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This week’s stories share a sense of optimism – not the wishful kind, but the kind that comes from data, design and doing the work. From the return of smart dealmaking to new evidence on what makes creators valuable and leaders effective, it’s clear that progress is still being made, even if the headlines don’t always show it. Let’s get into it.

Enjoy!

Reasons to feel cheerful

Amid headlines about tech layoffs and political gridlock, Bloomberg’s editors have pulled together 18 bright spots – and plenty sit at the intersection of business and progress. Energy is becoming more decentralised as Big Tech backs resilient power networks. Prefab construction is cutting build times from years to months. GLP-1 drugs are creating ripple effects across healthcare and retail. Even the markets are behaving: stocks have rallied on the strength of AI-driven investment. Oh, and Apple’s new AirPods promise live translation, making the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’s Babel Fish concept a reality. Proof that innovation and capital are still finding productive paths forward. Get your dose of positivity here.

The myth of authentic leadership

“Just be yourself” may be the worst career advice you’ll ever hear. We’re told to bring our whole selves to work, speak our truth, and lead with vulnerability. Yet Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, writing in Harvard Business Review, argues that being entirely yourself can undermine your credibility. His research across 55 studies shows that people seen as effective leaders are rarely those broadcasting their raw emotions or unfiltered opinions. They’re the ones who edit themselves – reading the room, choosing what to share and modulating tone and expression. The paradox is that measured behaviour often feels less real to the person performing it, but more genuine to everyone else. Leadership, he says, is less about personal expression than social intelligence: knowing how your version of “real” lands on others. Read the HBR study here.

Get your side hustle on

HubSpot and Next Wave have compiled more than 100 unusual AI use cases – and many sound like the start of a profitable side project. Think tools that predict local event footfall for small retailers, generate social proof in real time for e-commerce sites or scan government databases for grants that fit your business profile. For founders and freelancers alike, the opportunity is in spotting where these creative automation efficiencies can become income streams. Get the report here.

Deal-ready in uncertain times

Big-company dealmakers are staying busy despite higher interest rates and shaky markets – and their playbook has lessons for founders too. CFO Brew reports that firms like McKesson, Mondelēz and Limbach are keeping their portfolios lean, their books clean and their teams aligned so they can move the moment a window opens. The same principle applies to startups: you don’t control the market, but you can control your readiness. When investors or acquirers suddenly re-enter the market, the founders with their data, diligence and narrative prepared are the ones who close. Find out more here.

Your credibility, quantified

Here’s a fun thing I’ve just discovered. LinkedIn’s Social Selling Index (SSI) is like your Uber rating – but for how you show up professionally. It scores you out of 100 based on four things: how credible your profile looks, whether you’re finding the right people, how much you share useful ideas and how well you build relationships. So keep posting, commenting and connecting with intent, and the algorithm – and your network – will notice. Find out your score here.

AI prompt of the week: optimise your LinkedIn profile

Regarding the above story, a strong SSI isn't vanity – it drives investor conversations, customer acquisition, talent recruitment and partnership opportunities. Most business leaders post inconsistently or treat LinkedIn like a megaphone rather than a strategic relationship-building platform. Here’s how to change that.

Help me create a 90-day plan to dramatically improve my LinkedIn Social Selling Index across all four pillars. My context: [industry, company stage, target audience]. Design strategies for: (1) Establishing professional brand – profile optimisation and content themes that showcase expertise, (2) Finding the right people – systematic approach to identifying and connecting with key stakeholders, (3) Engaging with insights – content strategy and engagement tactics for visibility, (4) Building relationships – nurturing connections into meaningful opportunities. Include weekly action items and success metrics.

Creators, not influencers

For years, marketers have treated social media like a slot machine – feed the algorithm, hope for reach, repeat. But new research from the IPA and WPP’s Jane Christian suggests we’ve been underestimating the one thing that actually works: creators. The analysis of £133mn in campaigns found that creator-led work now delivers the highest long-term ROI of any digital channel, rivalled only by TV. In other words, creators once seen as a tactical add-on are now a proven brand-building engine in the digital mix. The trick is for marketers to step back a little and let creators execute the idea using their unique audience insight. When that balance clicks, the results last far beyond a trend cycle – they build brands that people remember. The Drum has the story.

Why your brain gives up 15 minutes into a video call

Research from Austria’s Graz University of Technology offers a biological explanation for “Zoom fatigue.” In lab tests comparing in-person and online classes, participants’ heart rates slowed and their brain activity showed signs of exhaustion just fifteen minutes into a video session. The culprit isn’t just screen time – it’s cognitive lag. Our brains work harder to decode delayed reactions, limited body language and our own on-screen reflection. The advice is to keep cameras on only for initial greetings, take short breaks, and if all else fails, hold meetings standing up – apparently, everyone talks faster when they want to sit down. Find out more here.

What great leadership looks like

The best leaders don’t just talk about values; they live them. This simple guide captures the small, consistent behaviours that make people want to follow you.

Drop me a line

That’s a wrap for this edition. If you’ve made it this far without checking your notifications, you’re already ahead of the game. Have a good week – I'll be the one standing in a meeting with my screen off.

Cheers!
Adam

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