INTHEBLACK

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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]