From weaknesses and threats to strengths

This bowl is a beautiful example of Kintsugi, the Japanese art of turning repairs into a work of art to create something more stunning — and stronger — than it was before. The metaphor of a disaster becoming a gift was my inspiration for this article.   All businesses have weaknesses and threats. Sometimes existential. […]

Alan’s Business Fables #2 – What Drives You?

Illustration by Dan Brown   Inspired by true events   There was once a very successful food manufacturing company. Foundations It was founded by three highly talented people who had complementary skills. Sarah was a natural leader, a visionary. She was CEO. Ben was a brilliant salesman. Mark was a master of manufacturing and operations. […]

Doing a deal where you least expect it

The impact altitude had on haggling, one heady day.   My first business was called Muscle Music. It rented out PA systems to touring bands. My business partner and I were in our early 20s, both 5’6″ tall (or is that short?) and the name reflected our rather immature sense of humour. Artists we worked […]

Why I Champion Conscious Empathic Leadership

My title could have read Why I Champion Conscious Empathic Leadership In Men, to emphasise the extra importance of men having to work more consciously at displaying empathic behaviours in their leadership, but that feels just as sexist as saying that female leaders need to ‘man up’! Traditional ‘male’ characteristics like decisive, powerful, authoritarian and […]