blogleadership

[blogleadership]

BIG CHANGE is still afoot.  How good a grip do you have on your business?

Back in the Spring of this year (2017) I blogged about the big changes about to happen with the UK’s relationship with Europe and the rest of the World.  This was just before the General Election.

The largely unexpected lack of an overall majority in June and the lengthy shenanigans to achieve a working majority was a distracting sideshow as was the various posturing from politicians who still refused to accept the democratic outcome of the referendum.

So I thought I would revisit my thoughts from 6 months ago and update them.

Whether you like it or not is irrelevant – the UK is leaving Europe and the sooner we concentrate our limited time and all our effort on achieving the best exit; the better it will be for the UK.  To the politicians I say – get over it and get on with it.

To business people wondering what their best course of action is I say – get a grip of your key business drivers - and you can do this by attending one of our FREE Insight events.

The UK is in a period of disruptive change.  Change that will, no doubt, be good for some…  So how do you make sure your grip on your business doesn’t slip and maybe even improve your chances of continued business success?

We are putting faith in the Government to deliver a good deal for the UK in the Brexit negotiations but nobody knows what that deal will look like and nobody knows how it will affect the business landscape both inward and outward looking. We have a few clues but there’s nothing you can bet the farm on.

No business is immune from these changes because even if a business is not directly affected – their customers and suppliers will be.

So every business leader and decision-maker should be aware of the potential risks and opportunities in a business landscape that is going to change in an unpredictable way.  We need plans and they need to be flexible as things unfold over the next 2-3 years.

But how can you plan for something you can’t predict?  Well you may not be able to plan the detail but you can plan regular reviews of your business circumstances and you can plan your activities based on intelligent guesses and moving more quickly to adapt to the market than your competitors.

If you have direct or indirect competitors then you can steal an edge by being ready to react whatever way the negotiations go.  If you don’t do the thinking and planning and your competitors are then expect to lose some market share pretty soon.

Does this sound like hard work?  Of course it is – but that’s exactly why you should do it.  Those who shy away from the hard work will be playing catch-up (if they survive) whilst those who are paying close attention will be best placed to make the most of the changes.

So how do I make a start?

If you can be at the Village Hotel in Swansea SA1 on 6th September 2017 from 08:30 until 11:00 then the FREE ION leadership “Get a Grip of Your Business” workshop will provide some insights into how you can take control of your business’ future by giving you tools to start understanding your markets better and get ready to react appropriately – whatever way the Brexit negotiations take us.

The workshop is FREE and you get something of value to take away – and yes there’s a catch – we want 5 minutes of your time to tell you about our ION leadership programme that gives you much, much more of the same if you choose to invest a modest sum in your personal and business growth.

So stop procrastinating. Start getting a better grip on your business’ future growth and sign up now at the ION leadership website

This blog is the view of an individual and not necessarily the view of ION leadership or Swansea University. So if it makes sense or makes you smile - it’s not the fault of anybody official :-)

[blogleadership]

Increase your turnover by 26% in 7 months

Leadership is the key…

What does good leadership actually look like? Firstly; let’s define leadership as a distinct activity from management.  Management is “doing things right” and leadership is “doing the right things”.  So, by and large, managers take the goals they are given and make sure their team delivers to the best of their ability.  It is the leader who gives the managers their goals.  In the real world there are many leaders who spend some of their time leading and some of their time managing and that is to be expected. BUT the challenge is to remember to spend enough time leading as there is always the temptation to get sucked into the day-to-day bustle of activity and forget about the big picture.

Leaders work ON the business whilst managers work IN the business.  It’s all a question of CONTEXT.

Everybody loves firefighting – a crisis means we all have to work really hard – getting out that rush order, preparing for that snap Audit, finishing off that big contract bid at the 11th hour. If there are stops to be pulled out then we love pulling them because being really busy means we are being really productive right?  But if you are doing this at the expense of stepping back and looking at the future then the business will lurch from crisis to crisis and never get to the root cause and fix things.  Being permanently overstretched will cause damage and people will go sick or leave and pile even more pressure on those left behind.  Leaders know that some simple actions can reduce the pressure and get the job done better.  These simple actions may even free up some resource to invest in developing the future activities and capabilities of the business.

Leaders create a vision for the business and set goals to mark the way to achieving the vision.  Those goals are prioritised so everybody knows which are key to business success. The leader’s job is then to get people engaged and excited about where the business is going and eager to get stuck in.

Leaders revisit the vision and goals on a periodic basis to make sure they are still pertinent in an ever-changing marketplace. Leaders encourage the organisation to challenge and improve itself and leaders create a culture that is right for the context of their business.

On the ION leadership course we see business people at the start of their careers right though to business people in their 50’s who have decades of experience behind them.  They are all searching for a better way and they all learn many things that help them improve their business for the better.  We know because we keep in touch with our delegates and we get loads of success stories – many of which you can find on our website www.ionleadership.co.uk

And by the way – although ION leadership is delivered by Swansea University, those of us who deliver the course are experienced business people NOT academics.  So we don’t do lectures, we don’t do “chalk and talk” (that’s why we deliver in non-University locations across Wales) – what we do is practical, experiential learning. Some of the learning is done outside on the lawn (if it’s not hammering down), the theory is kept to a minimum and you will find yourself rolling up your sleeves and getting stuck in to practical activities.  It’s a whole lot of fun which disguises the fact we are slipping some serious learning into the mix.  Above all else we give you great ideas to implement back in your business which our delegates do with enthusiasm and report back some great successes each time we see them.

ION leadership is a leadership development course – naturally we are going to want you to develop your leadership skills. But we have evidence that improved leadership has a significant impact on business.  96% of our 1000+ delegates have told us their leadership skills have improved since being on the course and they also reported an average increase of 26% in turnover WHILST STILL ON THE COURSE.

Our course is currently heavily supported by the European Social Fund - this means your cash investment is low.  The support runs out after the next few courses so get in quick. We can’t guarantee you will achieve the average 26% increase in turnover – that is down to how hard you are prepared to work.  But if 9 days of your time spread over 7 months and around £1,200 is worth a significant improvement in your business performance then it’s an easy decision…

Give us a call or drop in to our website if you are passing - and you could Join 1000 leaders...

