It is no longer a question that Emerging technology, such as robotic process automation (RPA) and, cognitive computing will have great impact on our businesses in years to come and, will undoubtedly transform the workforce of the future across the financial sector. Today, RPA is at the forefront of human-computer technology and promises to provide those in the financial services industry with a virtual workforce that is rules -based and able to connect with a company’s systems similar to the way users do.

The cover of WIRED magazine this past month read “How to Survive the Great Tech Panic of 2017”, touching on topics like robot overlords, self-driving cars, cyber warfare, comment trolls, cyber attacks, privacy breaches, Ransomware, text neck, nuke hacks and artificial intelligence.

Considering the state of our country, I find myself thinking a lot about who we, as human beings, should strive to be. Each of us is challenged to live a life that is deliberate, not nonchalant. We have a responsibility to look out for each other, to define our relationships and interactions with compassion rather than greed and to seek knowledge and wisdom rather than prestige or fame. We have a responsibility to make every interaction meaningful.

ACT WITH PURPOSE

When the world no longer seems to make sense, when it looks like what was once unacceptable has become commonplace, it is easy to surmise that we are on a downward spiral to mediocrity and have lost our collective sense of purpose. There is, however, a glimmer of hope. As humans, we are driven by the fact that there is meaning in the individual, in who we are and in the things we do.

Using Sentiment Analysis for a new level of insight.

Sentiment allows a user to measure the impact of a particular news item or news flow around an instrument and evaluate its potential impact, in real-time. Compiling data from traditional news sources and social media, has led to the necessity for new real- time analytical tools, to help users filter and understand the explosion in data.

Marketware International is pleased to announce that it has become a new member of the IBM Watson Ecosystem Partner Program.

Our team has been hard at work creating the AdvisorQA mobile product experience for Financial Services. It provides a new mobile Content Management and Social Collaboration tool that utilizes the cognitive computing and research capabilities of IBM Watson.

AdvisorQA Content Management:

There is more information available today than ever before, often more than a Financial Advisor or Investor can digest and manage effectively. With AdvisorQA, Investors are able to exercise greater control and reasoning over a myriad of news content referencing companies they are interested in and make sense of the market sentiment from news articles and social media.

AdvisorQA Social Collaboration:

AdvisorQA enhances the communication channel between Advisors and Investors who prefer a level of personal Wealth Management service and advice. Our goal is to facilitate on-line Marketing, Communications and Introductions with reputable Advisor sources or through partnerships with Investment Advisor networks.

AdvisorQA using IBM Watson™ will allow for a new level of customer service and mobile experience. This is just the first step in a much larger roadmap. Over time, we will expand this technology to address other areas. In particular, AdvisorQA will allow both investors and advisors to ask questions in natural language similar to the way one would interact with a human. AdvisorQA coupled with the Watson cognitive system will generate a series of hypotheses for what the correct answer might be, based on an analysis of thousands of documents in the corpus. Watson is able to provide these hypotheses within seconds, and will rate the different hypotheses by confidence level, citing the evidence it found to back up its report. Cognitive computing is here and AdvisorQA is at the forefront of this revolution in FinTech. Contact us for more information.

Manage things, serve and build people

Do unto others as we would have them do unto you is a principle most of us are familiar with. Many leaders have embraced this approach to leading with a servant attitude.  It is however not easy and requires giving of oneself, placing others first, it can be demanding and yet edifying.   Today’s leader who wishes to be a servant must stretch his or her thinking to encompass broader-based conceptual thinking.  Robert Greenleaf coined the term servant leadership and like stewardship, it assumes first and foremost a commitment to serving the needs of others as one would like to be served. Emphasizing the use of openness and persuasion, rather than control.  To do unto others as you’d like them to do unto you in business requires great foresight, professional maturity and awareness. The exceptional people who practice this principle learn from the lessons from the past and understands the likely consequence of a decision for the future and are keenly aware of the true characters of others allowing them to view and approach their interactions with teammates, colleagues from a more integrated, holistic position.

Values are valuable

The characteristics that are important to be a successful, nurturing leader include empathy, foresight, stewardship, listening and commitment to the growth of others. These characteristics are by no means exhaustive. However, they do serve as some of the values embedded in the golden rule, and that are key qualities for leadership.   Servant leaders do not accept mediocre performance from individuals rather seek to create an environment with an empowering atmosphere of trust and a sense of belonging; enabling continuous introspective learning especially through periods of organizational transformation.

An example worth following

A rider on horseback, many years ago, came upon a squad of soldiers who were trying to move a heavy piece of timber. A corporal stood by, giving lordly orders to "heave." But the piece of timber was a trifle too heavy for the squad. "Why don't you help them?" asked the quiet man on the horse, addressing the important corporal. "Me? Why, I'm a corporal sir!" Dismounting, the stranger carefully took his place with the soldiers. "Now, all together boys - heave!" he said. And the big piece of timber slid into place. The stranger mounted his horse and addressed the corporal. "The next time you have a piece of timber for your men to handle, corporal, send for the commander-in-chief.” The horseman was George Washington, the first American president.

We can all make a lasting and positive impact on people and organizations when we lead selflessly.  Although a great deal has been written about leadership, still, not many emphasize leading by the golden rule.  It is possible that most have become so concerned with their own careers an self-growth that the needs of others are seldom important unless there is something to gain for one-self. 

Discerning leaders have the secret sauce to winning

Such leaders feel better about themselves and benefit from key insights that make them more effective and more productive in what they do even though they spend a great deal of their time sharing and helping others with new ways of doing things.  Organizations that want to improve the quality of their staff, to be respected for their treatment of employees, and, to increase overall creativity and, productivity should consider the servant leadership approach. 
Caring and nurturing leaders create the foundation for more considerate institutions long term.  

Servant leadership is not for the fainthearted and well worth it!

If you are leading a team today; take a moment for a self-reflection on your interactions with team members and colleagues…  are you doing any of the following?

• All leaders should strive to be servants in the best sense of the word.
• Believe the duty of stewardship reciprocates leadership
• Treat every employee with respect and support them to do meaningful work.
• Lead by example
• Understand that good intentions are not enough—behaviors count. 

Leading companies are using data collection and analysis to conduct controlled experiments to arrive at more precision in tailoring products or services for customers and, to substantially improve the decision-making process. Is your organization prepared for an information-led transformation?

Our ability to communicate with each other has reached unprecedented levels. We are constantly connected. Social networking sites, instant text, voice and video messaging, are now commonplace, providing for instantaneous interactions.

The buzz in the past twelve months about the Internet of Things (IoT) has shown that serious conversations are continuing and focused on real-world applications and results. The increase in the number of connected devices proves that IoT is not an exploratory activity, but a change whose impact is steadily evident across industries.