Episodes

  • AQ for finance leaders

    AQ for finance leaders
    Mar 3 2026
    What do you do when there is no playbook? Many finance leaders have built their careers on accuracy, clarity and control. But today's operating climate is defined by uncertainty rather than stability. Market turbulence, rapid advances in AI, organisational redesign and ongoing talent constraints are converging at the same time. In this context, success depends on more than just IQ or EQ. It now also hinges on your adaptability quotient (AQ). In this episode, explore how finance professionals can build the capability to work confidently through ambiguity while preserving the discipline and standards that underpin strong accounting practice. You will learn: the difference between adaptability quotient (AQ) and adaptive leadership why change feels harder today and how complexity affects performance how to use the observation, interpretation and intervention model practical ways to avoid common thinking traps such as catastrophising and blame how to create psychological safety without lowering standards tools such as the balcony and dance floor perspective and the productive zone of disequilibrium. If you want to strengthen resilience, improve decision-making and lead confidently through uncertainty, this episode offers practical steps you can apply immediately. Host: Tahn Sharpe, Editor, CPA Australia. Guests: Catherine Althaus, professor at UNSW Canberra, and Kathryn McEwen, organisational psychologist. For more information, head to Kathryn McEwen's website. Loving this episode? Listen to more INTHEBLACK episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. And don't forget to click subscribe to the channel for a wide range of content that will help your career. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK INTHEBLACK Out Loud Excel Tips Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au
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    21 mins
  • Office romance: How to manage the risks

    Office romance: How to manage the risks
    Feb 17 2026
    Workplace romance happens more often than most people realise. While at its heart (no pun intended) it's a personal matter, companies today have obligations under legislation that affect how these relationships are managed. When colleagues become romantically involved, there are ways to handle it that respect personal freedom while managing organisational risk. This episode examines that tricky balancing act of respecting privacy with the current legal and ethical responsibilities of companies. Key points in this episode include: The view of office romances from today's organisational perspective The importance of having a strong understanding of the law around this specific area Policies or guidelines that should be in place to manage office romances responsibly Effective strategies for communicating these relationship policies to staff The potential for a conflict of interest and the duty to prevent sexual harassment Recognising ethical red flags in relationships with significant power imbalances Navigating the risks associated with alcohol and off-site corporate events Love in the workplace isn't just a plotline in your favourite drama. It's a reality many professionals navigate. Tune in for guidance. Host: Belinda Zohrab, Regulation and Professional Standards lead, CPA Australia Guest: Jodie Fox, employment lawyer and director of Worklogic, a consultancy firm that works with employers. She is also an honorary senior fellow of the University of Melbourne's Law School. For more information, head to Worklogic's website and its page on LinkedIn. Loving this episode? Listen to more INTHEBLACK episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. And don't forget to click subscribe to the channel for a wide range of content that will help support your career journey. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance, and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK INTHEBLACK Out Loud Excel Tips Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au
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    15 mins
  • Cognitive bias in decision-making

    Cognitive bias in decision-making
    Feb 3 2026
    Cognitive bias. It quietly shapes many of the decisions made in accounting and finance – often without you realising it. This unintended bias can become a risk if left unchecked – especially in professions built on precision, trust and ethical responsibility. Drawing on real-world examples, this episode explores the diverse types of cognitive bias, and how they can impact accounting and finance professionals in our day-to-day work. Key learnings include: Why cognitive bias exists and when it becomes a professional risk How common biases affect financial judgement The ethical consequences of bias in accounting and finance How organisational culture can reduce or reinforce biased thinking Practical steps individuals can take to challenge assumptions and improve decisions How the rise of AI and automation adds a new layer of complexity to decision-making The discussion also shows how biases such as confirmation bias, anchoring and overconfidence quietly influence decisions, often without conscious awareness. Host: Tahn Sharpe, Editor, CPA Australia Guest: Dr Victor Goh Weng Yew, a PhD in applied psychology and Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology at HELP University in Malaysia, where he is also the acting dean. For more, head to HELP University online and to its page on LinkedIn. And there is a CPA PD course on AI and Ethics in Malaysia featuring expert local speakers, case studies and examples. Loving this episode? Listen to more INTHEBLACK episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. And don't forget to click subscribe to the channel for a wide range of content that will help your career. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance, and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK INTHEBLACK Out Loud Excel Tips Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au
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    21 mins
  • With Interest: Payday Super explained ahead of 2026 rollout

    With Interest: Payday Super explained ahead of 2026 rollout
    Jan 20 2026
    Did you know that one of Australia's biggest superannuation reforms in decades is starting in July 2026? Are you prepared for the change? In short, with legislation moving through Parliament, Australia will move from quarterly to payday-based superannuation payments – a significant shift with implications across business. This expert-led episode, featuring three guests, explores the systems issues and regulatory implications as well as why Payday Super is happening and the benefits of this change to employees. Key takeaways include: How cash flow, payroll systems and compliance will be affected by this change The closure of the Small Business Super Clearinghouse (SBSCH) How the seven-day payment rule will work for missing payments Practical steps accountants can take to help prepare clients early Listen now for expert advice to help you prepare for the changes coming soon to superannuation in Australia. Host: Tahn Sharpe, Editor, INTHEBLACK Guests: Kristen Yarbrough, Product Manager at CloudPayroll Gavan Ord, Business Investment and International Lead, Policy and Advocacy, CPA Australia Richard Webb, Superannuation Lead, Policy, Standards and External Affairs, CPA Australia Learn more about CloudPayroll at its website and its LinkedIn account. And you can read an article about Payday Super on INTHEBLACK. Loving this episode? Tune in to more With Interest episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK INTHEBLACK Out Loud Excel Tips Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au
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    18 mins
  • With Interest: Digital reporting - Why it's time for Australia

