In defence of night owls

Each week, we’ll delve into the recent reading lists of finance professionals around the world. This week, we hear from Stefany Williams, CPA, CGMA, the CEO of Goodwill Industries of Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas. Here’s what’s resonating with her:

• “How Pepsi’s CEO Is Steering the Company Toward a Purpose-Driven Future”: Williams said she enjoys reading about the perspectives of women in leadership positions. In particular, she found value in learning about how CEO Indra Nooyi is leading change at Pepsi.


• “To Better Train Workers, Figure Out Where They Struggle”: The article in Harvard Business Review offers succinct but excellent insight into determining return on investment in employee development and training. As a CEO at a not-for-profit, Williams said, “We are always finding ways to analyse investment, and training is always one of the more challenging areas to make data-supported arguments.”


• “Tech Shows Every Industry How Retraining Is the New Recruiting”: Williams said she reads often about skills gaps, retraining, and economic mobility to understand how the workforce – and employers’ interaction with it – is changing. The article provides advice on how several workforce issues can be solved, adding value and improving employee loyalty.


• “Good News From Science: Night Owls Are Smarter and More Creative”: “As a night owl, I feel like I’m inundated with articles about how I would be a much better leader if I were an early riser,” Williams said. She enjoyed this article because it includes research showing that those who stay up late can be just as productive as those who are up with a 4:30 alarm.


• “9 Actions Successful Leaders Take Daily That Speak Louder Than Words”: Williams thought the advice was good for leaders themselves to follow and to apply to coaching others with leadership potential.