I recently saw an interview with Warren Buffett. The billionaire commented on economic developments. Exciting. I shared the video. A friend who knows his way around the financial world replied: „That’s fake. Buffett doesn’t give such detailed interviews.“ He was right. Wow! This episode reveals a contemporary problem: fake news, which is not new. But the perfection with which it is produced today is new. Deepfakes, AI-generated content – the line between truth and fiction is blurring. Everyone needs to deal with it. Especially in business.

Fake News Spreads Quickly

An MIT study* shows that fake news spreads six times faster than verified information. Not because it is more credible – it’s the opposite: it has a greater emotional impact. So we tend to believe it. These days, the credibility of information depends less on its source than on whether it fits our world view or our beliefs. And this is precisely what people in positions of power systematically abuse: They use these cognitive patterns to set their narratives – whether in organisations, politics or markets. Those who are unaware of their own filters become easy prey.

How to Check the Credibility of News

I think it’s a good idea to reconsider whether an information is true or false. These questions may help:

Who says it – and why? Is it based on expertise or economic interest?

Is it also true in other contexts? A fact can be correct and still be misinterpreted.

How emotional is the message? The more emotional it is, the more it’s worth pausing to reconsider.

This seems banal – but at the same time, it is existential. Those who make decisions without questioning the quality of information are making emotion-based decisions. And that can be dangerous.

What Does This Mean for Business?

In executive search, we operate in data-driven worlds. But data is never neutral – it reflects what has been collected, filtered and weighted. In pharma and medtech, we know that data can prove or blind. A CV can look impressive and still be manipulated. A market trend can be real and still be misinterpreted. A good researcher must recognise motives, tolerate contradictions and understand how truth is constructed in different cultures and companies. This is not optional – it is the basis of good judgement.

The Bottom Line

Fake news is not a media problem – it is a reflection of our own perception. The trick is not to expose all lies. The trick is to know your own filters and use them consciously.

In our daily business life, judgement has become a key skill: between data and interpretation, between knowledge and wisdom. Between what we want to see and what actually is. As the historian Yuval Noah Harari says: „In a world dominated by data, the most important skill remains the ability to distinguish between truth and illusion.“

Have you fallen for perfectly made fake news too? How did you notice?

Vosoughi, S., Roy, D., & Aral, S. (2018). „The Spread of True and False News Online.“ Science, 359(6380), 1146-1151. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aap9559; The study examined all verified true and false news stories on Twitter from 2006 to 2017 – approximately 126,000 stories that were shared by around 3 million people across 4.5 million tweets. The finding: False news is roughly 70% more likely to be retweeted than true news.

Der Beitrag What The Fake? erschien zuerst auf Blog | kanzlei.jobs.

Automatisierung und Künstliche Intelligenz (KI) übernehmen zunehmend Aufgaben – welche Auswirkungen hat das auf Arbeitnehmer und Unternehmen?

Die technologische Entwicklung schreitet rasant voran. Künstliche Intelligenz, Robotik und automatisierte Prozesse verändern die Arbeitswelt grundlegend. Während manche Tätigkeiten wegfallen, entstehen neue Berufsbilder und Anforderungen. Diese Veränderungen stellen sowohl Arbeitnehmer als auch Arbeitgeber vor neue Herausforderungen und Chancen.

Veränderung der Jobprofile

Routine- und repetitive Aufgaben werden zunehmend von Maschinen und Algorithmen übernommen. Das betrifft beispielsweise Datenverarbeitung, einfache Kundenanfragen oder standardisierte Produktionsschritte. Dadurch verschiebt sich der Fokus der menschlichen Arbeit hin zu komplexeren, kreativen und sozialen Aufgaben.

Berufe, die Empathie, Kreativität, kritisches Denken und Problemlösungskompetenz erfordern, gewinnen an Bedeutung. Die Fähigkeit, mit neuen Technologien zusammenzuarbeiten, wird zur Schlüsselqualifikation. Gleichzeitig entstehen neue Berufsfelder, etwa im Bereich KI-Management, Datenethik, automatisierte Prozesssteuerung oder Cybersecurity.

Neue Kompetenzen sind gefragt

Die Anforderungen an Arbeitnehmer ändern sich: Technische Fähigkeiten im Umgang mit digitalen Tools sind heute Grundvoraussetzung. Darüber hinaus werden sogenannte Soft Skills immer wichtiger. Dazu gehören:

• Kreativität: Neue Ideen entwickeln und innovative Lösungen finden.
• Problemlösungskompetenz: Komplexe Herausforderungen analysieren und bewältigen.
• Emotionale Intelligenz: Empathie und Kommunikationsfähigkeit im Umgang mit Kollegen und Kunden.
• Flexibilität: Sich schnell auf neue Situationen und Technologien einstellen.

Chancen durch lebenslanges Lernen

Die Fähigkeit und Bereitschaft zur kontinuierlichen Weiterbildung sind entscheidend, um den Anschluss nicht zu verlieren. Unternehmen investieren verstärkt in Schulungen und Qualifizierungsmaßnahmen, um ihre Mitarbeiter fit für die Zukunft zu machen.

