In this podcast episode, FM editor-in-chief Oliver Rowe summarises the content in the June edition of the magazine.
Rowe details an article on using artificial intelligence tools to bolster presentations and introduces a new, recurring column on global advocacy. He also highlights several other articles in the edition.
FM’s June edition is now available (member login required). Also, access the library of past editions.
What you’ll learn from this episode:
- Highlights of an article about what AI tools can do to improve business presentations.
- Details of a new, recurring column on global advocacy, which for this edition includes a focus on advocacy’s role in building and sustaining public trust.
- The key points of an article about the AICPA and CIMA’s Rise2040 initiative.
- Rowe’s summary of an article offering advice — for women in particular — on being a strong self-advocate and one on building an anti-fraud culture.
Play the episode below or read the edited transcript:
— To comment on this episode or to suggest an idea for another episode, contact Neil Amato at Neil.Amato@aicpa-cima.com.
Transcript
Neil Amato: Hello, listeners. Welcome back to the FM podcast. I’m Neil Amato. This episode is a closer look at the June edition of FM. And for that discussion, I’m joined by FM editor-in-chief Oliver Rowe.
Oliver, glad to have you back on the podcast.
Oliver Rowe: Great to be back on the podcast, Neil. Thank you.
Amato: One article that caught my eye in the June edition had the headline: “How AI Is Changing the Art of Business Presentations”. That sounds like a good one. So, who wrote it and what are some of the details?
Rowe: Absolutely, Neil. This is an article by Andrew Kenney, a regular FM writer. As you say, it is a good one. It’s an interesting and helpful article. It’s about AI tools and how they can assist with presentations. But it’s not just about creating slides. It’s about how you use tools to visualise data, refine your messaging, and even actually practise the delivery of your presentation.
The article discusses some of the pros and cons of the tools, which are provided by established tech companies and startups as well. And then it asks the big question: If AI tools can create an entire slide deck from scratch, what’s left for humans to do? As the article says, it’s lots, as it turns out.
So, while AI tools can help with creating your messaging, it’s really for the presenter to own the message and ultimately achieve the goal of the presentation. But AI is useful. Let me give you an example — and the article talks about this — you can ask the AI tool to present the same data through different lenses. It gives the example of risk management versus growth. And that could help a finance leader, someone giving the presentation, to settle on the right message and the tone of the message.
The article also gives a caveat: Before attempting to do real-time analysis with the data — which the AI tools can help with — it’s really important that presenters, finance leaders, truly know their data and the capabilities of each AI tool before doing that.
AI tools can help practise the art of the presentation itself, as I mentioned. The tools can provide feedback on the user’s tone, their pacing, and the overall performance in public speaking before you get to that moment.
Amato: I think that’s great. It’s a fascinating article. The fact that you could practise and get feedback [in] real time is really interesting. And then obviously some of the questions it brings up are also interesting, so that’s a good one.
In addition to the regular leadership columns in FM, there is a column from Michelle Mullen, the vice president of Global Advocacy. She’s written, fittingly, about advocacy efforts. What specifically is the focus of that column?
Rowe: Advocacy in Action, the name of the new column from Michelle Mullen, as you say. The June edition of FM provides the first of these regular looks at CIMA’s advocacy on behalf of its members and the profession. In this initial column, Michelle explains what global advocacy really means.
She talks about its role in building and sustaining public trust and how the public interest is one of the core principles of the profession.
She talks about, globally, advocacy in terms of regulation and how there’s always the risk of divergence in regulation creating unnecessary complexity in some jurisdictions. She gives an example of sustainability reporting and assurance — there’s a role there for global advocacy.
She also talks about engaging, on the political side of things, with policy debates. She explains it’s rarely transactional and that relationships are developed over time. As she says, “They’re grounded in trust and respect.” She also explains how advocacy brings evidence-based insights and a professional rigour to those debates.
Amato: That’s great.
We’ve talked about two A topics: AI and advocacy. Now we’re going to talk about an R topic; that’s Rise2040. What’s a rundown of that article in the June edition?
Rowe: Absolutely, Neil. This is an important article in the June edition on the AICPA and CIMA’s Rise2040 project and its report. This article looks at what is described as a very bold, profession-driven effort looking ahead to 2040. Seeking to understand how finance and accounting are evolving and how the profession can shape its future rather than react to it and how the report reflects the views of members globally.
Amato: Anything else you’d like to highlight from the June edition?
Rowe: Absolutely, Neil, thank you. Yes, a few articles. “How Women in Finance and Their Employers Can Grow Careers”. This is women leaders, women CGMA professionals offering advice on how employees can self-advocate, build a network, and look for opportunities. There’s also advice there for employers on how they can help build careers specifically for women.
There’s “Actions to Build an Ethical Culture to Combat Fraud”. This is by Xose Lumor at the Association. He gives five practical actions for CGMA professionals and businesses to build that ethical culture. These include — at the interview stage when hiring — incorporating questions that can identify which candidates have the capacity to contribute to an ethical culture that you want to cultivate. He talks about ensuring ethical role-modelling by leaders, and he also talks about creating psychological safety for people to admit mistakes and raise concerns.
We’ve also got another AI-related article on AI and Python in Excel — a practical article with screenshots.
And then there’s a couple of other things I’d just like to highlight. The Professional’s Playlist, which highlights, as you know, recent episodes from the FM podcast.
Amato: Yes, our previous podcasts.
Rowe: Exactly. And that includes CGMA professionals and other experts as guests on the podcast.
There’s Institute News, with updates affecting members and the profession.
Amato: Thanks again to FM editor-in-chief Oliver Rowe for the rundown of the June edition. And thanks to you, the listener, for listening to the FM podcast.
