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Super Bowl Sunday always mints a lot more winners and losers than just those who play in the game. Its the biggest day in sports betting annually, with the American Gaming Association estimating a record $1.39 billion in the big game last month. For casual sports bettors, a Super Bowl wager might be enough gambling to last the entire year. For many others, though, it was just a warm-up for the 67 games of March Madness, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, which kicks off this week. Sports betting has been a huge growth industry in the U.S. since it was legalized nearly seven years ago. With the help of online gambling companies such as DraftKings, legal sports betting brought in $13.7 billion in 2024 alone, up from $248 millionwith an “m”in 2017, when the industry was last restricted just to the state of Nevada. According to a new study, however, this enormous growth has come at the expense of financial stability, mental health, and a happy family life for millions of Americansespecially members of Gen Z. Intuit Credit Karma commissioned the study from data firm Qualtrics ahead of March Madness, to shed light on some of the collateral damage wrought by the booming sports betting industry. Plenty of people bet on sports very manageably and responsibly, says Courtney Alev, consumer financial advocate at Intuit Credit Karma. But like any vice, it can be a slippery slope. The studys findings show just how harmful sports betting has become since the 2018 SCOTUS decision in Murphy v NCAA made it legal in 38 states and Washington, D.C. Nearly a quarter (23%) of 1,000 respondents who engage in sports betting, or have a partner who does, admitted to being sports betting addicts. Almost the same number (22%) said that betting had caused financial distress for themselves and their families. And nearly half (48%) of all respondents claimed to have experienced mental health issues including depression as a result of their betting activity. [Images: Geenee/Adobe Stock, 3dsculptor/Adobe Stock] A separate, similar study published last month by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) further attests to the addictive nature of sports betting. That study analyzed aggregate Google search trends over the past eight years for queries that mentioned such words as gambling, addiction, and anonymous, and found that searches for help with gambling addiction cumulatively increased by 23% across the country in that time. One demographic that seems particularly susceptible to sports betting addiction, according to the Intuit Credit Karma study, is Gen Z37% of whom reported being addicted. Thats 14% more than the number of respondents across all age demographics claiming to be addicts. We’re seeing that sports betting is really impacting Gen Z at higher rates, which likely has a lot to do with just how digitally native that generation is, Alev says. Growing up in an era where everything is online, sports betting has just become another piece of that. Indeed, part of the reason so many users of all ages have gotten in over their heads seems rooted in online bets taking all the friction out of gambling. The rise of online sportsbooks such as FanDuel and ESPN Bet has essentially given most Americans a casino in their pocket at all times. Its no wonder theyre reportedly responsible for 95% of all sports betting in the U.S. These companies are known to spend up to a billion dollars annually on marketing, which anyone whos watched an NFL game in recent years can attest. Part of their strategy for enticing new customersand maintaining existing onesis through eye-popping promotions that can be difficult to resist. FanDuel and DraftKings, for instance, both offer newcomers $150 in bonus bets on their first $5 bet, and sometimes offer deposit bonuses, matching a percentage of new money players add to their sportsbook accounts. Bonuses like these give the betting-curious uninitiated a positive early experience, hooking them in for the long haul. As the Intuit Credit Karma study reveals, about a quarter of bettors (24%) pointed to these bonuses and incentives as primary motivators for their sports betting activity. In addition to gathering data on the financial distress that follows many Americans sports betting, the study also reveals its impact on their partners and childrens lives. We wanted to focus on the family aspect of it too because if you’re addicted to something like sports betting, you might have blinders on in terms of whether you actually have a problem, Alev says. A lot of spouses and children deal with those negative implications, maybe even more so than the bettor themselves. To that end, roughly a quarter (23%) of partners of those surveyed claimed they’ve had to pull from their children’s college funds to either keep the hobby going or pay off debt related to it, while 16% reported abuse and another 16% reported family estrangement. Not many guardrails exist to keep sports bettors from hitting bottom. Although the American Gaming Association launched the Have a Game Plan campaign in 2019 to encourage responsible betting, actual protections have been scant. In order to defend themselves and their families, Alev offers a common-sense solution for casual sports bettors: building in friction. Don’t save your credit card numbers, hide your card somewhere where you have to go find itmake it not just as simple as a click to be able to bet, she says. The important thing is forcing yourself o pause and reflect on where you are and the behavior. Beyond individual solutions, the JAMA study proposes some sweeping steps the U.S. government could take, including increased funding for gambling addiction services, enhanced advertising regulations, and stronger safeguards, such as betting limits and age limits, enforced breaks, and restrictions on credit card use for gambling. The most effective solution, however, seems both obvious and elusive. As the Intuit Credit Karma study points out, 28% of sports bettors wish sports betting was illegal again.
