“And an astronomer said, Master, what of Time? And he answered: You would measure time the measureless and the immeasurable. You would adjust your conduct and even direct the course of your spirit according to hours and seasons. Of time you would make a stream upon whose bank you would sit and watch it’s flowing. […]

Last week, Seth Godin talked about ‘Hobson’s Choice’ – I wasn’t previously aware of the origin of this term, which dates back to the 16th century. Thomas Hobson was a hostler who owned a livery stable in Cambridge. Whilst giving the impression of having an extensive choice of forty or more, Hobson would only allow […]

Here’s a selection of reasons I’ve heard as to why people missed their goals this year: War in Ukraine War in Palestine/Israel Aftermath of Truss mini-budget Lingering effects of Brexit Cost of living (“crisis”) Energy prices House prices Inflation Politics (instability, incompetence, etc.) “Crazy” competitor tactics Supply chain holdups Lack of talent (Please feel free […]

You can definitely conclude that former Royal Engineers officer Nick Francis has had a diverse career. He was awarded the “Operational Engineering Award” for his design and construction of emergency Ebola hospitals in Sierra Leone, and his innovative designs for emergency flood defences saved the town of Romsey from catastrophic flooding. As a specialist in […]

In his bestselling book ‘Purple Cow’, Seth Godin makes a point every leader would do well to properly consider: “If you can’t state your position in eight words, you don’t have a position.” Of course, brevity isn’t the only thing required, these eight words must do three things: Be relevant to the audience Be different […]

Grab a piece of paper and create four columns. In the first column write down every reason why a client should select you. Make sure you include the way you deliver the service as well as the products/services. Include price, payment terms, warranties and anything else financial. Add the personal touches, the things your people […]

In General David Petraeus and Andrew Roberts incredibly well researched book, ‘Conflict – The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine’, the authors state that successful strategic leadership can transform even the most seriously disadvantageous situations for the better; however, when it fails, it can turn likely victory into certain defeat. They contest, and who am […]

I was at a League 2 football game recently and just prior to the match starting, asked someone in our group, (who knows far more about this division than I will ever do), what the capacity of the ground is. “27,000” he replied. I turned to him, (thinking he was winding me up given that […]

Leading a business is often compared to being the conductor of an orchestra. You need to be one step ahead all the time, making sure that every part of the organisation knows what to do, when, and how. Whilst this analogy has been helpful, I feel it’s outdated for many companies – and offer an […]

What do the following all have in common? Anne Shirley Batman Carrie Willow David Copperfield Estella Havisham Frodo Baggins Gideon Smeed Han Solo James Bond Klaus Baudelaire Lisbeth Salander Mary Lennox Nell Trent Oliver Twist Pippi Longstocking Robin Superman Tom Hagan Violet Baudelaire Wolverine Yuri Zhivago To read the rest of this newsletter please click […]