When will they learn that we live in an age of transparency?
This is a bit of a nerdy blog post. Or as we say in the UK, I am being an anorack. But I'll declare that I am a fan of Elon Musk, of Tesla, and a media skeptic (all will become clear). I also believe that we are living in an age of transparency, and not enough people...
The best TED talks
At one level, there is no such thing as "the best TED talk". When the best thinkers in the world share a soundbite of insight the results are extraordinary, and there's a reason that TED conferences are almost always sold out and the online archive one of the most...
The best TED talks
At one level, there is no such thing as "the best TED talk". When the best thinkers in the world share a soundbite of insight the results are extraordinary, and there's a reason that TED conferences are almost always sold out and the online archive one of the most...
Do you think this is the end for the High Street?
We don’t. Yes, another big UK retailer, Republic, bit the dust today. It’s been an incredibly tough few years for the High Street, with retailers having to negotiate through the challenges of out-of-town retail parks, online competition and the deepest recession in...
Three Things Leaders Can Do To Maintain Their Balance.
The captivating picture is of Licia Ronzulli and her seven-week-old daughter, Victoria. Periodically Licia would bend forward and gently kiss her sleeping daughter. It was an image that captured the media’s attention and was published worldwide. It was taken in a...
Improvising the revolution: Fail to win, like Steve Jobs
The Apple Lisa. The Newton. Macintosh TV. The Apple III. The Powermac G4 Cube. Steve Jobs had a brilliant understanding of how technology trends were developing, yet even he messed up fairly regularly and spectacularly (although he got better with time - and practice)...
Improvising the revolution: Fail to win, like Steve Jobs
The Apple Lisa. The Newton. Macintosh TV. The Apple III. The Powermac G4 Cube. Steve Jobs had a brilliant understanding of how technology trends were developing, yet even he messed up fairly regularly and spectacularly (although he got better with time - and practice)...
Practical ‘weapons’ in the war against flat-earth thinking
In my recent ezine article I wrote about how leaders needed to avoid the trap of ‘flat-earth thinking’. I suggested three things that could be employed in avoiding the trap, namely: Curiosity, courage and commitment. I went on to say that whilst curiosity, courage and...
Are you a creator or a perfecter?
Seth Godin gets it spot on (as he normally does) with this insight from his blog last year. The question for you is simple: are you a creator, or are you in the business of perfecting what has been created? It might sound as if both are equally important, interesting...
Are you a creator or a perfecter?
Seth Godin gets it spot on (as he normally does) with this insight from his blog last year. The question for you is simple: are you a creator, or are you in the business of perfecting what has been created? It might sound as if both are equally important, interesting...
The Leader’s Magical Running Shoes
‘Man these shoes are fast…I can hardly keep up with them’ I thought as I tried out my new ultra light-weight Adidas running shoes for the first time. My legs were a blur as they pumped furiously just to keep in touch with the bright neon shoes that screamed, ‘look at...
Are You Rude?
“Rudeness at work is rampant, and it’s on the rise.” And apparently 98% of people have reported experiencing rude behavior at work.... 50% said they encountered rudeness at least once a week. In an HBR article this month, The Price of Incivility, the authors make a...
Women’s Equality is needed everywhere
If you know anything about me, you'll know I am passionate about sport: especially cricket. You'll also know that I am passionate about the roles and place of women in society, and our need to ensure equality and access to opportunities for men and women. I am also...
Make the most of social media: the difference between an audience and an individual
One of the numerous quotes attributed to Albert Einstein is: "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." This is true in business, as it is in other areas of our lives. It has always been true, for example, of public...
Make the most of social media: the difference between an audience and an individual
One of the numerous quotes attributed to Albert Einstein is: "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." This is true in business, as it is in other areas of our lives. It has always been true, for example, of public...
We’ve been suckered! “there is no real difference between work and play – it’s all living” says Richard Branson
Richard Branson recently said "there is no real difference between work and play – it’s all living" How profoundly true this statement is. I spent yesterday speaking at the excellent Business Leaders Group and the concept of where we work and how we work was a strong...
Tomorrow’s Retail – using data to help customers (not scare them)
Our UK Strategic Insights team has recently released a report on "Tomorrow's Retail" - and it's now available for you to download. It's filled with fantastic insights - like this one... What if a retailer could anticipate what a customer needs before they even realise...
Tomorrow's Retail – using data to help customers (not scare them)
Our UK Strategic Insights team has recently released a report on "Tomorrow's Retail" - and it's now available for you to download. It's filled with fantastic insights - like this one... What if a retailer could anticipate what a customer needs before they even realise...
Tomorrow’s Retail – using data to help customers (not scare them)
What if a retailer could anticipate what a customer needs before they even realise it themselves? US store Target, famously got into hot water when it used analytics to predict when customers were pregnant in order to benefit from their upswing in spending and sent...
A Question to leaders: What do you love about leadership?
A somewhat unusual question I know but an important one nonetheless. Leadership comes with various pros and cons and the responsibilities associated with leadership can cast a long shadow and present a heavy load. Some talk about leadership as being lonely and most...