy. In a succession plan, Chip announced Gass would join Levi’s as President with the expectation that she would replace him in the next 18 months. But there was no guarantee.

Michelle and Chip worked together at P&G. He knew she was the right fit. He persuaded her to take the job in a largely family-controlled business. For those who questioned her decision. She has a resounding response: see the bigger picture. 

“The most common metaphor for careers is a ladder. Careers are jungle gyms,” Sheryl Sandberg ex-COO of Facebook once said. Ladders are limiting — people can move up and down, on or off. A jungle gym offers exploration. There’s only one way to get to the top on a ladder; but various to the top of a jungle gym, she noted in her book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead.

Lifestyle | Mental Health | Performance

A Diet for Champions

Being CEO is a mammoth task. To lead others, one must sustain energy levels throughout the day and maintain clarity of thought. Go online and a barrage of articles will lead to Success Mantras and never-ending listicles of books that promise to turn you into an overnight sensation.

But we urge you to look inward and think about your diet. What is fuelling your energy? A six-point agenda to begin improving your diet for optimal performance. Some insights on smoking…

• Saying no to UPFs: Ultra-processed foods (read potato chip packets, sugary breakfast cereals, instant noodles & soups) can be a boon on a busy work day. UPFs might help you save a couple of minutes in a day but will leave behind a trail of disease in the long run: type 2 diabetes, obesity, and hypertension among more...

• Consume brain-boosting foods: Fatty fish, avocados, blueberries, and nuts are the best friends you turn to for brain nourishment. A boost of Vitamin E  in the nuts helps slow mental decline. Omega-3s help prevent depression. 

• Intermittent Fasting: Studies indicate that intermittent fasting leads to better retention of lean muscle mass during weight loss. Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey for instance consumes only one meal a day on weekdays and fasts entirely over the weekend. There are more ways than one to observe intermittent fasting. See here. 

• How much coffee is too much coffee? We get it, caffeine is the magic potion for every work wizard. It’s true. Coffee improves cognitive task performance. But too much of it means triggering adrenaline, the body’s fight-or-flight response. (Okay for fleeing a  chasing wild bear. Not so much for replying to a polite email.) Lower your intake gradually to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

• Water for peak performers: Even mild dehydration can impair cognitive function, alertness, memory, and concentration. Incorporate herbal teas, infused water, or electrolyte-rich beverages daily.

• On Smoking: Dare we say ‘quit.’ No lecture on the ill effects of smoking here. We recommend Allen Carr’s book, Easy Way To Quit Smoking. With more than a 90% success rate in curing people of their addictions, Carr proves how calling it quits can be a joyous experience.

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