Short notes from a mad world

 

Avram Grant is becoming superstitious

Board backs Houllier to ‘change culture’
says my paper this morning.  Suggesting the French football managers responsible for the rapidly sinking team Aston Villa might fix some unnamed ills that were made evident over the summer.  Culture change, eh?  We do that.

Grant pushed [...]

Remember, remember: Conflict and dumb luck make history

LONDON — A whole lifetime of planning and meticulous work ended with the death of Sir Thomas Tresham on 11 September 1605.  He had been working on a beautiful hill-top house in Northamptonshire and the lavish gardens surrounding it.  A pious Catholic in a Britain that was only settling into Anglicanism, he hid his piety in quiet symbolism around the [...]

The amazing madness of America

PICCADILLY — Everyone knows Britain is a bit of a strange place.  Screaming Lord Sutch waltzed across the political scene so long ago that he’s no longer on the planet.  My aged mother still can’t look at someone sucking on an orange without breaking into fits of laughter…

And that is probably the difference.  In America politics has [...]

Imagine running a change management programme for the Vatican. No, seriously, try.

MONDAY MORNING OVER BREAKFAST — I am honestly not wanting to get into a philosophical discussion here.  I was just wondering about something.  It’s a question for change management professionals.

If you were called by the Vatican and asked to support them on change management, what would you do?

Where would you start?

It wouldn’t be hard to find a burning [...]

Picture this

 

TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD — It’s Friday morning.  Early.  So it must be time for our weekly Board meeting.

We meet early at our local wheat germ palace for breakfast and a review of the week’s top developments.

This will be a good one.

Amidst all the client work, the international visas, chasing months’ overdue invoices (you know who you are) and significant changes [...]

‘Hung Parliament’ is just a Parliament in Canada

SW LONDON — We have had plenty of hung parliaments in the UK. Not for a while perhaps but they’re not uncommon. In other parliamentary systems, like my native Canada, they are the most common way of governing.

In fact, there’s a lovely guy called Ed Broadbent, who should really buy Nick Clegg a beer. I remember an election [...]

Coming soon to your town: Quiet!

VICTORIA STATION — I am seriously proud of our friends at Nissan. We have known for a while that they were working on something big. But today’s stories on the new Nissan Leaf are exciting.

“100% emission-free” (excluding electricity generation emissions).

How cool is that?

Faced with petrol at £5+ a gallon [...]

Corporate reputation: 5 ways to lose it

BY THE THAMES — I am hiding from the Hallow’een mobs by sitting in a pub near the river in London. I am not proud.

I was watching music videos with my 12-year old today and she insisted we change channels when Lady Gaga’s song persistently referencing her “disco stick” came on.

“I don’t get it, but [...]

Corporate reputation relies on an awkward interdependence

HYDE PARK CORNER — I have people in my house who are in the throws of adolescence. They are managing everyday to make uncomfortable compromises with themselves, their friends and society. “I won’t mention your dancing style if you don’t talk about my complexion.” It’s all part of the process of growing up. We build relationships with [...]

Banks lost $26B by burning brands

LONDON — The Interbrand annual league tables of brand values are out. And the word for financial services is not good.

LOSS IN VALUE FROM 2008 TO 2009 ($M)

Citi — $9,920
American Express — $6,969
UBS — $4,370
HSBC — $2,633
Morgan Stanley — $2,297

That seems like more than just having mislaid [...]