01792 606738  www.ionleadership.co.uk

[blogleadership]

82.2% of UK workers have encountered bad leadership.

The job site CV-Library recently surveyed 1,200 UK workers about their experiences of leadership in the workplace and the findings are pretty damning of the state of leadership across the UK.

Here are some of the highlights:

82.2% of those surveyed said they have had a bad leader.  Break that down further and the three cities with the highest proportion of bad leaders are London (84.2%), Liverpool (86.4%) and, worst of all, here in South Wales; Cardiff weighs in with a whopping 88.5%.

That’s not to say that 88.5% of all bosses in South Wales are bad – but 88.5% of employees have encountered bad leadership at some point in their career.

When asked what bad leadership looks like the respondents’ top answers were “Poor People Skills”, “Poor Communication Skills”, “Favouritism” and “Being Unprofessional”.

93.8% of the 1,200 think that strong leadership is important in the workplace with 76.2% saying they actually enjoy following a leader.

Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library, explained:

“Bad management is often cited as the top reason for employees becoming stressed at work or worse still, leaving organisations altogether, so it’s no surprise that our findings highlight some of the repercussions that poor leadership can bring about. Workers want to feel supported in their day-to-day job and often depend on a strong leader to look up to, approach if things get tough and rely on for help on a daily basis. Organisations that don’t promote best practice when it comes to leadership will inevitably bear the brunt when it comes to talent retention.”

According to the study, a massive 83.2% of employees believe that they could make a good leader. The key reasons behind this include: because they’re confident (21%), good at communicating (22.7%), approachable (16.6%), a good motivator (14.8%) and trustworthy (12.5%). 

Biggins also observes:

“Workers across the UK clearly understand some of the key attributes that are needed to be an excellent leader, having experienced first hand some of the best and worst traits that bosses possess. Finding great leaders can be hard, and businesses should look to develop employees that demonstrate the passion, drive and behaviour that is needed to drive organisations forward in 2017 and beyond.”

The research found that the best leadership qualities are: confidence (50.4%), honesty (34.3%), integrity (34%), positivity (31.9%), trustworthiness (31.2%), open mindedness (29.8%), motivational (27.4%), passion (26.4%) and transparency (19.1%).

So how do we close this gap? ION leadership (formerly known as LEAD Wales) has been doing this very thing since 2010.  To date around 1,000 business leaders have been through our heavily subsidised programme and raised their leadership game; reporting, on average, a 26% rise in turnover whilst still on the course due mainly to what they have learned and applied back in the workplace.  Of course you have to roll your sleeves up back in the workplace to achieve those results and 1,000 people have done just that – some of them may even be your competitors.

The course is typically 9 days spread over 7 months, is highly practical and is heavily subsidised but you can only attend if you either live or work in the Wales Convergence area and the subsidy runs out very soon.  Seize the moment and grow yourself as well your business.

Find out more at www.ionleadership.co.uk or call 01792 606738

Our remaining courses start on 7th June in Bridgend, 13th June in Carmarthen and 18th July in the Valleys.

[blogleadership]

BIG CHANGE is afoot.  How good a grip do you have on your business?

The UK is in a period of disruptive change.  Change that will, no doubt, be good for some and not good for others.  So how do you make sure your grip on your business doesn’t slip and maybe even improve it?

We are putting faith in the Government (whatever Government is elected on June 8th) to deliver a good deal for the UK in the Brexit negotiations but nobody knows what that deal will look like and nobody knows how it will affect the business landscape both inward and outward looking.

No business is immune from these changes because even if a business is not directly affected – their customers and suppliers will be.

So every business leader and decision-maker should be aware of the potential risks and opportunities in a business landscape that is going to change in an unpredictable way.  We need plans and they need to be flexible as things unfold over the next 2-3 years.

But how can you plan for something you can’t predict?  Well you may not be able to plan the detail but you can plan regular reviews of your business circumstances and you can plan your activities based on intelligent guesses and moving more quickly to adapt to the market than your competitors.

Does this sound like hard work?  Of course it is – but that’s exactly why you should do it.  Those who shy away from the hard work will be playing catch-up (if they survive) whilst those who are paying close attention will be best placed to make the most of the changes.

So how do I make a start?

If you can be at the Village Hotel in Swansea SA1 on 16th May 2017 from 08:30 until 11:00 then the FREE ION leadership “Get a Grip of Your Business” workshop will provide some insights into how you can take control of your business’ future by giving you tools to start understanding your markets better.

It’s free and you get something of value to take away – and yes there’s a catch – we want 5 minutes of your time to tell you about our ION leadership programme that gives you much, much more of the same if you choose to invest a modest sum in your personal and business growth.

So stop procrastinating. Start getting a better grip on your business’ future growth and sign up now at the ION leadership website

[blogleadership]

UK still “an attractive location” - The Importance of Context

27th July 2016

This morning GlaxoSmithKline announced that it would be investing £275m in expanding its three UK manufacturing sites.  It says that the country remains “an attractive location” despite Brexit.  The CEO (who backed Remain) said "It is testament to our skilled UK workforce and the country's leading position in life sciences that we are making these investments in advanced manufacturing here". 

So is this an about-face from a business who had cast doubts on whether it would remain in the UK due to “uncertainty” and “potential complexity” of leaving the EU?

Not necessarily. Prior to the referendum; businesses were uncertain about the economic impact of Brexit.  And as we know; businesses dislike uncertainty.  But now, 5 weeks after the referendum result, the economy has adjusted slightly but it hasn’t collapsed, the World still turns and the big players are gaining enough confidence to make substantial commitments to the future.

So what has changed? The CONTEXT has changed.

Context is usually discussed in relation to communications – the better your audience understands the background and reasons behind your story or message – the better it is understood.

But I am not here to talk about communication.  I am here to talk about context with regard to the environment in which you find your business operating.

Before the referendum was even announced there was certainty.  The business context was well understood by those businesses who sought to plan their future and stable enough for those with their heads in the sand to bumble along quite happily because the pace of change was slow.

Brexit has thrown all of this into the air.  The planning departments of businesses all over the world went into temporary meltdown as they frantically bashed their spreadsheets to try to predict the future. Those without plans suddenly felt uneasy because the slow and steady world had suddenly speeded up and was wobbling dangerously.  Now we are 5 weeks past the decision and there is some strong political leadership and the markets have stopped wobbling – the big businesses have adjusted and are seeing a pathway forward – hence the GSK investment – and last week’s bigger Wells Fargo announcement.

