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Managing

This Month

Kate Mason’s litmus test for likeability: Would you want to sit next to the person on a plane for 14 hours?

How to be both likeable and respected at work

The idea that women must choose between being liked and being respected is a false dichotomy, communications coach Kate Mason argues in her new book.

15 Minutes with the Boss with Oporto CEO Therese Frangie.

The real key to a promotion (and it’s not working harder)

After a clash with the founder of her former employer, it took just a simple insight to set Therese Frangie on the path to her first chief executive role.

October

‘Payday super’ race is on for SMEs

Small business is warning that payroll software and back-office systems may not be ready in time to abide by the federal government’s planned payday superannuation reforms, exposing small firms to potential financial penalties.

Nespresso’s local boss Stefan Vermeulen says making time for hobbies and family makes him a better leader at work.

Want to be a top performer? Work less

The days of glamourising workaholism are over. Now the experts say the key to winning at work, is winning at home.

Some experts say working at home can make people more productive.

Workers have won on WFH (for now)

A landmark case this week has only fuelled the debate between those who say the WFH “horse has bolted” and others who say remote working is a “joke”.

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AFR Alex Kaar managing partner Chris Karagounis supplied 20 Oct 2025 for BOSS story on how to land a board seat.

4 steps to land your first board position

The step into the boardroom is an important milestone, and something many ambitious professionals dream about. But how do you make it happen?

People who wear designer clothes and attended private schools private schooling are still more likely to be flagged as leadership material.

The class signals that decide who gets promoted in Australia

Having a “bogan” accent or a “hick” degree can cruel leadership aspirations, according to a new report. Oh, and add watching reality TV and rugby league to that mix.

Why this corporate job is in the firing line

Many companies are “delayering” or cutting out middle managers. What is behind this bout of “unbossing”?

The ATO is concerned that a growing number of trusts are incorrectly splitting income that should be attributed to the person that earned it.

ATO to crack down on professionals splitting income in family trusts

The Tax Office believes a growing number of lawyers, doctors and accountants may be using trusts in breach of anti-avoidance rules.

If your firm doesn’t have AI guidelines it would be a good idea to ask for some, so you know what you need to avoid falling foul of.

4 ways to avoid a Deloitte-style AI disaster at work

To avoid ending up on the front page due to your own AI stuff-up, the experts have some simple rules to maintain ethical, and safe, practice.

September

KPMG deal tax partners Hannah Hesse and Minh Dao.

Finally, women are leading some of the biggest deals in the country

When Minh Dao began working for KPMG 25 years ago, there were no female partners in the M&A tax team. That has now changed to 50:50. Here’s how they did it.

The winners of the Women in Leadership Awards: GHD ANZ managing director Stephanie Leathers, KPMG managing partner people and inclusion Dorothy Hisgrove, South32 chief operating officer Vanessa Torres, Coaxial CEO Philippa Watson, T2 Tea managing director Christelle Young, WiseTech Global product portfolio leader international logistics Angela Gadaev.

If politics can deliver gender equality, why can’t corporate Australia?

In corporate Australia, the accountability mechanisms driving every other form of business performance somehow don’t apply to gender targets.

Here’s how to really handle a toxic boss

There are many strategies you could deploy when faced with a difficult leadership situation. Which one is right for you?

Fahim Khondaker

Why AI tools are like drinks at a party

Executives are busying themselves with AI courses but experts argue they’re too caught up in the latest changes and should be focused more on a longer-term strategy.

University of Technology Sydney UTS vice chancellor Andrew Parfitt has announced job cuts amid declining revenue.

UTS job cuts help executives enjoy classy European summer

There’s nothing like your alma mater cutting dozens of courses or getting investigated by SafeWork to inspire past students to make a donation.

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Adore Beauty CEO Sacha Laing at the new Broadway store in Sydney.

Why this CEO left private equity to run a beauty retailer

People sometimes ask Sacha Laing ‘What’s this 50-year-old male doing running a beauty company?’

Andrew Forrest is the head of the happy Fortescue family.

Twiggy’s young recruits fired before they even join Fortescue family

For a boss so beloved that staff don’t feel the need to unionise, the job security Andrew Forrest offers on his energy transition projects is somewhat lacking.

Views of the Alps and a favourable tax rate await SolGold in Switzerland.

SolGold hopes Swiss tax treatment helps Ecuadorian mine

Companies aren’t usually so upfront about why they are shifting operations to corporate tax havens.

Workers using AI

How a lawyer, accountant and 10 others are using AI at work

Everyone is using AI, from chartered accountants to chemistry professors, celebrity chefs, vice chancellors, dentists, teachers and real estate agents.

VRC CEO Kylie Rogers has big plans to turn the club’s finances around.

Kylie Rogers tries to hire out of the VRC’s debts

If only the Victorian Racing Club was as good at attracting fans to Flemington as it is at recruiting staff.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/managing-5z2