Flat over brow

Last week I was most fortunate to meet many extraordinary people and a few of the conversations stood out:

Speaking with legendary racing driver Barrie “Whizzo” Williams who rallied at the highest level in the 60s and is now known for his expertise at the wheel of historic and classic racing cars.

Discussing Cyber Security Challenge UK with Lieutenant Colonel Nigel Harrison, MBE, decorated for his part in the liberation of Kuwait during the first Gulf War. 

Also a lively discussion with Tanya Rennick, the energetic force behind The Oyster Club, London’s Premier Networking Club.  

Watch this space….

So, flat over brow, not a term I was familiar with.  Those of you who know a little (or a lot) about rallying will be aware that it means flat out, over the blind brow of a hill, requiring complete trust in your navigator or co-driver.  What transpired in discussion with Whizzo was not so much the "flat over brow" but the "right hand turn 50ft" immediately afterwards, in thick fog!  

"Flat over brow" seems to me to epitomize trust, that well-worn word that is talked about such a lot, but maybe not as truly practiced as it might be.  Not so in my discussions above, these truly inspiring individuals expressed candidly that if it hadn’t been for the trust in team or indeed trust in self, they wouldn’t be where they are today. 

As Ernest Hemingway eruditely put it "the best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them”. 

Will you? 

A little bit scared......

‘Do one thing everyday that scares you’ Eleanor Roosevelt famously quoted. 

Easily said and quoted, a little less easy to do. Of course when we do something that scares us slightly  (or a lot) we learn, grow and develop even if we don’t feel that way at the time. 

   It is oft noted that people perform rather well when scared too. 

This week I’ve been very fortunate to meet three incredibly inspiring individuals who have each done things that many of us would consider a little bit, if not downright scary; Toby Younger who finished one of the toughest races on the planet, The Dakar, on a motorbike earlier this year, his first attempt.

Rene Carayol, an inspiring leader who regularly speaks out and asks the difficult and challenging questions irrespective of who may or may not like it.  He is formidable in his beliefs and wonderfully provocative.

And Paul Gurney, an adventurer who in a twelve month period is tackling both the 5 week extreme race to the magnetic North Pole and the Marathon des Sables. 

Watch this space.....

Fear is a curious emotion, that I’ve yet to completely comprehend. However, what I do know from the course of my work and general observation is that the majority of us spend our lives not only living in fear, but allowing it to dictate the terms of what we call life.

Whilst fear for sure has the potential to hold us back, being scared isn’t always quite as bad as it first appears.  Being scared generally means opportunities for growth and a step towards what’s outside that comfort zone and as those of you who know me will know, I’m all for that.

If we face our fears rather than run from them, our perspective on what we can and can’t deal with, will change (and usually for the better).

And of course, when we look back over the years, those things that we were fearful or scared of, don’t phase us anymore. 

Obviously, we all wish to be safe and tend to design the world around us to be just that, though deep down many of us a crave a little bit more ‘scary’ in our lives. 

Not all ‘scary’ is created equal.  Fear and feeling scared is universal, though some see fear and use it as fuel to create the life they desire.

I happen to think a little bit of scared is a good thing, so long as it doesn’t stop you in your tracks?  

What will you do today that scares you?

(PS. I’ve signed up for a challenge next year  - not immediately scary from where I’m sitting, tea in hand, but thinking about it surprisingly so). 

What's your passion?

This weekend I felt very privileged to attend The Goodwood Revival meeting in West Sussex.  A veritable hotbed of exquisite historic cars, aeroplanes, fashion, music and memorabilia of a bygone era, not the mention the superb motor racing for which the event has an unrivalled reputation. 

I believe it was Fangio, the Argentinean Formula One racing driver of formidable achievement who said, “You need great passion, because everything you do with great pleasure, you do well”.

From a spotless original 1965 Ford Transit, The Shelby Cup, a tribute to Dan Gurney to a grid value of c £300,000,000 worth of historic race Ferrari’s  - the magic and sparkle one could almost hold.   Now for those of you who are not particularly interested in things ‘petrol-head’, this is not the purpose of the post.

It was the passion and unbridled enjoyment that was palpable. Not only for the cars, the planes, the history, the racing, the clothes (that’s another post entirely) the atmosphere at this event was inspiring and extremely pleasurable. I met people from all walks of life, had conversations with more strangers in a day than I’ve done for ages and met one or two celebrities to boot. The passion of individuals for their cars, racing, the era, the clothes or just to enjoy a day at Goodwood House, was incredible.