Businesses without planners are still panicked because they don’t understand how to interpret the new business environment any more than they did the old one.  They lack understanding and thus they lack the ability to position their businesses within the wider context.  They are still stuck in the headlights.

It need not be that way.

Businesses need to consider what sits inside their circles – the inner circle of control, the middle circle of influence and the outer circle of concern.  Circle within circles and very important tools to help businesses change the things they can and not waste effort raging against the things they can’t.

There are uncertainties generated inside all three circles but what differs is how businesses need to react to them.

Uncertainties within the inner circle of control can be dealt with (IF you identify them).  The uncertainties within the circle of influence can be dealt with through dialogue, negotiation or contingency planning and the uncertainties in the outer circle of concern can only be monitored and dealt with through scenario or contingency planning.

This need not be an onerous task but it is a vital thing to do and it needs to be frequently updated, especially in times of great change – like the next 3 years or so.

Good news for commercial business leaders who live or work in the Welsh Convergence Region.  ION leadership is running a FREE invitation-only half day workshop on 4th August to look at these very issues.  We may repeat this in early September if demand dictates.

If you are interested please call Richard Perry on 01792 606559

[blogleadership]

Fresh wave of inward investment

19th July 2016

Yesterday was a good day for UK plc.  Sterling rose slightly against the Euro and the US dollar.  The FTSE100 and FTSE250 both gained in trading.

These are just indicators so what was driving this mini surge of optimism?

If you have a smart phone or a netbook or one of the new devices in the embryonic “internet of things” the chances are you own a device containing a chip designed by ARM Holdings. Note I say “designed” and not “made” because ARM Holdings worked out years ago that designing chips is way more important than making them, because by being very good at design you can influence the direction of the market very strongly.  Apple devices and Samsung smart phones all contain chips with designs licensed from ARM.

ARM has sold with a 43% premium for its shareholders.  That means the Japanese buyer will be paying £24bn for the business that was valued at £16bn yesterday.  Bad news that the jewel in the UK’s tech crown has been sold?  Maybe; but Softbank (the buyer) has promised to keep the Cambridge HQ, to retain the management structure and will double the UK workforce from 3,000 to 6,000 over the next few years.  Softbank has a history of doing this with previous acquisitions so this is good news for the tech workforce and good news for people hoping to be able to control their washing machine, dishwasher or cooker from their phone. The CEO of Softbank has expressed his confidence in the prospects for the UK economy following BRExit.

In other areas; on 7th July 4 major US banks and a UK bank that earns most of its profits in the Far East, announced that they would be doing everything they could to maintain London’s position as a financial centre for the world.  Yesterday yet another bank – Wells Fargo (one of the USA’s biggest banks) announced its commitment by buying a £300m office block near the Bank of England which it will be using to bolster its London presence – it is one of the largest property deals in London this year.

These deals probably started way before BRExit but the buyers could have pulled out.  They have had plenty of time to consider the UK’s position going forward and have obviously concluded that the investments are perfectly valid.  Nobody punts that sort of cash on a wing and a prayer.

What I find interesting is the process they must have gone through to decide to continue.  They must have weighed up the various scenarios of how BRExit might turn out, they also factored in that trade, in both cases, is substantial with the rest of the world and that the various scenarios for the UK’s trading relationships with non-EU countries look favourable.

Whether you are investing or carrying on business as usual – your business should be following this lead and assessing the effects and opportunities not only of a changed trading relationship with the EU but also a changes trading relationship with the rest of the world who will be eagerly anticipating trading with us.

There are many scenarios and huge swathes of the way forward are enveloped in fog, laden with bear traps and the ground is constantly shifting.  Nevertheless there is a safe path forward, but each business has to work out where that path is and must make the journey with its eyes fully open looking for changes in the landscape and navigating its way to growth and prosperity.

If you haven’t started to think about your business’ path then why not start?  If you live or work in West Wales or the Valleys and lead a business (or substantial part of a business) then join us on 26th July or 4th August for a free morning workshop.  We will equip you with the thought processes required to make sense of what will be a state of constant change for the next few years. And we will give you some practical tools.

Contact Richard Perry on 01792 606559 to book your place.

What’s the catch?  No catch.  ION leadership is doing its bit to strengthen the Welsh Economy and this is part of what we are funded to do.  We will spend a few minutes telling you about our future programmes but the vast bulk of the morning will be all about equipping you with a practical approach to the challenges and opportunities of BRExit.

This blog is the view of an individual and not necessarily the view of ION leadership or Swansea University. So if it makes sense or makes you smile - it’s not the fault of anybody official :-)

[blogleadership]

May the force be with you

14th July 2016

The winds of change were blowing down the street outside Theresa May’s new London residence yesterday. The March Wind blew through the letter box of number 11 sending George Osborne on his way to the back benches.  Somewhat gentler breezes brought in the Darling Bud(die)s of May (see what I did there?) along with a peppering of pro-Brexit politicians.

As I write the cabinet makers are still adding the minor players so the full picture will not emerge for a day or two.  Yesterday a few eyebrows were raised when Boris Johnson was appointed Foreign Secretary (but not involved in Brexit negotiations) – was it a case of the PM saying – “you made this mess now go out and fix it with the rest of the world” or was it more because Boris is one of the few current UK Politicians that Americans actually recognise? – quite important as the USA is our biggest trading partner outside of the EU.

Have I suddenly decided to become a Political Commentator?  No – but the machinations in Downing Street have direct and immediate relevance to businesses as I will explain….

So the new PM is signalling very clearly that Brexit will happen.  Yes the call for the second referendum is being debated in the House shortly but only with respect of how to respond to the call.  We are leaving the EU and the EU want it to happen as quickly as possible judging by their published letters and reports of phone calls between the PM and the leaders of the key EU nations last night.  Scotland will remain a problem and no doubt they will continue to wring their hands and moan but for Wales it represents an opportunity.  Wales and England voted for Brexit with remarkably similar percentages showing a great deal of synergy in the sentiment of voters across both nations.  Carwyn Jones yesterday indicated quite clearly that he expects Wales to get a better settlement than the Barnett Formula and he may very well get it – meaning more money for Wales that will be spent in Wales and will circulate around the Welsh economy many times over.

