#76 - The Minto Pyramid Principle for Analysts to Master Communication with Senior Management

Words of Gratitude        

Editor Note By Lisema Matsietsi

Are you the type that brings Excel spreadsheets to the boardroom? Can you see the obvious frustration on the faces of senior management as you present death by PowerPoint? Unlock the power of concise communication with the Minto Pyramid Principle! Struggling to convey insights effectively? Learn to structure your message like a pyramid—start with the conclusion, support it with key arguments, and provide detailed evidence. Master this technique to capture attention and drive results in today's fast-paced business world. I know you will find this edition insightful. Let us meet again this coming Monday for another conversation. Stay blessed.

Mastering Communication with the Minto Pyramid Principle

Are you struggling to concisely convey your insights and findings in your reports and presentations? Do you find it challenging to capture senior management's attention and drive the results you hope for? In our fast-paced business environment, effective communication is crucial. I remember an ex-CEO of twelve years telling me about the importance of a well-structured memorandum or report. A report that lets senior managers know what is going on in a few sentences. This is where the Minto Pyramid Principle comes into play, offering a structured approach to streamline your message and deliver it with clarity and impact... Read More

References:

[1] https://untools.co/minto-pyramid/

[2] https://www.animalz.co/blog/bottom-line-up-front/

Q&A - Session About How to Network Better

Friday, May 3 · 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Time zone: Africa/Johannesburg

Google Meet joining info

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/hjv-atrc-vpi

Exploring Project Management Methodologies: Waterfall, Agile, Kanban and Others.

We have all heard about Agile and lately Kanban in meeting rooms or team sessions. In case you have been wondering where all these terms are coming from. The short answer is that they are project management methodologies. Project management is the process of applying specific knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to plan, execute, and complete a project within a certain scope, time, and budget. Effective project management is essential for the successful execution of projects, ensuring that they are completed on time, within budget, and to the desired quality standards. Project management is important because it helps teams achieve their goals and solve problems more efficiently and effectively... Read More

What is Data Science? Is it synonymous with Business Intelligence?

I have always thought that working with data irrespective of the size and algorithms used could be classified as data science. My big data module did little to help soothe my confusion. Thinking that now that I know about big data and Hadoop file systems then finally, I’m now in data science territory. To my amazement, my mentor, and chief data officer (CDO) at the bank mentioned in the group technology podcast that there are a lot of business intelligence (BI) people masquerading as data scientists. She mentioned that her team was working hard when interviewing to root out fake ones and only employ data scientists. Employing the wrong skill would cost the team a lot of time in delayed projects and unmet expectations. It was better to spend more time searching for the right candidate than rushing to placement... Read More

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3. Analyst jobs in South Africa | Pnet

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In this second episode, you will hear the discussion about the treatment of long-lived assets that are held for sale, from impairment to accounting for the sale of non-financial assets. Host Heather Horn is once again joined by Beth Paul, Deputy Chief Accountant in PwC’s National Office, to walk through specific considerations and complexities on this topic.?

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• An overview of the impairment model for long-lived assets that are held for sale
• How to identify disposal groups
• A discussion of the order of impairment testing under the held-for-sale model
• What to consider when measuring impairment at the lower of carrying value or fair value less cost to sell
• A walkthrough of the accounting implications of AOCI and non-controlling interest (NCI) in the held-for-sale model
• An explanation of the differences between the sale of a business and the sale of an asset
• A discussion of accounting for the sale of nonfinancial assets

In this episode, we delve into the world of advanced analytics tools, exploring the diverse array of technologies that empower analysts to extract valuable insights from data. From statistical analysis software to machine learning platforms, we uncover the key tools driving data-driven decision-making in today's digital age.

We begin by examining statistical analysis software, such as R and Python with libraries like Pandas and NumPy, renowned for their versatility in statistical analysis, data manipulation, and predictive modelling. These tools offer a rich environment for conducting advanced analytics tasks, including regression analysis, time series forecasting, and machine learning.

