Claims influence. Consider the infamous Brexit claim that linked a misleading payment to Europe to an opportunity to fund the UK's national health service. Or perhaps Oatly, who have assertively claimed their climate advantage to motivate the swap to oat milk. Oatly has been successfully called out for some inaccurate numbers, but fact-based comparison Vs... Continue Reading →
I studied economics a long time ago and it continues to influence my view of the world. It partly explains my enduring frustration that economists don't get the attention and consideration they should. So, this blog makes an appeal for more active interest in their perspective and findings. My angst was reawakened recently when I... Continue Reading →
Back in 1985 I saw the Talking Heads concert 'Stop Making Sense' at a cinema in Newcastle Upon Tyne. I can't remember who was with me, but I vividly recall the film. It was distinct, difficult to categorise and dominated by an energetic and eccentric David Byrne performance. 1985 is a long time ago, but... Continue Reading →
Constructive dissent is critical for innovation and problem-solving. The generation of potential solutions needs to be followed by a critical evaluation of assumptions and challenge to determine the best choices. This requires a shared curiosity in available information and respectful consideration of conflicting viewpoints. The prize is the discovery of important insights, more informed decision-making,... Continue Reading →
One of my facilitation challenges was connecting ten public sector teams in a conversation on raising their collective performance. Following scene setting on organisational vision and the attributes of high performing teams the session moved to collaborative action. The first step involved reflection on strengths, successes and areas to improve. With these shared, each team... Continue Reading →
A leader’s relationship with and support to team members obviously matters hugely. For academics the mechanical sounding “leader–member exchange" (LMX) has provided a focus for studying the drivers and benefits of a high quality relationship / connection that is characterised by trust, liking, and mutual respect. Better relationships will mean team members are more receptive... Continue Reading →
I have been exploring how organisations successfully drive innovation across horizons and deliver more than just incremental core growth. Alongside some clever consultants, I listened to innovation leaders from LEGO, bp, Essity, Hitachi, Nissan and Unilever. Their generous input supported some detailed findings and from this I have picked out six key core elements which... Continue Reading →
The power of pairs More than a decade ago, one of my clients redesigned their organisation to support more innovation-led growth. A key part of this transformation was ensuring projects were led by a partnership of two innovation directors or managers—one focused on technical challenges and the other on customer adoption. This combination of expertise... Continue Reading →
I had the good luck to mentor Krisztina, and Sara - two very enterprising students who took part in the University of East Anglia's Change Makers competition. Participation enabled them to develop and pitch their social enterprise NourishED promising wider access to affordable and nutritious meals. Up for grabs was a competition prize award and... Continue Reading →
It is always good to see a brand that knows its distinctive assets. Magnum has for some time emphasised the chocolate cracking start of the Magnum pleasure journey in communication. It has also ensured the signature experience extends across flavours and formats. New visuals that place products on a cracked surface make a short sensory... Continue Reading →
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