Apart from the continuing cabinet building it is also expected that the Bank of England will cut interest rates to 0.25% today.  This is expected to further weaken the pound but make borrowing cheaper thus stimulating the economy.  A weaker pound does make imports even more expensive but that will have the effect of encouraging consumers to buy more UK produced goods and it will make exported goods more attractive to other countries.

Even if negotiations with the EU fail – we still have our WTO membership and its principle of “Most Favoured Nation” to fall back on.  In many cases this will have no effect on trade with EU nations, in some cases it may work out more favourable (because of the VAT factor) and in some cases it will result in unattractive tariffs – but if you don’t look into it as a business you will not be able to plan for best case and worst case outcomes. The EU has stated that Brexit must not result in the UK profiting from its new relationship with the EU (they don’t want to encourage others to leave) – but the WTO may have something to say about that and I’m sure our PM, along with her Eurosceptic minister David Davis, will be robust in their negotiations

If you own or run or are a key decision-maker in a business; you need to be on top of this sort of information – even if it doesn’t affect your business operations directly, it DOES affect your supply chain and your customers and may affect your competition differently to how it affects you.  As a business you need to be able to react to changes in these external factors in order to remain competitive and to gain those little edges that help grow your business.

So how do you make sense of the vast amounts of information out there?

By taking time out of working IN the business to spend time working ON the business.  By defining how your business sits within its own niche and the wider trading environment, by understanding what your business can and cannot control and by working up strategies to cope with the various possible scenarios that unfold over time.

Sound complicated? It’s really not that difficult….

In the last week of July and the first week of August ION leadership is running two FREE half-day workshops (one in Swansea and one in Merthyr Tydfil) to help business owners, directors and key decision makers get to grips with these issues and apply them in a very practical way to grow their businesses.  Attendees need to either work or live in the Convergence region and not be in the Public Sector.  It’s invitation only and you can get your FREE invitation by calling Richard Perry on 01792 606559.  Be quick as the places are limited and they are happening very soon.

[blogleadership]

Filling the Vacuum

12 July 2016

The day after the referendum, the immediate uncertainty created in the UK was deepened when the current Prime Minister announced he was stepping down but would hang on for another 80-90 days whilst the Conservative Party found a replacement.  The party of Government immediately started a series of power plays that made Game Of Thrones seem like a kids’ bedtime story. European leaders were gleefully telling the World how bad a mistake had been made by the British electorate, UKIP imploded and then Labour followed suit with its own civil war.

The markets reacted badly to all the fun and games with trillions being knocked off the value of shares on the London Stock Exchange and exchange rates hitting 30 year lows.

It was all shaping up to be a long and bad tempered summer before the vacuum in politics on both sides of the House was filled.  In short the good ship UK was sailing on without a captain and with a broken rudder.

But yesterday, a mere 18 days after the referendum, the new Prime Minister designate was announced and Theresa May will get the keys to number 10 tomorrow afternoon.  When the announcement was made yesterday morning the markets (which seemed to know an hour or two in advance) shot up with the FTSE100 closing pretty much where it sat a month ago.  The FTSE250 which had been suffering badly climbed back – not quite where it was a month ago but very close.  The exchange rates recovered slightly and pension fund managers probably got their first decent night’s sleep for three weeks.

Only one thing changed – from tomorrow the country now has a leader who is there for quite some time and has a reputation for being tough but fair.  The good ship UK now has a Captain who is at this very moment looking at putting together the cabinet that will mend the rudder and get things moving.

All it took to settle the markets was a leader.  Interestingly Theresa May was strongly in favour of Remain but her first act was to state that she accepts the referendum result and that her job now is to execute BRExit with the best possible deal for the UK.  This is a clear act of leadership.  There is no going back and so we need to be getting on with the job in hand which is building the strongest possible position for the UK in a changed World.

This is also the strongest possible message for the businesses that power our economy. Regardless of what your business does, it WILL be effected by BRExit one way or another.  This is because no business operates in isolation.

Even if your business is not directly effected, your suppliers and your customers will be.  Our country’s new leader has shown that we have to accept that the process of withdrawal from the EU will go ahead.  There is no going back and so business leaders need to be getting on with the job in hand which is to change their business in whatever way is necessary to survive and grow in the new economic reality.

Business leaders now need to consider the sources of their uncertainty, the specific industry and company level implications and how their current organisational capability might need to change to meet the challenges.  Once they have identified the opportunities and challenges; business leaders need to plan to create the right conditions for business success and adopt a flexible approach to be able to respond to what will be a constantly changing business environment for at least 3 years.

Good news for commercial business leaders who live or work in the Welsh Convergence Region.  ION leadership is running some FREE invitation-only half day workshops in the last week of July and first week of August to look at these very issues.  We may repeat this in early September if demand dictates.

If you are interested please call Richard Perry on 01792 606559

[blogleadership]

Let’s DO Something

6th July 2016 I was watching the FTSE100, FTSE250 and the exchange rates yesterday - hoping to see some positive effects from the Bank of England's FPC report. The markets are all over the place. Trying to interpret what it means to the businesses that actually do stuff that drives the economy is increasingly difficult. So rather than bore you with a detailed discourse on the implications of the volatility of the markets I thought it good to bring it back to reality.

Here's my take... if you trade globally; then trade with Europe, whilst nice, is not a deal breaker. In fact the removal of EU control on our global trading position could be good news in a few years' time making it easier for us to negotiate appropriate deals with as many countries as possible. BUT if you trade domestically or mainly with the EU then you get the double-whammy of rising costs of imported goods and potential tariff imposition if we can't broker a deal with our neighbours making our exports less attractive to them.

So that's bad news for most companies yes?

Maybe in the short term; but if the EU doesn't play ball and imposes tariffs we may do the same to them - but that doesn't stop us shopping elsewhere for our imported goods and agreeing free trade agreements to contain costs. Also our export market to the rest of the world is more open for business because the UK will be a free agent.