Für Bewerber bedeutet das: Wer sich aktiv weiterbildet, neue Technologien versteht und seine Soft Skills ausbaut, hat bessere Chancen auf dem Arbeitsmarkt. Online-Kurse, Workshops und Zertifikate sind heute wichtige Instrumente der persönlichen Entwicklung.

Auswirkungen auf Unternehmen

Unternehmen, die Automatisierung und KI sinnvoll integrieren, können ihre Effizienz steigern und innovative Produkte oder Dienstleistungen anbieten. Gleichzeitig müssen sie aber auch in die Weiterbildung ihrer Belegschaft investieren und eine Kultur schaffen, die Wandel und Innovation fördert.

Im letzten Teil der Serie wird gezeigt, wie flexible Arbeitsmodelle und Nachhaltigkeit die Arbeitswelt prägen und welche Vorteile das für Unternehmen und Arbeitnehmer bringt.

Photo by Matheus Bertelli on Pexels.com

Der Beitrag Teil 2: Zukunft der Arbeit – Wie KI und Automatisierung Jobs verändern erschien zuerst auf Blog | kanzlei.jobs.

The world of recruiting never stands still – and certainly not when it comes to the use of AI. Tools for automated candidate searches, matching algorithms, interview analysis via video AI or chatbots in applicant dialog: The list of new possibilities is getting longer and more complex. But with all this progress, the same question arises again and again: which of these are really helpful in everyday life?

We will be taking this question with us to the BIG BANG AI Festival in Berlin in September (https://bigbangfestival.de)

Between curiosity and sensory overload

As an executive researcher, I experience the challenges in recruiting on a daily basis: A shortage of skilled workers, confusing markets, rising expectations from applicants – and enormous time pressure on the company side.

At the same time, we are experiencing AI hype that promises a lot: more efficiency, better decisions, scalable processes. But how much of this really works in regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals or medical technology? And where are the pitfalls – for example in terms of bias, data protection or acceptance within the team?

These are the questions we will be asking at the festival

The BIG BANG KI Festival will bring over 6,000 participants, 250 speakers and tech innovations to Berlin on September 10 and 11 – an ideal setting to engage in an exchange with a clear view and critical thinking.

Our key questions:

– Which AI tools deliver real added value in recruiting?

– How can new solutions be tested in a meaningful way – without turning everything upside down?

– What are good criteria for evaluating tools (e.g. integration, fairness, user-friendliness)?

– What are the new requirements for recruiters themselves?

We don’t just want to consume trends – we want to classify, examine and test them.

Fancy an exchange?

We’ll be in Berlin in September – and open for discussions. If you want to network or reflect together, please get in touch. Until then, we’ll remain critical, ready to learn – and curious about what’s to come.

by Stephan Breitfeld

Der Beitrag AI in recruiting: buzz or benefit? erschien zuerst auf Blog | kanzlei.jobs.

28. April 2023

By Stephan Breitfeld 

Let’s talk about something we all face. There is just so much to be done! As the world becomes more complex and competitive, the workload of people in leading positions – and all positions for that matter – continues to increase. Whether you are a CEO, manager, or team leader, etc., the demands on your time and attention can be overwhelming. Let’s explore why workload increases for people in leading positions and what can be done to deal with it.

How did we get here?

There are several reasons. One of the primary reasons is that as organizations grow and become more complex, there are more tasks to be done and more people to manage. This means that leaders have to spend more time and energy on planning, coordinating, and monitoring the activities of their teams. And on careful consideration and analysis, which can be time-consuming and mentally draining.

Leaders are often expected to be role models for their teams, setting an example of hard work and dedication. This can create a culture of long hours and high expectations, which can lead to burnout and stress, followed by reduced productivity, poor job satisfaction, and a range of physical and mental health problems. It’s important for individuals in leading positions to manage their workload effectively to avoid these negative effects and ensure their own well-being, as well as the well-being of their team and the organization. But how?

How can workload be managed?

Of course, we all know the skills to (in theory) manage workload. Prioritize tasks, delegate responsibilities, set boundaries, use technology or even seek support. But the still very much raging epidemic of burnout lets us wonder whether it can actually be managed anymore. Let’s take the example of delegating responsibilities. Yes, it makes absolute sense to decrease workload by putting the work on more shoulders. BUT: there is a talent shortage, so it may be difficult to hire more workers to decrease the workload.

This can create a vicious circle: When there are fewer employees to do the job, the workload may become even more overwhelming, leading to burnout and turnover, and making it even more difficult to find qualified workers.

To break this cycle, organizations need to be proactive in managing their workload and preventing burnout. In addition, organizations may need to explore alternative solutions to manage their workload effectively. These can be strategies like:

1.    Redefining job roles

2.    Upskilling and reskilling employees

3.    Outsourcing non-core tasks

4.    Implementing flexible work arrangements

5.    Improving work processes

It’s important for organizations to be creative and innovative in managing their workload. By adopting a flexible and adaptive approach, organizations can maintain a positive work culture and ensure that their employees are not overwhelmed by their workload. What’s your take on your workload? Get in touch!

Der Beitrag You, I, we all work too much! erschien zuerst auf Blog | kanzlei.jobs.