The Green Room: Questions That Matter Most In Business

The challenge is no longer just what AI can do, but whether people have enough confidence to use it. As AI adoption accelerates, trust is becoming one of the biggest barriers to scale – the difference between experimentation and widespread transformation. Because the companies that benefit most from the technology may not be the ones with the most advanced capabilities, but those that create enoug...

Disruption isn't new. But right now, it feels different. Technology, economic pressures, geopolitical shifts, changing workforce expectations – they're all colliding at speed. And at the centre of it all is AI.  The challenge isn't just how to respond - and in real time - but to rethink how businesses work. AI is central to this shift. It's already changing how work gets done, how decisions are ma...

It's no longer a question of whether AI will change how we buy, but by how much?  We're turning to AI for inspiration and advice - and soon, it may even guide or manage decisions for us. Not since the rise of e-commerce in the 1990s have we seen transformation at this scale – and how we discover, choose and engage with brands is being redefined.  At the same time, the path to purchase has shifted...

The AI race is on. But what does it take to not just keep up, but to win?   Even though we're using AI at work, at home and on-the-go, are we really ready to use it at scale as a country?   Last year, the UK joined a growing list of countries setting out an ambitious vision for how AI could provide a better future. For those who succeed, the prize is significant. A future powered by AI could bring...

Companies are investing more than ever in technology to transform their businesses. But the full impact isn't being felt. Most organisations believe they are missing out on up to 50% of the returns they expect from digital transformation. So, what's the missing piece? Do firms need to invest more or does the answer lie in their leadership and culture? From AI to cloud platforms, organisations are...

Seven years ago, we were yet to experience a pandemic.  Some of us were just discovering podcasts – and were yet to discover an air fryer. And Artificial Intelligence was, for many of us, something we only saw on the big screen.  And in The Green Room's very first episode, we were asking 'What will be the last job on earth?'  It was a year before GPT-3 changed the GenAI landscape, nearly four year...

In The Green Room, we've always set out to answer the biggest questions that matter most in business. Now, as we approach our milestone 100th episode, we're taking a moment to look back at some of the conversations and ideas that have stayed with us – and still influence how business operates today.   We've explored everything from the future of work and leadership to AI, sustainability and the ch...

Our careers don't happen in isolation.   What we carry from our lives outside of work shapes how we show up inside of it. At certain points in life, work doesn't just sit alongside family and caring responsibilities – it actively coincides with them. And how organisations respond in those moments underpins the kind of workplaces they really are.   As the world of work continues to evolve, business...

Two years ago, in episode #64 of The Green Room , we asked the question 'How do we stay safe online?'    Since then, progress has been made. Businesses, tech leaders, governments and wider society have taken the time to understand the 'how' and have moved on to the 'do'.     Some countries have started taking steps to ban under-16s from all major social media platforms, while the UK has rolled our...

From the avocados on our toast to the niche blend of coffee that sits on the table next to them. From the medicine waiting to be collected at the pharmacy to the smartphone we used to renew the prescription.    Every product we pick up and service we use is a result of a complex, global web of ships, planes, warehouses, technology and people that keep our world moving. That is until something goes...

Our days are shaped by rules and regulations.   The expiry date stamped on the sandwich we picked up for lunch. The charge for the plastic bag at the checkout. The banner that asks if we consent to cookies. There's the big stuff too. The security checks before we fly, the safety marks on our new tech and the seatbelt we click into place without thinking.   But despite its ubiquity, regulation spar...

What's the difference between an interesting experiment and a game-changing asset? It's deciding to make the leap from one to the other. It's knowing that now is the right time to go from starting out to scaling up. And that's where a lot of businesses currently find themselves with their approach to AI.  With 78% of organisations using AI in at least one area of their business, the curiosity phas...

When you imagine the future, is it powered by clean energy or driven by AI? As the UK works towards its net-zero goals, our energy system is being asked to do more than ever before – delivering power that's cleaner, smarter, and more reliable to support an increasingly digital and connected world The future isn't just electric – it's intelligent. Artificial intelligence is transforming the way we...

A lot has changed about how we work and do business. But one truth has remained the same – the importance of relationships.   We've all felt the benefits of building good business relationships; successful projects, faster progress, confident decisions, career opportunities and meaningful support.   We've probably all felt the effects of less-good relationships too; stilted results, miscommunicati...

We're used to using technology to help us make decisions. We research, we report and we act. But are we ready to let technology make those decisions by itself?   Generative AI has already changed the way we work - helping us write, code, and create in ways that once felt impossible. But now, we're moving one step further into a world where technology doesn't just suggest or report – it learns, rea...

For many of us, defence is invisible. As we go about our everyday lives, we rarely have cause to think about it. And that's a good thing. It means that the defence sector is doing its job well and preventing threats from becoming incidents that make headlines or change lives. But what that job entails, how it's best done and the tools that are used to do it is changing.  As geopolitical tension an...

Trust influences everything. It helps shape decisions, drives loyalty, and defines reputation. It's the foundation of strong leadership, lasting relationships, and long-term success, across all areas of society. But in today's world, trust is harder to earn – and easier to lose. And at times, it can feel like a balancing act due to shifting values and high expectations. 71% of people say they're m...

We've all got a lot savvier about sustainability in recent years. We know the size of the climate challenge facing the planet. And we know that the planet needs more than statements, green logos and commitments to use the printer less to tackle it. As we all make more sustainable choices and changes in our personal lives, we look to the businesses we buy from and work for to do the same. Our expec...

In a data-driven world, it's easy to get lost in a maze of metrics. We start by looking for helpful measurements that will allow us to track our progress, set goals and make more informed decisions.   But we can quickly lose sight of what we're tracking and why we're tracking it. Because it's easy to collect data – the challenge is knowing how best to use it.  So, what needs to happen to ensure me...

What you know matters, but who you know matters more.  That's not quite how the original saying goes, but perhaps it's time for an update. Whereas once 'It's not what you know, it's who you know' might have been whispered and accompanied by a raised eyebrow, things have shifted.  A strong network doesn't, or shouldn't, act as a substitute for our skills. But it can provide us with more opportuniti...

You learn something new every day. At least, that's how the saying goes. But it's not always how the reality goes – particularly when it comes to our work.   Even though 84% of us feel like learning adds more purpose to our work, demanding deadlines and overflowing inboxes often stop us from finding time to focus on our own development. But being given the time and space to learn new things can le...

"Well done is better than well said."     You might have heard that famous saying from Benjamin Franklin. And it's one that reminds us of the importance of action over words. But what does it take exactly?    When it comes to solving some of the world's biggest problems or doing business in a more sustainable and responsible way, there's no shortage of people talking and theorising.    And that's...

Sailing a ship is effortless when seas are calm and the wind is blowing in the right direction. And in business, it's easier to feel confident and in control when conditions are idyllic, profits are high and growth is steady.   But what do you do when a storm hits? How do you turn things around and not only weather the storm, but emerge stronger? Turnarounds are challenging - in fact, within busin...

Better healthcare and schools. More jobs. A growing economy. Improved infrastructure. Planet-saving solutions and disruptive technology. Anything else? As the list for what would improve our lives gets longer, our demand on governments around the world gets greater. In fact, research shows our expectations are at an all-time high.   But can all the things that the world needs really be delivered b...

Setting timers. Downloading apps. Standing desks. Getting up at 5am. A new week, a new productivity 'hack'. But is chasing productivity actually helping us to get more done? Or simply giving us more to do? Feeling productive can mean different things on different days. Sometimes it's flying through our to-do list. Sometimes it's spending hours thinking of an idea that will go on to change everythi...