Our weaker Pound makes our products more attractive to foreign buyers so if you manufacture stuff you should be looking to broaden your market. Just a couple of days ago a hovercraft manufacturer in Kent reported a huge surge in enquires from abroad simply because the weakening pound makes their products much more affordable. But what about service companies? There are opportunities because our professional services are cheaper for foreigners (I'm thinking architects and Civil Engineers here) but also there are opportunities domestically as people seek better value for money and increasing import costs begin to have an effect.

Are you still awake? This stuff makes me glaze over and I'm writing it!!!

Tell you what - let's NOT think about the complexities of our financial system and LET'S DO SOMETHING on a more practical level. At ION leadership we have decided to set up a FREE half day workshop to help Welsh SME's get to grips with the implications of our departure from the EU by giving them information and tools so they can start forming their strategy to identify and exploit the opportunities. The workshop will be free of charge but will be by invite only and will run in the last week of July and be repeated in the first week of August. If there is huge demand we may run it a third time in September.

At the heart of the workshop (which will be in our usual experiential learning style with lots of interactivity) is a desire to give Welsh businesses the tools and a practical approach to working out what they can do to make the most of our economic situation over the next few years. No we don't have a crystal ball so we need to show you how to be flexible, how to interpret the real markets (not just the financial sourcery in London) and how to equip your business with the right attitudes to grow.

We can only offer limited places on the workshop and you need to live or work in the convergence region of Wales (it's a condition of our funding).

And in case you are wondering - the workshop is lead by people who come from the real world of business - we have run or are still running our own businesses as well as working with ION leadership and Swansea University to help Welsh businesses raise their game.

If you want to take part then give Richard a call on 01792 606559 or contact; ION leadership www.ionleadership.co.uk 01792 606738 info@ionleadership.co.uk

This blog is the view of an individual and not necessarily the view of ION leadership or Swansea University. So if it makes sense or makes you smile - it's not the fault of anybody official :-)

[blogleadership]

Agility and Independent Thought

4th July 2016

The USA is celebrating its independence day today. Like it or not they seem to have done rather well for themselves since disengaging from a foreign power that ruled from afar and really didn't have their best interests at heart. Sound familiar?

As a nation of nations we currently lack political and executive leadership and so we seem to be on hold and nervously looking around for somebody to tell us what to do.

But why?

We trust our politicians about as far as we can throw them and yet we look to them for leadership and guidance and to get things done - or are we simply grateful that they are there so we can blame them rather than take responsibility ourselves?

We have already told our politicians what to do. Whatever your views, it is clear that more people want to leave the EU than stay in it. The instruction to our politicians is clear. Now it is our duty to engage with our politicians making it equally clear what we want as individuals and as the businesses that will be the driving force behind our economic survival and eventual spectacular success.

The politicians and the treasury can only work with what they have and what they have is primarily up to what the businesses that power our economy give them to work with. 38% of the Welsh workforce work in large businesses. 12% in medium sized businesses and 50% in small businesses. We need to give clear instructions on what we need in order to grow (so the politicians can help rather than get in the way). We need to become more agile and responsive and grow into existing and new markets. In short we need to get a grip and get on with it.

I have been doing quite a bit of reading of Brexit related articles since the result was announced and there are many that are repeating the mantra that business needs certainty and stability to be able to move forward. I can understand why large businesses would need that because they are lumbering beasts that take time to plan and even longer to change direction. They can't plan in a 3 year window if the economic landscape is changing every few months. 

But the small businesses that employ half the workforce are far more flexible and responsive and able to act quickly. They don't have to worry about shareholders (because by and large their leaders ARE the shareholders) and they can make decisions quickly because they have small management teams that can react to opportunities very quickly. Small and medium sized business are potentially very agile.

We need our business leaders to take the initiative, show some bravery, and get stuck into our changing situation to find and exploit the opportunities.

Hang on - we ARE our business leaders.

So let's not wait for somebody else to make the first move, it could be a competitor and that could be bad for us. Let's get the ball rolling, work out our place in the new order, plan and be prepared to adjust those plans every time there is a big change and keep pressing forward towards the goal.

And the goal is..... whatever you choose to make it.

Our brave new world may have closed a few doors into our nearest market but some will remain open and a whole load of extra doors are about to open up to a market that makes the EU look tiny in comparison.

Even if you don't export you probably import (or your suppliers do) so don't think your domestically focused business won't be effected. Your customers will be similarly effected by our international trading position - have you worked out how your customers and potential customers are going to react in the face of these changes?

It's all very confusing and very uncertain and the temptation must be to wait to see how things turn out and settle down. But by then it may be too late. Act now, make plans and plan to be flexible as events unfold. 

If you are unsure where to start; just start anyway because you can bet your competitors are going to, and soon.

Good news for owners, leaders or key decision makers in Welsh businesses who either live or work in the convergence area; we can help you improve your leadership skills with a view to growing your business. We have some EU money left in the pot from the ESF and we can use it to reduce the price of our courses by up to 70%. Spend one day a month with us for around 8 months and you can join the 900+ people who have already attended our courses over 5 years and report an average 26% growth in turnover whilst still on the programme. Many of the 900+ have doubled or trebled their income over just a year or two.

Now is the time to be bold, grasp the opportunity and drive your business towards greater success.

ION leadership www.ionleadership.co.uk 01792 606738 info@ionleadership.co.uk

This blog is the view of an individual and not necessarily the view of ION leadership or Swansea University. So if it makes sense or makes you smile - it's not the fault of anybody official :-)

[blogleadership]

Pause for breath

28th June 2016

So here we are on the Tuesday after Brexit. The weekend saw a mild implosion of the Labour Shadow Cabinet and full armageddon on Monday, apparently 3.5m people signed an online petition asking for a rerun of the referendum because they didn't like the outcome. George Osborne disappeared for three days and popped up yesterday morning with a message designed to calm the markets and seems to have conveniently forgotten about his childish threat of a punitive budget if we didn't vote how he wanted us to. The market promptly responded by pushing the pound to a 31 year low (although it did recover later in the day).  Several MPs stated categorically that they have no intention of standing for the leadership of the Conservatives/Labour Party *(delete as applicable) which means they are DEFINITELY going to stand. Nigel Farage has probably spent all weekend in the pub - but his job is done now so he may as well stay there. All in all just the usual posturing and political shenanigans that the British Public are pretty much fed up with and probably contributed in some way to last Thursday's shock result.

