Best of the web reads: When work becomes a game

Turning work into a game: It’s unlikely to be your first thought when you go to work – treat it like a game. But as The New Yorker shows, elements of what’s known as ‘gamification’ are creeping into work practices to incentivise staff and measure their productivity. It’s an area that’s sparked debate about whether non-remunerative features in a workplace can compensate for work that’s not, in itself, rewarding.

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon in profile: What makes the leader of one of the world’s largest banks tick? Here Vanity Fair profiles JPMorgan chief executive Jamie Dimon. From bus tours across the US meeting staff and clients to managing the fallout of a rogue trader who’s cost the company nearly US$6 billion, we learn how Dimon stands out from the banker crowd.

Personal branding for introverts: Are introverts at a disadvantage when it comes to building their own personal brand? It may appear extroverts, who find it easy to mingle and mix at networking events to promote themselves, have a head start in the branding stakes. But as Dorie Clark explains in this Harvard Business Review blog, there are ways introverts can build a personal brand without having to force themselves out of their comfort zones.

Lessons from the global financial crisis: It’s been five years since the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers, seen by many as the trigger for the global financial crisis. But despite the economic turmoil that engulfed the world, people still engaged their entrepreneurial drive and started new businesses. Here, Inc. goes back and talks to some businesses that started around the time of the GFC and finds out what they did to survive – and thrive.