A year of change? Plus tv, movie, podcast and book tips ??

Welcome to the new year!

Have you made any commitments? Do you think they will last?

Annual resolutions?are?useful for giving more attention to areas of neglect;?or where?there's something new that, deep down, you've been holding back on.

At?work, it's hard forming concrete plans around our commitments?because the likelihood of?external events disrupting those plans is?high.

We often have to change our?plan, but what we don't do so well is?plan for change, which is the topic of my article.

And in case you're still?easing?your way back into work, I have some?top tv series, movie, podcast and book tips, followed by a segment?from The Path Less Travelled keynote.

Embarking on Change? Read this First!

Executives and leaders are under increasing pressure due to the number and nature of the disruptions to their business. Accenture research finds the rate of change is not only high, it’s accelerating.

This frenetic pace of change is taking its toll. People are feeling worn out, overwhelmed and, in some cases, at breaking point. Strategically, it’s hard knowing what moves to make and how to plan for the future.

And yet, some people and organisations thrive amidst change. How so? Having worked with more than one hundred clients over the past 15-years, I’ve found those that succeed excel in these three (3) areas...

>> Continue reading on?pdf, linkedin?or blog

Note: There's a link to change readiness tools in the article.

Top TV Series, Movie, Podcast &?Book Suggestions?

Okay, we all have different tastes and fancies when it comes to the media we consume. My picks are creative works that showcase?high quality writing / production / execution.

I'd love to hear what you're into - what have been?your recent stand-outs?

TV Series ??

Slow Horses - Superb?MI5 drama with a very untidy hero, Jackson Lamb.

Disclaimer - If you quit after 2 or 3 episodes you lose; Cate and Kevin are sublime.

Silo - Dystopian, futuristic drama that hits all the right notes.

Baby?Reindeer - Uncomfortable, unique and brave storytelling.

Fisk - Tongue-in-cheek Aussie humour (with a?very beige?main character).

In Memoriam - Imagine a?cross between Succession and?Squid Game set in Quebec.

After the Party - Gritty, gripping family drama from NZ.

Movies ??

Late Night - A dramedy?with Emma Thompson and Mindy?Kaling.

Boiling Point - Incredible insight into a chef's troubled life (and filmed in a single shot).

A Silence - French drama about complicity, with Daniel Auteuil and Emmanuelle Devos.

Conclave - Fierce factional battles erupt in?nominating a new Pope.

Podcasts ??

Shell Game - A journalist takes on scammers and call centres with an?AI version of himself (and annoys his friends too).

Thrift Shop Biography - Great chemistry between the two hosts who?pick up a cheap biography from a thrift shop and review?it.

Strangers on a Bench - The host approaches?random people on park benches for a chat.

Books ??

The Vaster Wilds - Riveting adventure?and incredible writing by Lauren Groff.

Headshot - Rita Bullwinkel?takes?us inside the minds of?eight?young female boxers slugging?it out for the title.

A Gentleman in Moscow -?Count Alexander Rostov is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol Hotel, and I reckon you'll come to like him, a lot!

The Path Less Travelled: Keynote segment

My "Path Less Travelled" keynote helps prepare leaders and teams for change, and this segment?[6:24] comes after a personal story that sets the scene for doing things differently.

As a relatively new keynote for 2025, it was recorded in front of a professional speaker peer group.

The year ahead

Here's to a year of great purpose and possibility and?I invite you to let me know what's on your priority list?

Thanks for making the world a better place.

Phil Preston

e | [email protected]

w | philpreston.com.au

s | speaker kit