Liam Fox was the only one who made any sense - he said that the referendum was not a consultation - it was an instruction from the voters. Politicians can debate it as long as they like but it is not open to interpretation, there were no criteria set such as minimum turnout, minimum majority etc. It was simply which option got the most votes.

So let's take stock; The lights are still on. The sun rose this morning. Everybody who had a job on the way home from work on Friday still has one today. The supermarkets still have plenty of food in them.

Germany is being pragmatic and has said that our exit need not be acrimonious. After all; we buy more from the EU than the EU buys from us so that puts us in a favourable position to negotiate. There is nothing that we buy from the EU that we couldn't get somewhere else but I would rather have access to the single market and be a friendly neighbour. But it's not the end of the world if the EU decides not to play ball.

So let's all pause for breath. It is time to build bridges. If we are to make the best of the opportunities and minimise the negatives then we need to stop bickering and move on. Politicians don't make things or provide useful services - businesses do that. Politicians don't do any work that adds direct value to the economy (they are a cost centre not a profit generator). What will make our economy stronger in the long run are the efforts of ordinary people and the businesses they work in. The politicians just need to listen to what we need, and do what they do to ease our path.

We made the majority decision to leave and it is up to us to make the most of the situation we find ourselves in.

The UK are world leaders in many areas such as Music, Medical Equipment, Bioscience, Life Science, Nano Technology, Fashion, Advanced Engineering, Civil Engineering, Architecture, Material Sciences, Healthcare, Web Based Technologies, Green Energy (we generate as much as the rest of Europe combined), Higher Education (Cambridge recently toppled Harvard from top spot and 4 out of the top 10 Universities in the world are in the UK), the list goes on.

Ernst and Young report that the UK attracts two-and-a-half times as much foreign investment than France and Germany combined.

We have a lot going for UK plc and it's OK to take pride in what we can do. It is not being nationalistic (and Nationalism is something we need to avoid vigorously); we still need open borders to attract those who want to come here to contribute to our success and help us build an even stronger economy. We just need some sensible limits to make sure we are not swamped and that needs some calm discussion to make sure we get it right and are seen to be fair.

The UK is open for business and very soon we will be able to trade with the rest of the world without having to run it past the EU and wait for it to be approved by 27 separate Governments. The rest of the world has about 13 times the population of the EU. The USA is our biggest trading partner. China buys more Rolls Royce cars from us than any other country. India is waking up and is almost as big as China in population terms. There is a massive untapped horde of potential customers for our goods and services and expertise out there just waiting for us to showcase our wares.

Let's go get them.

Do you agree with this but are unsure of your next move? If you live or work in the Welsh convergence area we can help you improve your leadership skills with a view to growing your business. We have some EU money left in the pot from the ESF and we can use it to reduce the price of our courses by up to 70%. Spend one day a month with us for around 8 months and you can join the 900+ people who have already attended our courses over 5 years and report an average 26% growth in turnover whilst still on the programme. Many of the 900+ have doubled or trebled their income over just a year or two.

Now is the time to be bold, grasp the opportunity and drive your business towards greater success.

ION leadership www.ionleadership.co.uk 01792 606738 info@ionleadership.co.uk

This blog is the view of an individual and not necessarily the view of ION leadership or Swansea University. So if it makes sense or makes you smile - it's not the fault of anybody official :-)

[blogleadership]

Opportunity or disaster?  Why Welsh businesses should seize the moment.

June 24th 2016 12:21 pm

The dust is settling on the UK's historic decision to leave the EU. The Prime Minister has announced he will steer the ship only until a successor can be found in 3 months. The majority of MPs of all political persuasions are wringing their hands and proclaiming doom whilst those who stood up for Brexit are sounding excited and determined to build a better place for us in the world.

It's not going to happen overnight - even if our new Prime Minister's first act is to invoke the EU exit clause this October we are unlikely to finish negotiating our exit until October 2018 and it may take another year or two to fully disengage from the EU and fully re-engage with the rest of the world along with whatever agreement we reach with our European neighbours.

The financial markets are in turmoil but mainly because they bet on a vote to remain and left themselves exposed and now they are frantically trying to reverse their positions (and protect their bonuses). The stock markets will recover but it will take time.

What is certain is that businesses in Wales are facing both challenges and opportunities. For some businesses the marketplace consequences of Brexit will naturally create benefits and all they have to do is sit back and enjoy them - but if they have half a brain they will do their utmost to identify and exploit those benefits and grow their businesses. For some businesses the marketplace consequences of Brexit are potentially life-threatening but the good news is there is time (at least 30 months) to work out where the strengths of the business lie and to build new capability and new markets to ensure survival. The sooner these businesses on both sides of the equation get started; the better their chances of getting what they want.

Small to Medium sized businesses make up the bulk of Welsh businesses and these have small management teams (if they have teams at all). It can be lonely at the top with few people you can confide in or trust to bounce ideas off.

That's where ION leadership programmes can help. Over the last 5 years we (under our old brand of LEAD Wales) worked with over 900 small business owners and managers and helped them achieve growth. These 900+ people reported to us that, on average, their turnover increased by 26% whilst they were still on our programme. Growth has continued after their day a month with us and several of our rising stars have doubled or even trebled their turnover in a relatively short time. This success is now continuing with our revised and enhanced ION leadership programmes.

We are not a consultancy and we are not a training programme. What we do is help leaders and decision makers understand how they work, how others see them, how to lead people and how to achieve business growth. Over the course of a few months with only a day per month with us; the magic happens and businesses grow, find new markets, exploit old markets and find business partnerships that lead to economic success. Our programmes inspire confidence in leaders and give them some highly practical tools to make their businesses grow.

So there is a lengthy period of uncertainty and change ahead of us. You can copy the majority of our MPs and wring your hands whilst feeling sorry for yourself, OR you can seize the moment and use the last of the EU funding to buy a place on one of our heavily subsidised programmes and set your business up to take full advantage of our new place in the world. It is time to seize the moment. And that moment is now!

ION leadership www.ionleadership.co.uk 01792 606738 info@ionleadership.co.uk

[blogleadership]

MACRO economics

I am currently doing some research in order to put the finishing touches to our Early Stages of leadership programme.