Next, we explore data mining tools like RapidMiner and IBM SPSS Modeler, designed to uncover patterns and relationships within large data sets using algorithms such as clustering, classification, and association rule mining. These tools enable analysts to identify insights that may not be apparent through traditional analysis methods.

Moving on, we investigate machine learning platforms like TensorFlow, scikit-learn, and Microsoft Azure Machine Learning, which empower analysts to build and deploy predictive models at scale. With a wide range of algorithms and tools for tasks such as classification, regression, clustering, and anomaly detection, these platforms revolutionise predictive analytics.

We also delve into natural language processing (NLP) tools like NLTK (Natural Language Toolkit) and spaCy, used to analyse and extract insights from unstructured text data. From sentiment analysis to named entity recognition and topic modelling, these tools unlock valuable insights from textual data sources.

Lastly, we explore visualisation tools like Tableau, Power BI, and QlikView, which enable analysts to create interactive dashboards, charts, and graphs to visualise and explore data. These tools facilitate the communication of analytical insights to stakeholders clearly and compellingly, driving informed decision-making.

In addition to exploring the advanced analytics tools landscape, we provide practical guidance on how novice analysts can get started with these technologies. From online courses and tutorials to local workshops and seminars, we uncover the diverse learning opportunities available. Whether through professional networking, online documentation and forums, or formal education programs, we empower aspiring analysts to embark on their journey towards mastering advanced analytics tools.

What is Competitive Advantage

This episode will explore the concept of competitive advantage in business and how it can give companies an edge over their competitors. Our host expert, a seasoned business strategist with extensive experience in the field, Steve will share insights on identifying and leveraging competitive advantages. We'll define what competitive advantage is and explore the different types of advantages that companies can have, including cost leadership, differentiation, innovation, and agility. We'll also discuss strategies for identifying and building upon a company's existing advantages, as well as ways to stay ahead of competitors through continuous improvement and adaptation to new market trends. Whether you're an entrepreneur, manager, or aspiring business leader, this episode is packed with valuable information that will help you understand and harness the power of competitive advantage in your own organisation.

Learn Now about Google AI Essentials

What you'll learn

• Use generative AI tools to help develop ideas and content, make more informed decisions, and speed up daily work tasks
• Write clear and specific prompts to get the output you want - you’ll apply prompting techniques to help summarize, create tag lines, and more
• Use AI responsibly by identifying AI’s potential biases and avoiding harm?
• Develop strategies to stay up-to-date in the emerging landscape of AI

Can you Understand Market Industries using Data Analytics?

Chief Data and Analytics Officer at FirstRand, Christoph Nieuwoudt joins in this episode to chat about what the bank is been up to. We will learn how the Group has an extraordinary amount of in-depth insights and data available that clients wouldn’t have access to anywhere else. Whether you’re serving a customer from a transactional point of view or doing investment banking deals for customers from a credit point of view, Christoph feels that they should now be able to ask customers a lot fewer questions, and instead give them valuable insights into their business. From retailers to any consumer-facing organisation, he believes that even big tech brands don’t have the kind of in-depth understanding of customer profiles that the Group has readily available.

How Can I Help Grow This Community?

We have been asked this question frequently by most patrons who see the work that we do and appreciate the time and effort invested so that you can be inspired to be an excellent expert analyst. There are many ways to help us grow into an effective organisation that develops expert analysts;

1. Encouraging co-workers and friends to subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter to learn more about being an effective analyst.
2. Buying a 'Being An Analyst' book which is an essential guide to becoming not just an analyst, but a catalyst for success and a driver of organisational change from Amazon, Takealot, or books.beingananalyst.co.za
3. Train your team or engage your audience with analysis concepts and elevate their knowledge, decision-making and productivity. Reach out using [email protected] for training and here for speaking.
4. Grow your business with short-term, medium-term, and long-term analytics-based planning, monthly reporting, and big-picture data models so you’re always future-ready.
5. Sponsor a future issue of the ‘Weekly Analyst’ newsletter

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