Whatever your monarchist or republican leanings, it’s unlikely you missed the coverage of the Windsor Wedding on Saturday. I watched it all the way through with friends and family. The young kids and my elderly father were particularly gripped. I loved the flowers, the music, the fashion and the fact that it was a truly great show. There are lessons …
Speed Thrills: Leadership Velocity
I’ve written a book about leading in an accelerated world. I’ve done this because I’ve spent years working with leaders who are frustrated by speed bumps and corporate torpor. The other day I watched ‘Mr Blandings Builds his Dream House’, a classic Cary Grant American film where an ad man in the city gets fed up of his small space in …
Every duck has its day
Pitching is fast, frenetic and unforgiving. It’s not for the faint-hearted. It’s also exciting, adrenaline-pumping, physically and intellectually demanding. It is not open to reason. You’re either up for it or out of it. Win a new client as a result of a pitch and the crowd goes wild. Out comes the Champagne, bells are rung (literally in some agencies, …
Being Remarkable
The number of high profile figures who have hit the headlines recently might take issue with Oscar Wilde’s famous line: “There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.” I’m sure they’d be quite happy to fade from the front pages and disappear from Twitter timelines for a while. …
Why every business leader needs to watch Star Wars
Star Wars is based on a timeless format called the Hero’s Journey. But it’s a story structure that can also be harnessed by entrepreneurs and business leaders to great effect, writes Jon Card. Star Wars is a Hollywood classic for many reasons – lightsabers, Death Stars, dark forces and epic battle scenes. But another key part of its success is …
A TALE OF TWO SALARIES
As a woman, I feel uniquely qualified to share my thoughts on what it is like to be a woman, on this, the International Day of Women. For if the last few months have taught us anything, it is that we all have a story to tell. Even if your story, like mine, is that you’re white, middle class, …
BRAND STANDS. How to attract and win the best talent
People talk about the war of attention being one of the biggest challenges in today’s fast-moving world. I believe it’s the war for recruitment and retention which is equally important for leaders managing businesses today. How do you stand out? How do you attract the best brains and the best people? The answer is in your brand. A brand …
WTF is happening to Customer Experience?
The Caffeine Partnership’s guest blog this month is by Shaun Smith, founder of Smith+Co and an international speaker and award-winning author. His latest book ‘On Purpose – delivering a branded customer experience people love’, co-authored with Andy Milligan, has received global recognition for helping brand leaders create stand-out experiences that leave a lasting impression with purpose. According to Forrester’s 2017 …
Coach Journey
I’ve kept a diary since I was 14. Given the New Year is the traditional time of resolutions, in the interests of empirical research I took a trip up to the loft to review 30 years of progress. Turns out my observations were less Samuel Pepys, more Adrian Mole. (Example: “Went to village shop. Bought cat food.”) Every entry …
The true meaning of business success
“Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” Clarence Odbody, Angel Second Class Would anyone miss your business if it didn’t exist? It’s a regular question consultants ask their clients in workshops. The answer is always ‘yes’ for some reason when probably half the time …