One of the things I am seeking to do it introduce the delegates to the concept of consumer trends - how to spot them, how to react to them and how to leverage them for commercial gain.

As I was doing this I stumbled across some truly gobsmacking numbers and I am actually wondering whether consumers have, at some subliminal level, recognised this.  Maybe this is why the change in consumer behaviour that happened in 2008 is being sustained for so long.  Global consumers have realised that if we return to the reckless, unconsidered consumption that led up to 2008, maybe we will return to 2008 as a consequence.

The old paradigms weren’t temporarily suspended whilst the economy “recovered” - they have been dismantled as consumers search for more sustainable and conscientious ways of consuming.

If you want the evidence then research global consumer trends or come on one of our programmes.  But here’s a teaser and probably the most compelling reason why we realise we have to change our habits...

in the global crash of 2008 $13tn - that’s 13 million million US dollars was wiped off the value of the global economy.

If we were to pay off that debt at $1 per second for every second of every year it would take us over 400,000 years to clear the debt.  Yes FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND years paying one dollar EVERY second 24/7/365.

Broadly speaking consumers are shying away from credit and looking to their immediate locality to pull together in new ways.  They are sourcing frugally and with a conscience and they are embracing businesses that demonstrate empathy with those values. Of course our governments are stuck in the old paradigms and they want us to borrow to the max to create old style growth and operate within the old paradigms. It’s a cultural change on a massive scale and it’s a battle that is being fought right now and will rage for many years to come.

Now I am NOT some new age hippy anarchist with a problem with authority and a grudge against “the system”.  I’m an ordinary bloke with a young family and a mortgage and an ordinary job.  But I can see that something has to change; we have to rely on ourselves and our humanity more than governments that seek to perpetuate the mistakes of the past.

Some deep thought required here.  I will get back to you :-)

[blogleadership]

Students play with Lego shock!

Let’s be honest; most of us probably have a mental picture of students falling asleep at the back of lectures after a hard night’s partying in order to run up humungous debts that they will be paying off for the rest of their working lives.

BUT yesterday I was introduced to a whole other side of student life that I simply was not aware of.

Swansea University has a charity called Discovery which has been running since 1966.  They currently have over 300 student volunteers who are actively and regularly engaged in 40 projects around the City and County of Swansea working with disadvantaged and vulnerable people including children with special educational needs.

Yesterday they emailed staff at the University saying that Discovery is about to start a new project which will involve using Lego as a learning tool for children suffering from learning difficulties. Studies have shown that building with Lego can be beneficial for development and so Discovery would like to start After School Lego Clubs for these children.

We thought it would be a great idea to extend this appeal to our family of LEAD and Leading Growth delegates and alumni and anybody else who can help us.

 Yours truly has taken the lead and donated (with my son’s permission!!!) two large boxes of Duplo including some “Bob The Builder” characters and some “Disney’s Cars” characters.  That’s me on the right with some members of the Discovery Charity.

What Lego (the small stuff) or Duplo (the big stuff) do you have lying in the back of cupboards that could be put to better use? If you have any spare/unused Lego or Duplo lying about that you could donate to this worthwhile cause – please either give it to your LEAD or Leading Growth facilitators at your next cohort day or post it to: Richard Perry, LEAD Wales, Room 107, Digital Technium, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP. We will pass all of your Lego and Duplo donations through to the Discovery team who will put it to great use helping children with Learning Difficulties to have fun and develop. Thank you.

[blogleadership]

Managing People

By guest writer – Maggie Northam

What is a Manager? There are many jobs out there with the title “Manager” or “Director” in them. It doesn't matter what other words are in your job title, because what you really are is a people manager. Regardless of your industry or your company, all managers are people managers.  All management is primarily about people management.

And here's the biggest thing that most new managers fail to appreciate:  when you first became a manager, you stepped away from the "individual contributor" role where you were evaluated on your own performance. You became a manager and instantly became responsible for far more than you could ever produce on your own. You became responsible for the production of your team.

Suddenly you rise or fall on the back of what your team achieves and what you need is an approach that helps you get the "best outcome" not just "an outcome".

People Traits

Now that you are responsible for the output of a team of individuals you need to know a few things about people:

No two people are the same 

Their minds work differently. They feel, hear and see differently. They have individual dreams and individual nightmares. Everybody is motivated by something different.  So if you treat your team like they were all the same person.....

People are unpredictable No matter how long you work with people, you can never be completely sure of how they will react to any given situation.  They get angry, they get happy, they laugh and they cry.  They seek the company of others or they shut themselves away.  It's all down to what else is going on in their lives (and you are only a part of that landscape).

People are self-centred Everybody is thinking: "what's in it for me?"  Some are more aware of it than others and some push for it harder than others - but everybody knows what they want.  Of course some may not know the best way to get it, but they know what they think is in their best interest - and they go after it in the best way they know.

People are generous Hang on - if people are unpredictable and self-centred - how can they be generous too?  They are generous because, even though they are watching out for their own self interests, they will work for the team to help their colleagues get ahead too. They are going to do their best to get their fair share first and then, as soon as they do, they start to look out for the rest of their team (whatever they perceive their team to be).

People are fickle What worked with someone the last time round is no guarantee it will work again!  The rewards or challenges that motivated someone last time may no longer work simply because something has changed in their universe.

People are afraid Some people are more afraid than others. Some hide it better. But everyone is afraid of something. Whether it is fear of redundancy, looking a fool in front of others, or missing their targets, we all have our fears - and fear is uppermost in their minds, rather than focusing on what you want them to do.

People are interesting All of the above are what make people interesting, rewarding and frustrating.  That's what makes them fun.  People managers don't tend to have boring days.  Some days will be better than others of course. Some days will make you want to scream.  And some days will make you feel on top of the world.  If you don't find the prospect of managing all of these variables - don’t go into management because it will drain you dry both mentally and physically.

People seek out leaders (and leaders seek out followers) As manager, you should also be leader. If you don’t lead your team; someone else will.

And, if you want to lead - it is better to have followers! People can’t be pushed very far or for very long and pushing takes a LOT of work. 

However, people can be pulled quite a long way.  As their leader it is your job to plant the visionary flag on the horizon and pull your people towards it.