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At the moment, confidence in leadership is at an all time low, according to the 2024 Leadership Confidence Index. Its natural to assume the cause is born of an individual failurethe leader lacks competence, their boss didnt prepare or train them well, they dont care about how others experience them. And many of these reasons certainly hold true. But in my experience working with senior executives as an executive coach and organization design consultant, bad leadership is often manufactured by an organization designed, albeit unintentionally, to produce bad leaders. In the intricate dance of organizations, design and leadership are the two central partners. The design of an organization directly shapes the effectiveness, decision-making, and moral authority of its leaders. When the choreography of design falters, leadership stumbles. Organizations are not mere collections of departments, roles, technologies and processes. They are ecosystems where clarity, alignment, and purpose must harmonize to drive value. When these elements are absent, leaders are often set up to fail, sometimes even before they realize it. Bad organization design is not just a structural flaw; it is a leadership hazard. Heres why. The Trap of Misaligned Structures When an organizations structure does not align with its strategy, leaders are forced to work against the grain. Imagine a company whose strategic focus is innovation but whose design over-prioritizes cost control. Leaders in such environments are left juggling contradictory priorities, often at the expense of the very innovation they are supposed to champion. For example, a global tech company I worked with set out to become a leader in AI innovation but maintained a rigid, hierarchical structure optimized for minimizing operational expenses. Mid-level leaders found themselves without the budgetary flexibility or cross-departmental collaboration needed to pursue innovative initiatives. As a result, the company fell behind competitors who had better-aligned structures. Misalignment also breeds fragmentation. When leaders work at cross-purposes with other leaders, it signals to those they lead to put their own agendas first. Such self-involvement frays the organization, disabling it from working coherently. Leaders in silos may excel at optimizing their narrow domains but fail to see the bigger picture. This creates turf wars, miscommunication, and a lack of cohesion, leaving leaders to expend precious energy managing conflict instead of driving impact. A 2021 study published in the Journal of Economics Finance and Management Studies showed a direct correlation between misaligned organization design and poor decision making. Ambiguity as the Enemy of Accountability Ambiguity in roles, decision-making authority, or performance expectations is another byproduct of poor design. Leaders operating in such environments face an uphill battle in creating accountability. Without clear boundaries or metrics, decision-making slows, trust erodes, and blame becomes a substitute for ownership. Consider a retail chain that failed to clearly define the responsibilities of its regional managers versus its store managers. When sales declined in multiple locations, no one was certain who was responsible for addressing the issue. This lack of clarity not only delayed corrective actions but also created friction and mistrust among the leadership team. Leaders thrive when their roles are defined with precision and their scope of influence is clear. In contrast, bad design fosters shadow systemsunofficial ways of getting things done that undermine formal processes. Leaders operating in these shadows may gain temporary wins but at the cost of sustainable performance and credibility. Culture as a Reflection of Design Organizational culture is not an abstraction; it is the byproduct of what an organization rewards, tolerates, and ignores. Bad design amplifies toxic behaviors, making it harder for leaders to model the values they preach. For instance, if the incentive system rewards short-term gains at the expense of collaboration, leaders will struggle to inspire teamwork. A financial services firm, for example, implemented a bonus system heavily weighted toward individual performance metrics. While some employees thrived, cross-department collaboration plummeted. Leaders trying to foster teamwork found themselves at odds with a system that rewarded competition over cooperation. Culture is experienced at the organization’s seamsthe places where different parts of the organization