Confidence is often treated as something a leader needs to develop. I’ve come to think about it differently. The most convincing leaders I know don’t begin with certainty—they begin by trying to understand what is actually happening. They ask better questions, test their assumptions and reduce the noise before making a decision. The confidence comes […]

At some point, most founders have to confront a difficult distinction: the business they created is no longer simply an extension of themselves. As it grows, other people depend upon it, decisions become more consequential and personal instinct can start to get in the way of good judgement. I've been thinking about what changes in […]

This is the third essay in a series of 10. Most leadership teams have no shortage of opinions. The harder question is whether those opinions are being tested. I've become increasingly interested in what happens when leaders deliberately separate what they believe from what they actually know—and particularly in the simple question, "What evidence would […]

This is essay 2 of 10 for written for business owners and leadership teams. Business leaders often describe their world as increasingly complex. Markets change faster than ever. Technology evolves relentlessly. Regulation grows more demanding. Customers expect more, competitors respond faster and every week appears to introduce another uncertainty demanding our immediate attention. Complexity has […]

This essay is the first in new series of 10 designed for owners and leadership teams. Perhaps chapter one of a new book.... Most businesses do not fail because of a single disastrous decision. They fail because of a thousand ordinary decisions. We have become fascinated by defining moments. Business books celebrate transformational leaders making […]

20 years ago, I thought businesses grew because they had a brilliant product. I was wrong. Businesses don't fail because founders work too little. They fail because they work on the wrong things. Since then, I've worked alongside hundreds of founders, leadership teams, and innovative SMEs, and I've learned something far more important. Businesses rarely […]

- even though you’re working hard! You’re not disorganised. Your business just isn’t clear. Most small business owners I work with say some version of this: “I just need to get more organised.” But when we look a little closer, that’s not actually the problem. They’re not lazy. They’re not lacking discipline. And they’re definitely […]

Companies fall into two camps, they either plan for the calendar year or for the tax year. For those on the calendar cycle, this is the half-time whistle. Time to regroup for a much improved second half. Just watch England’s first round World Cup match to see how 2 halves can be very different. For […]

Yesterday I was in my happy place. For the first time in a year, I was playing golf on the Littlestone Links. There's something about being out on that course that completely switches me off from everything else. On the drive home, I found myself wondering why it is my happy place. Then I started […]