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.
Simple Relaxation
This week Nick Parker's "Tone Knob" Substack shared with us the story of the Rochambeau Club, with the tagline "It's refined. It's exclusive. It's... not real?". The tone of voice reminded me of one of my favourite campaigns ever (yes, I worked a lot in marketing in...
Simple Relaxation
Led by our “relaxation guru” we promoted “simple relaxation” everywhere and with everything, including cards we randomly put in every guest room.
Adopt an attitude of gratitude
This post goes out Monday morning of December 7th, though I'm writing it on Friday 4th, as this weekend I am leaving clear to move to my new house. As I write this, as well as looking ahead to how I will feel on Monday morning at 8am when the post goes out, the...
The problem with logic is it kills off magic
Rory Sutherland has 10 rules you can adopt that can help you profit from being less logical than everybody else "The problem with logic is it kills off magic" Recognise this phrase ? If you do, then you know of the author. If you don't, then you are in for a treat....
Creating Meaning is the Mother of all Arts
The new home page of Design Cayman Creating Meaning is the Mother of all Arts. One experience over the course of this year that has been a real pleasure for me has been to work with and get to know the team at a client business in Cayman, a wonderful architecture and...
Meeting interesting people doing interesting things
Meeting interesting people doing interesting things When I moved to London with few friends or business contacts here, I simply decided to look to meet interesting people doing interesting things. Three and a half years later, I'm still doing that (and I love it!),...
So I lost my toothbrush
So, yesterday morning I lost my toothbrush, or to be more accurate, the charger for my electric toothbrush. You see, this week I am packing to move house, so I cleared moved it from where it normally is placed, and yes, couldn't then find it. That moment had me smile...
When and how will you take time to reflect on this year?
Yesterday was the 1st day of December and, as the morning news in the UK insisted on telling us, was "the first meteorological day of winter". Heck, we haven't even had a frost in London yet, though I can almost see Canadians laughing at the idea of winter starting in...
A spellbinding storyteller
On Sunday, November 15th, Tim Harford sent out an email note to his subscribers on what he had been reading lately. Now, Tim is one of my favourite storytellers, so I was stopped in my tracks when I read this passage: David Bodanis's book The Art of Fairness is...
What is the next one thing?
What is the next one thing? My home page highlights what I focus on with my clients: "What's Next", typically supporting them on major change, meaningful impact. Today, though, as the week starts, I'm reminded of a client who recognises in themselves that, at the end...
Discovering an example of green leadership
Riverside Resource Facility, Belvedere, London Discovering an example of green leadership in London. Regular readers will have noticed that, of late, each Saturday morning my riding buddy Sam and I have gone on London explorations. Yesterday we road 70km, with a...
Once again, less is more
Peter Behrens, AEG Turbine Factory, Berlin, 1907-10 from phaidon.com Over the last three weeks, my statements that I'm "always active, never busy" has been challenged, as I've averaged around 25 meetings (zoom and outdoor walking meetings) each week. This has left...
What kind of sorcery is this? (actually a very cool tip)
A cool tip for transcribing scanned documents and spoken words to text using Google Docs, YouTube, Rev.com and GetSubly.com. “the whole purpose of life has been to pass on what was learned. There is no higher purpose”Morgan Freeman’s character explaining what to do to...
Connected to Cayman
Cayman Connection "Yard Meeting" 5pm every Wednesday evening Am very aware that my email newsletter (a digest of daily emails, sent every Tuesday and Friday) has hundreds of people from Cayman on it. Last night at the end of a full day, I jumped on the weekly Cayman...