Leadership Special Report: Deloitte and the WNBA reimagine the business playbook

Introduction | Engelbert shows leadership strength in WNBA | Learning leadership from NCAA Women's Basketball Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( September 24, 2024 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [X]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE]( ADVERTISEMENT Introduction [] Introduction Introduction (Ned Dishman/Getty Images) The WNBA has recently surged in popularity since it began in 1996 in part due to a combination of perseverance, talent and a growing fan base. The first five games this year drew more than one million viewers on ESPN -- a 226% increase from the year before -- and in-person attendance is up 14% from last year. The league has turned to Deloitte to reimagine its off-court playbook and boost business through apps, ecommerce and more. Basketball also holds many lessons in leadership, such as the resilience needed to face inevitable setbacks, the ability to focus on goals and objectives amidst distractions, making decisions with limited information and working with a team to achieve success. In this special report, we focus on how leadership, like basketball, requires a single-minded pursuit of excellence, and how Deloitte is working to enable transformational change, resolve significant challenges, enhance value and fuel opportunities for growth. [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Reimagining the WNBA App built by Deloitte The WNBA engaged Deloitte to help enhance its digital engagement strategy and transform its mobile app. This led to a next-generation digital experience tailored to fans' growing interests that can drive real, measurable impact for the league. [Learn more about Deloitte's impact.]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] Leading in the C-suite [] [Engelbert shows leadership strength in WNBA]( [Engelbert shows leadership strength in WNBA]( Engelbert (Monica Schipper/Getty Images) WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert says her priorities are the league's players, stakeholders and fans, and she emphasizes leadership qualities such as confidence, courage and curiosity, and says she's learned how to handle a crisis through empathy and listening. Engelbert recently showed those skills after apologizing for characterizing the rivalry between star players as good for the league without condemning the abuse some have faced from fans. Full Story: [Iron Bow Technologies]( (6/11), [ESPN]( (9/13) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Learning leadership from NCAA Women's Basketball]( Leadership lessons from the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament extend beyond the court, offering insights for leaders on adaptability, perseverance and leading by example, writes lawyer and former basketball player Jill Walters. The tournament showcases the importance of teamwork, resilience and diverse leadership roles, with examples from players like Caitlin Clark and coaches like Dawn Staley, Walters writes. Full Story: [JD Supra]( (9/3) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Organizations seeking ethical AI usage add related roles]( [Organizations seeking ethical AI usage add related roles]( (Pixabay) Workplaces are creating positions related to AI ethics, such as researchers, policy analysts and compliance managers, to ensure responsible use of the technology, with 68% of executives focusing on internal training and upskilling to fill these positions, according to a Deloitte report. The report also shows that 77% of C-level executives are confident in workers' ability to make ethical AI decisions but that only 24% of these executives allow independent decision-making. Full Story: [Human Resources Director]( (8/9) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] - [Companies hire ESG controllers to meet new reporting demands]( CFO Dive (9/3) Helping the WNBA win beyond the court The WNBA is in more than the game of basketball. As a trusted advisor, Deloitte brings our industry-leading services to help the league elevate its business and strengthen off-court performance. See how we've helped the WNBA reimagine its playbook.[Learn more.]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] Technology [] [Cross-functional collaboration key to winning tech strategy]( Frank D'Amelio, former CFO of Pfizer, and John Marcante, advisor for Deloitte's CIO Program, emphasize the importance of cross-functional collaboration between finance and technology leaders to develop a winning tech strategy. Deloitte reports suggest CFOs must adopt a technologist mindset and work closely with IT to integrate technology into workflows. Commitment from top leadership is crucial for achieving synergies and driving value creation. Full Story: [CFO Dive]( (9/3) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [How AI may reshape the CHRO's role]( [How AI may reshape the CHRO's role]( (Pixabay) Surveys and reports suggest AI will allow chief HR officers to take a strategic approach to talent, close the gender-equity gap, personalize employee learning and create agile and resilient workforces. A Deloitte report says AI assistants will give CHROs the opportunity to spend more time developing employees' emotional intelligence, problem-solving abilities and critical analysis. Full Story: [CDOTrends]( (8/6) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Research [] [Brands capitalize on growing interest in women's sports]( Brands are increasingly investing in women's sports, driven by events like the 2024 Paris Olympics, which achieved gender parity, and record-breaking viewership for women's NCAA basketball. Deloitte research found that over the past three years spending on women's sports has more than tripled to more than $1 billion this year. Companies such as Danone, Delta Air Lines and Ally Financial are leading the way with significant sponsorship deals. Full Story: [Brand Innovators]( (9/4) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Broadcast deals help drive success of women's sports]( [Broadcast deals help drive success of women's sports]( North Carolina Courage goalkeeper Marisa Bova (Icon Sportswire/Getty Images) Deloitte forecasts that US women's sports revenue will surpass $1 billion in 2024, marking a 300% increase from 2021. The record rights deals signed this year by the National Women's Soccer League and the WNBA are helping the leagues attract a larger following and reflect a growing dedication from broadcasters and brands to advancing women's sports. Full Story: [Adweek]( (8/21) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Deloitte: Gender inequality in sports must be addressed]( Despite women winning 72% of Australia's gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, significant gender inequalities persist in sports. Deloitte Manager Evie Fox Koob and experts from the Women in Economics Network highlight issues such as high dropout rates among girls, safety concerns and pay disparities. They call for actions like commercializing women's sports, developing coaching career paths for women and making sports environments safer and more accessible. Full Story: [Financy]( (9/4) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Executive Q&A [] [United CEO: Delegation is key]( [United CEO: Delegation is key]( Scott Kirby (Hyoung Chang/Getty Images) United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby says one of his management secrets is delegating as many decisions as possible and using collaborative decision making, saving his time and attention and giving staff a chance to shine. "The only decisions I should be making are the decisions that only I can make," Kirby said. Full Story: [Fortune (tiered subscription model)]( (9/9) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [FedEx CEO on company culture]( [FedEx CEO on company culture]( Subramaniam (Bloomberg/Getty Images) FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam launched his career at the logistics company and worked his way to the head of the company. "Our founding philosophy has been very straightforward: We take care of our people, who provide outstanding service and experience for our customers, which in turn generates profits for our companies which we reinvest back in our people," Subramaniam said. Full Story: [TIME (tiered subscription model)]( (9/15) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Reddit CEO reveals his keys to success and stress]( [Reddit CEO reveals his keys to success and stress]( Huffman (Bloomberg/Getty Images) Reddit CEO Steve Huffman credits his professional success to a daily practice of acting on his goals by using the mantra "You aren't who you are, you are what you do" to break down big goals into small tasks to build confidence and momentum. Additionally, Huffman has learned to reframe stress as a privilege, saying, "I have my dream job, and it's hard. And so if I didn't have that stress, what's the alternative? I'd be bored." Full Story: [CNBC]( (9/8) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] - [Merichem CEO on the advantage of leading collaboratively]( The Glass Hammer blog (8/12) [] [] I don't like mysteries, which is why I want to solve them. It bothers me that there are things I don't know. [Nelson DeMille](, writer 1943-2024 [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( SmartBrief publishes more than 200 free industry newsletters - [Browse our portfolio]( [Sign Up]( | [Update Profile]( | [Advertise with SmartBrief]( [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy policy]( CONTACT US: [FEEDBACK]( | [ADVERTISE](mailto:lengel@smartbrief.com) [SmartBrief Future]( Copyright © 2024 SmartBrief. All Rights Reserved. A division of Future US LLC Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036.