2012: A year of change

MARYLEBONE — This year is a big year of change. In technology, in the world economy, the world of sport, even in the way all our countries are run.  There are elections in America, France, India…

What is more significant in a country than a change of government?

And that’s what is promised in India, Malaysia, Taiwan, Serbia,  Kuwait, El Salvador, The [...]

Sorry, Sir Richard, that’s not it…

 

SOUTH KENSINGTON — There was a piece in the Independent yesterday about Sir Richard Branson’s “three point plan” to get the UK economy going.

Unfortunately the plan is completely pants.

I wish it weren’t, but it is.

Years ago, when I worked in politics a very worthy husband and wife team approached my cabinet ministers with suggested [...]

Sunshine and crowds belie the dire economic news

EATON CENTRE, TORONTO — It’s easy to be positive when you’re on holiday. But the 30C temperatures and happy crowds on Canadian streets don’t belong to recessionary times.
The economy in this country seems to have defied the greatest evils of the last three years — banks have never been allowed to wager with others money. But still it [...]

Modern change management and internal communications

KINIGHTSBRIDGE — I had a nice bowl of pasta yesterday with one of the leading lights in our business.  A guy I have known for 5 years or so, and who has distinguished himself by sustaining and growing a global consulting footprint through the years.

And we complained.  Like two old men down at the park.

“Things have changed.”

“There’s not much value [...]

New today: Michael Jackson, George Bush and Susan Boyle

DISTRICT LINE — What ever happened to ‘new’?  Where is our sense of adventure?  Where are the new faces and voices of the future?

Here we are, 11 months into a new decade and we’re still talking about some of the least interesting characters of the 80s, 90s and Noughties.

George Bush has a book out.  Reviewed today it [...]

Exhausted Britain

PICCADILLY CIRCUS — There’s a nicely dressed lady sitting in front of me on the bus – hair done, Dolce glasses.  And she keeps falling asleep.  It’s 7:50 am.  And she’s on her way to work like the rest of us.

I am nervous for her neck, which keeps snapping.  We don’t have the natural dexterity of a Pez [...]

Research says we want a ‘job for life’: so, do you want to be Queen or Pope?

LONDON — There’s a great report out now from my old mates at Towers Watson. It’s called the Global Worksforce Survey. They do it every year, and it has lots of interesting stuff in it.

[Although don't be fooled into [...]

John Lewis & Co-op are not numpties

DISTRICT LINE — I love the way that the mainstream of public discourse can so easily reject different approaches as silly. I didn’t see the show on John Lewis last Wednesday — Inside John Lewis. A friend of mine did though. And he says they were painted as a [...]

How the consulting market has changed

FULHAM ROAD — It’s official. For me anyway. I have come to the conclusion that the market has changed. I recognise that it may only be temporary, but it feels longer-term than that.

Where once businesses were interested in concepts and ideas… most now are being far more practical. “I want you to do something that [...]

Mr Brightside: Copenhagen, Swine Flu, Recession and us

KITCHEN TABLE — We humans, and the organisations we work in, can be a miserable lot.

According to many people (me included, most days) 2009 was the year of fear. From start to finish we pulled the duvet over our head each morning and said “oh, no”.

But let’s look a little closer.

Copenhagen

We set it up and then we agreed how [...]