My Library
People are my library, my writing inspired by what I learn: ideas, inspiration, wisdom, and sometimes some eclectic whimsy for good measure, all centred around #OpenLeadership. At the heart of all of this is that I write to share learnings and to discover my thoughts. Over the years i have written (mostly) daily, over 2000 posts and 1,000,000 words (that last part blows my mind, tbh!). Enjoy browsing.
How slow can you go?
How slow can you go? This week am at a Decelerator Lab on the glorious Isle of Bute. I left behind the patriarchal pace and said Here's the new race: How slow can you go? Here's the new definition of success: How relaxed can you be? How much more can you rest? How...
How slow can you go?
Here’s the new race: How slow can you go? Here’s the new definition of success: How relaxed can you be?
Not all those who wander are lost
“Not all those who wander are lost”JRR Tolkien Today a story as a reminder to consciously look for new perspectives, literally and figuratively. All too often we get stuck in what we know, what we are familiar with. In our businesses, we do the same, we also recruit...
Say No
The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.Warren Buffett How often do you say "No"? I am home in Cayman for a week from today, and on each successive trip, I am learning to say...
The Art of Perception
Bridget Riley, "After The Bridge at Courbevoie" "Perception constitutes our awareness of what it is to be human, indeed what it is to be alive."Bridget Riley This week I visited the Hayward Gallery to see the Bridget Riley exhibition. Her huge abstract paintings of...
Price is what you pay; Value is what you get
"Price is what you pay; Value is what you get"Warren Buffett Today let me tell you a story about a time when I nearly paid the price of focussing solely on lowest cost rather than investing in value until I had a sudden moment where I realised that investing an extra...
Keeping it simple – do the work first
Image by Carl Richards of Behavior Gap a master of simplifying #OpenLeadership is simple. It is a practice of embracing change as constant, encouraging individual thought, relying on intuition more than data, fluidity more than hierarchy, trust more than fear, and...
Purpose-Led – Redemption Roasters
The new triple bottom line - see "Leading from Purpose" In 2020 I will be writing regular posts featuring businesses that are truly Purpose-led and are highly and sustainably successful. This is all part of a mission to build bridges to CEOs, and specifically to...
Ask WHY… five times
One day last week I was at theRSA for a meeting and the coffee cup they gave me was this one. Today a quick tip/reminder of a simple technique to get to the source of any issue or problem. Simply ask WHY five times. This technique was developed by Toyota as part of...
Innovating – with Shadow
"He who avoids shadow avoids what is the glory of art"Leonardo Da Vinci What can leaders and businesses learn from art, artists, and also those who design art exhibitions? I often quote Da Vinci with "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication". Last week I viewed an...
Time for a new kind of 10 year plan
Back in September 2017, I ran a workshop for Entrepreneurial Scotland called Unthinkable, musing on the pace of change and then coined the term #OpenLeadership as a way of leading in an age where Strategic plans and Visions are often out of date before the ink is dry....
Cayman – Sparking Ideas!
So, having been home in Cayman last September and then once again in December, I'll be over for work and open for meetings January 20-24 and then again February 24-26. I always love to work with clients and on projects in support of businesses, individuals and Cayman...
What is your singular gift?
"He simply picked us and joined us"Seth Godin on Chip Conley This week Chip Conley and his friend Seth Godin are collaborating on a series of mini-blogs on Chip's "Wisdom Well" site. This week I was also on a video call with a client who is looking to mine their...
Show up on time
"Showing up on time is one of the greatest liberating acts you can give yourself"Tom Hanks, in his acceptance speech at the Golden Globes, Jan 6, 2020 I like to be on time. In fact, I like to be early. Being early has power in many ways Early is on time, on time is...