    With Interest: Digital reporting - Why it's time for Australia
    Jan 6 2026
    Australia remains one of the few advanced economies still using PDFs for financial reporting – a format most global markets have already left behind. In this episode, you'll gain expert-led insights on why adopting digital financial reporting in Australia is critical to supporting trust, transparency and competitiveness in global markets. Explore how structured data allows regulators, investors and businesses to analyse and compare information more efficiently, driving better decision-making and reducing capital costs. Listeners will learn: How structured data improves accountability and investor confidence Why global markets already mandate digital reporting standards The link between digital disclosure and lower capital costs How AI will enhance – not replace – digital reporting workflows What Australian policymakers can learn from global peers Learn why CPA Australia is recommending a mandate for digital reporting by listed entities in this expert-led discussion. Listen now. Host: Ram Subramanian, External Reporting Lead, Policy, Standards and External Affairs, CPA Australia Guest: John Turner ,CEO of XBRL International, a global, non-profit standards body dedicated to improving business performance through enhanced transparency and accountability in reporting. With a background in law, IT, and government, he has led innovation in business model design, systems development and data standards for over two decades. For more, INTHEBLACK has an article on why digital reporting should be mandatory in Australia. Additionally, this interim report from 2025 by the Productivity Commission provides broader context to digital reporting. And you can find out John Turner's organisation XBRL at its website. Loving this episode? Listen to more INTHEBLACK episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. And don't forget to click subscribe on the channel. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance, and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK INTHEBLACK Out Loud Excel Tips Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au
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    23 mins
  • With Interest: Attracting accountants - How to future-proof the profession

    With Interest: Attracting accountants - How to future-proof the profession
    Dec 23 2025
    How can we attract more accountants and future-proof the profession? In this episode we take a deep dive with IFAC into this pressing question. You'll learn about accounting's talent pipeline – its challenges and possible solutions. Key takeaways include: What's really driving the talent shortage and how firms, educators and policymakers can respond. Simple ways to position accounting as a dynamic, valued career choice. Why reaching future accountants in primary school – and harnessing gamification – sparks lifelong curiosity. How AI is reshaping (not replacing) accounting jobs, and what skillsets are essential for today's graduates. Real-world strategies to build an engaged and future-proofed accounting team. If you're in business or accounting leadership, don't miss these actionable insights to help understand and elevate the profession's future. Host: Elinor Kasapidis, Chief of Policy, Standards and External affairs, CPA Australia Guest: Bruce Vivian, Head of Accountancy Education, IFAC You can learn more about Bruce Vivian's career and his role with IFAC. And read IFAC's story on possible incentives for attracting accounting talent. Also, check out IFAC's website for its attractiveness of the profession hub which includes resources on preparing a future-ready profession and roles for the next decade. You can listen to more With Interest episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance, and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK INTHEBLACK Out Loud Excel Tips Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au
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    27 mins
  • Do you want to be happier at work? New research shows how

    Do you want to be happier at work? New research shows how
    Dec 16 2025
    We all want to be happy at work. Or at least happier, don't we? Across this conversation, listeners will learn about a foundational concept: Success often follows happiness rather than causes it. Drawing on research in positive psychology, the episode outlines how mindset, habits and self-awareness account for a large share of overall wellbeing, far outweighing external circumstances. It also explains how small, consistent practices such as learning to be grateful can recalibrate the brain's natural bias toward the negative. Listeners will learn: The relationship between happiness and leadership Positive psychology as a field of research Research data on happiness and how it's a 'skill' The key components of developing workplace happiness and contentment How to recognise 'green-light moments' Ways to shift out of work-related ruts, regain perspective and avoid catastrophising This Career Hacks episode is a must-listen for anyone looking for that elusive happiness factor at work. Host: Jacqueline Blondell, Editor, CPA Australia Guest: Declan Edwards, happiness researcher, speaker, coach and consultant. He is founder of the BU Happiness College, which has a vision of making the skills and science of happiness more accessible to individuals, organisations and the world. For more information, head to the BU Happiness College on LinkedIn. Loving this episode? Listen to more INTHEBLACK episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. Click subscribe on the channel to stay updated on the latest episodes. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance, and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK INTHEBLACK Out Loud Excel Tips Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au
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    21 mins
  • How to delegate effectively: Strategies for success

    How to delegate effectively: Strategies for success
    Dec 2 2025
    We've all probably had a manager or leader who struggles to delegate. Sound familiar? This Career Hacks episode explores the art of delegation. It's an essential skill, particularly for new managers – and one that's often hard to master. Getting the right balance between a hands-off approach and micro-management is key, and an empathetic approach can really help, say the experts. Listen in to learn the behavioural traps that keep managers doing the work themselves, why burnout grows when clarity is missing, and how empathy offers insight into workload, motivation and fairness. Also, learn how to check in without hovering, why communication gaps create rework and the value of curiosity when assessing team capacity. You'll learn: • Why not delegating limits leadership impact • How technical experts can shift from doing the work to guiding it • The emotional and psychological drivers that shape team performance • How empathy and curiosity help leaders understand real workload and risk This Career Hacks episode is a must-listen for professionals seeking expert advice on how to best delegate. Host: Jacqueline Blondell, Editor, CPA Australia Guest: Daniel Murray, international keynote speaker and author of The Empathy Gap, a handbook for business leaders who want to form stronger connections with the people they lead. For more on this episode's guest Daniel Murray, head to his consultancy's website. Loving this episode? Listen to more INTHEBLACK episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. And don't forget to click subscribe on the channel. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance, and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK INTHEBLACK Out Loud Excel Tips Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au
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    21 mins