The Approach

If you’re going to be a manager, you must manage people - and every single one of them is unique, just like you.  You need to find what motivates each of them and what holds each of them back.  Build their strengths into the team and then get out in front and lead.  After all, you are a people manager and it is easier to carry the burden of work if you have many brains and pairs of hands willing to actively help you do it.

Management is an inherently complex and difficult job; if you can’t accept that – don’t try to do it!  You will waste time and valuable mental energy wishing it weren’t so.  Frustrations and challenging situations are the foodstuffs of management.  That’s why you are being paid more than if you were not a manager.  

Conflict is inevitable in management.  Don’t avoid it or bulldoze people round to your way of thinking.  Rather deal with it directly and be seen to be fair.  The best managers aren’t “conflict avoiders,” but neither do they pull rank and roll right over others when conflicts occurs.  Remember, you’re going to have to continue work with these same people in the future.  The skill is in finding fair, constructive resolutions that everybody can embrace (or at least accept) and the reward comes in the form of increased loyalty and productivity. 

Ask for help when you need it.  This is an easy step, but often ignored because it could be seen as a sign of weakness.   If you work in an organisation of any size, help is everywhere.  Get perspective on a difficult employee from someone whose judgment you trust.   This could be anyone: an HR advisor, a mentor, a coach, your own manager, a colleague.  Asking for help is not a sign of weakness; it displays maturity and sensible judgment and courage.  Build your network of trusted advisors and help them out when they need the favour returned.

Agree SMART goals with your team.  This way it’s a matter of fact, not opinion, whether or not they have achieved their required performance levels.  Everybody likes to know if they are on track and SMART goals are a perfect way to determine that at any time.  When a problem employee is falling short of achieving goals, you have something tangible to discuss.  It is much easier to argue opinion and much harder to argue fact.

Each and every member of your team is an individual worthy of individual attention.  This doesn’t mean you have to pander to every need and accommodate every quirk.  It does mean you have to value each individual and recognise them as an individual before blending them effectively into the best team you have ever had the privilege of leading.

@leadwalescymru

[blogleadership]

Networking Do’s and Don’ts

By guest writer Jo Bishop

If you are like me, the ability to Network is not innate! However, it is something that can be learned and developed. In time, the process of developing relationships with like-minded people and business can be rewarding in many ways.

Keep in mind that networking is about being genuine and authentic, building trust and relationships.

Do’s

Start with “Hello” – Have the confidence to say ‘Hello’ as although some people may already appear to know each other, there was probably a time when they didn’t. Although you may feel uncomfortable, there are always others in the room who will probably feel the same! (Most people will want to speak to a new face as potentially, there will be new opportunities!)

Prepare an ‘Elevator Pitch’ Have a clear understanding of what you do and why, for whom, and what makes you doing it special or different from others doing the same thing. In order to get referrals, you must first have a clear understanding of your Unique Value proposition which you can easily articulate to others.

Stock up on ‘Business Cards’ Make sure you have more than you need as this is a speedy and essential way to exchange contact details.

Follow up – Have a strategy or plan to follow up afterwards. Do use ‘LinkedIn’ where possible however don’t ‘bombard’ people with calls and emails.

Listen and Learn – Gain hints and tips from others – take time to learn from their experience

 Don’ts

Don’t be afraid to ask questions – People are generally delighted to be able to share their knowledge and appear knowledgeable to others

Avoid over-confident self-promotion – You are more likely to get people turning away rather than building valuable relationships

Don’t forget the etiquette – Don’t be late, use inappropriate language or drink too much – although we all like to think we wouldn’t do this, it is worth remembering that some of these could easily happen if we let them.

Hard Sell – People will not want the ‘hard-sell’ so nurture relationships and build up your credibility. You will soon have people recommending you naturally.

There are Networking groups you can join easily like 4Networking. This is an ideal opportunity to build up contacts and ease you into the realms of Networking, I have always found them very friendly.  In time, they can be advantageous in many ways however others involved, could also introduce you to ‘Invitation Only’ Groups.

Good Luck!

@leadwalescymru 

[blogleadership]

Thinking Fast and Slow

Book Review by Guest Blogger Dr. Louisa Huxtable-Thomas

Thinking Fast andSlow, by Daniel Kahneman

Daniel Kahneman won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2002.  Interestingly, that is not his greatestachievement: His greatest achievement is that he wrote the international best selling book ‘Thinking fast and slow’ about the research that won him the prize and it is utterly fascinating and very readable.

Kahneman’s research relates to the ways that people make errors of judgement and choice.  What makes this subject readable is that Kahneman knows a lot about the ways that people’s minds work and he uses every trick that he has to make this intense subject easy to read and understand. That’s not to say it isn’t challenging. It’s not hard to understand what he’s talking about, he’s talking about real people and they way in which they think. What’s hard to deal with, is having to admit that I do make all of the errors of judgement he talks about.  Having read the book I still find myself making them – but at least now I know why.

Here’s an example from the book.

A bat and a ball cost $1.10.

The bat costs one dollar more than the ball.

How much does the ball cost?

From http://www.strategy-business.com/article/03409?pg=all

If you said 10 cents you’d be wrong. And you are in the majority of people who all gave exactly the same answer.   It’s not a trick question. It’s just designed to allow your brain to take the easy option, not spend time working on the right option.

Kahneman tells the reader the story of how he and his long time research partner Amos Tversky discovered the ways in which our brains mislead us and how this is due to a species-wide over-confidence in what we think we know.  

Thinking Fast and Slow is not a book about a new trend nor is it supposed to be a magic bullet to better decision making.  It just states the facts about the way that people think and lets you make your own decisions.  I think it’s great, but then Kahnman says ‘nothing in life is as important as you think it is when you are thinking about it’.  Over 15 years of research and a Nobel Prize suggest he’s right.

My big tip is to buy the book but not to try to read it end to end in one sitting.  In fact, I recommend the audio-book!   Thinking Fast and Slow requires an element of self-reflection; its implications are deep and far reaching.  I challenge any reader to read it without saying ‘oh, I’ve seen that in other people, but it doesn’t apply to me...’ because If you’re like me (and Kahneman says you are) you’ll suffer a huge crisis of confidence two days later when you say “ten cents” in the exercise that demonstrates it.

Dr Louisa Huxtable-Thomas, February 2015

#leadership #leadinggrowth