connect. When these seams are poorly stitched, leaders are left grappling with inconsistent norms, conflicting metrics, and territorial self-interest, making it nearly impossible to lead cohesively. Research suggests that aligning business strategy with organizational culture can significantly impact performance. According to a 2019 Workplace Accountability study with over 40,000 participants, 93% of those surveyed were unable to align their work or take accountability for desired results. Fully one-third felt that their priorities change frequently, creating confusion. Further, 84% of those surveyed cited the way leaders behave as the single most important factor influencing accountability in their organizations. And yet just 15% of leaders have successfully clearly defined and broadly communicated their key results. The Weight of Overcompensation When leaders inherit the consequences of bad design, they often try to compensate with sheer willpower, which can manifest as micromanagement. While this may yield short-term results, it is unsustainable and typically accelerates burnoutnot just for the leaders but for their teams as well. Overcompensation also distracts leaders from their primary role: to shape vision, align resources, and empower others. For instance, in a manufacturing company struggling with outdated processes, a plant manager took on the role of personally reviewing every operational detail to ensure quality. While this approach temporarily improved output, it left the manager exhausted and demoralized the team, who felt micromanaged and disempowered. Designing for Leadership Success If bad design leads to bad leadership, the reverse is also true: good design enables great leadership. An organization that prioritizes clarity, alignment, and purpose creates an environment where leaders can thrive. Heres how: Align Structure with Strategy: Start by clearly defining the organizations strategic objectives. Map out how each division, team, and role contributes to achieving these goals. Distribute decision rights clearly across an organization, and clarify who gets to make which decisions, with what authority and resources. Engage leaders in cross-functional strategy discussions to ensure their buy-in on how their teams contribute. Clarify Roles and Metrics: Define every roles responsibilities in granular detail, makingsure it has clear performance metrics that align with broader team and organizational objectives. Encourage leaders to co-create these performance metrics with their teams so accountability feels collaborative rather than imposed. Periodically revisit role descriptions to address overlaps or gaps, especially as the organization evolves. Research indicates that ambiguity in accountability is a leading cause of delays in organizational efficiency. Integrate Culture with Design: Ensure that processes and systems reflect the organizations core values. For instance, if collaboration is a priority, design team processes that reward joint problem-solving. Build performance reviews and reward systems that recognize behaviors aligned with cultural goals. Leaders should receive training on how to model these values in their daily interactions. Create feedback loops through surveys or focus groups to monitor cultural health and course-correct as needed. A well-integrated culture enhances employee engagement, driving measurable improvements in productivity. Cultivate Leadership: Provide leaders with development programs that address the unique challenges of their roles. Invest in coaching and mentoring initiatives to help leaders build emotional intelligence, resilience, and strategic thinking. Implement peer-learning groups where leaders can share insights and learn from each others experiences. Equip them with advanced tools for data-driven decision-making, and regularly assess their development progress through structured feedback mechanisms. A Symbiotic Relationship Leadership does not exist in a vacuum. It thrives or falters in direct proportion to the environment that is shaping it. Bad organizational design is not just a technical or financial issue; it is a moral and strategic one. Leaders who find themselves trapped in poorly designed systems must not merely cope but advocate for systemic change. After all, an organizations design is its ultimate act of self-expression. It is the pure embodiment of the organizations mission and strategyand it shapes the kind of leaders it will produce. When design and leadership are in harmony, the result is not only organizational success but leaders and employees who flourish.
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In the past five years, more satellites have been launched into Earths atmosphere than the preceding 60 years combined. And now, scientists believe that climate change is set to increase the number of old satellites that will turn into floating obstacles. Thats according to a study published last week in the Nature Sustainability journal by a team of aerospace engineers at MIT. The researchers examined how greenhouse gases are impacting Earths upper atmosphere and, in turn, the objects orbiting within it. They found that, as emissions increase, theyre actually altering the natural process that allows satellites to fall out of orbit and disintegrate, resulting in a kind of space junk pile-up. If this trend continues, it could have ripple effects for everything from weather tracking and broadband internet access to national defense. Captured by astronaut Don Pettit aboard the International Space Station, this long-exposure photograph showcases Earth’s city lights, the upper atmosphere’s airglow, and streaked stars. The bright flashes at the center are reflections of sunlight from SpaceX’s Starlink satellites in low-Earth orbit. [Photo: NASA] How the atmosphere naturally removes space junk Most satellites are located within low Earth orbit, or around 400 to 1,000 kilometers above the planets surface. Under normal conditions, after these satellites reach the end of their lifespans (when their engines can no longer maintain enough velocity for orbit), natural atmospheric drag pulls them down to lower altitudes, where air molecules cause them to disintegrate before ever reaching the Earths surface. Its essentially the atmospheres natural space junk cleaning protocolbut climate change might be slowing it down. William Parker is a graduate student at MITs AeroAstro program, and he served as the lead author on the new study. Parker explains that greenhouse gases have a warming effect within the troposphere (the atmospheric layer closest to Earth), but in further layers, they actually have the opposite effect. Because greenhouse gases keep heat trapped close to the Earth, more distant layerslike the thermosphere, where the majority of satellites orbitare actually cooling down over time. That cooling leads to contraction, Parker says. The whole atmosphere is sort of shrinking. As the atmosphere shrinks, he adds, so, too, does the natural drag force thats supposed to pull satellites downward. That means that there’s less atmospheric density for the satellites to experience, which means that we don’t have this cleaning force in low Earth orbit that we’ve always had to rely on. Preventing a satellite debris pile-up As the atmospheres natural cleaning force diminishes, satellite operators may soon encounter a significant build-up of debris in low Earth orbit. Experts theorize that, beyond a certain critical mass, such a build-up could lead to something called The Kessler Effect: a series of space collisions that snowball as debris increases. Just this past year, Parker notes, Space Xs satellite service Starlinkwhich operates around 60% of all active satelliteshad to perform 100,000 collision avoidance maneuvers to prevent space collisions. If we don’t take action to be more responsible for operating our satellites, the impact is that there are going to be entire regions of low Earth orbit that could become uninhabitable for a satellite, Parker says. If nothing is done to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, the MIT teams simulations show that the maximum satellite capacity in low Earth orbit could decrease by 50% to 66% by 2100. In a more likely scenario where some effective climate action is taken, Parker says the capacity is still predicted to drop by 24% to 33% in that same time frame. Currently, satellites play a central role in global weather tracking, access to internet service, online banking, national defense protocols, and more. If satellite operators have to spend more and more energy avoiding obstacles, providing those essential services will become increasingly difficultand expensive. It’s going to mean that all of the products that we get from space are going to be degraded, because satellites now have a secondary objective, Parker says. The primary objective has always been to collect data or to provide some service, like connection to the internet. Now, the secondary objective is just to make sure that you don’t get destroyed in a collision with a debris object. It’s something that operators have only had to start worrying about in the last five to 10 years. The long-term solution is taking more action to eliminate greenhouse gas pollution. In the meantime, Parker says, satellite operators should try to operate at lower altitudes to ensure that theres enough drag to remove debris from the atmosphere, as well as taking proactive steps to return spacecraft from orbit before they can even become debris. He also believes that a real set of international space traffic management rules could help prevent overcrowding. There used to be this mantra in the space industry that space is big, and that’s an excuse to not treat it with the respect that it should be treated with, Parker says. Thats outdated, and we need to do a better job at managing this resource that we have and sharing it in an equitable way.
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