I don’t think there was one vehicle, plane or person there that wasn’t immaculately turned out, well maybe one or two, but you get my point.

It may be the legacy of the success of the Olympics, the sheer passion and attention to detail for this event by Lord March and his team, or the sunny day that made the difference.  However, living in challenging times, with volatile markets and economies, if finding our passion for what we care about makes such a big difference; to us, our friends and families, our companies, motor-racing events, then surely that’s the way to go. 

As Disraeli said “ Man (or woman) is only truly great when he acts from his passions”.

What’s yours?

Are you living or working to Gold Standards?

What a phenomenal achievement; 65 Team GB Olympic medalists, an uplifting and inspiring fortnight and a certain ‘joie de vivre’ around the capital city.  What a lot to celebrate!

Andrew Hunt, CEO of the British Olympic Association has been talking widely about the magic that the immense collaboration and support of our amazing sports men and women has enabled in terms of success and medals.  Yes, they are incredible athletes in their own right however as so many have attested and in some instances in a very moving way, it was also about the team around them.

Be it in sports or in business, it is very well documented that teamwork, collaboration and cohesiveness really does pay dividends and that feeling of being part of a community or something bigger than oneself is part of being human.

Last week I had a meeting in Westminster followed by one near Green Park in London and I decided to walk, as it was a nice day.  Now, this was right in the middle of the Olympic fortnight and my route took me past Buckingham Palace – it suddenly dawned on me that perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea and might make me late.  It didn’t. It was also a most palpable and memorable experience, there were hoards and hoards of people (they were changing the guard too) but the atmosphere was electric.  There was an immense feeling of camaraderie, support, happiness perhaps and just an enjoyment of being part of something very big and very special.

I met one of the Games Makers (the volunteers who gave up their time to work at the Olympics for free) yesterday and he very humbly said, it was one of the most amazing experiences of his life.  He has traveled the world and sat on the boards of some of the world’s most illustrious companies, so he’s had some experience in his life.

The focus and dedication of the sportsmen and women is just extraordinary, and as many of them have said ‘ if you really want something’ you can. The Team GB women’s hockey players who won bronze medals have talked widely about their pact and commitment to each other some years ago in 2009 to train and live their lives at gold standards.  That’s just what they did and made some monumental sacrifices along the way. They defined their goals, refined along the way and now have the medals to prove it. If that’s not inspiring, I don’t know what is.

Great success and achievement comes from hard work, focus, teamwork, tracking progress and celebrating the small stuff and the big stuff along the way. 

So, if gold is what you’re seeking in any area of your life  - are you living or working to gold standards?

Or perhaps we could all take a leaf out of Eric Idle’s book (Olympic closing ceremony) and ‘always look on the bright side of life, de doo, de doo, de doo de doo.’ Not a bad place to start.  

Is abandoning ship a cop out?

On watching some of the exciting Cowes week action, one couldn’t help observe that it is a sport that is well supported by the financial services industry. Barclays has long been a sponsor of sailing and for a number of years the Global Challenge round the world yacht race.  

Now, I’m no round the world racer however I do sail and know for sure that the captain of a ship will do absolutely anything within his or her power to save their vessel and the lives of the crew and passengers within (for the moment we shall park the captain of the ill-fated Concordia, he was a rarity for sure).  

The banking industry being such a key sponsor and supporter of all things ocean, the abandoning ship tactic of Bob Diamond when the proverbial storm hit, loomed in large and stark contrast to the typical characteristics and values of a captain, be it of a 20ft vessel or larger. Admittedly many people have been baying for the resignation and there were multi-faceted reasons for and against.  However, it is a pitiful current day trait that when trouble appears, and it invariably does at one point or another in even the most robust of organisations, the current standard practice of those at the top; politicians, chief execs… is to abandon ship.  

Now, it may be me but that doesn’t show a great deal of resilience, commitment or grit.  If I may indulge the sailing analogy a little further, if a storm hits, you split your mainsail, take on water, lose your rudder, crash your vessel into a pontoon or whichever, the chances of the captain jumping overboard are exceedingly unlikely.  Not to mention if aforementioned captain does abandon ship in challenging seas, the likelihood of him or her spending the rest of their days with the mermaids is quite possible.    

Being captain of a vessel, cruising yacht through to enormous ocean going cargo ship requires immense skill, expertise and talent, notwithstanding the ability to deal effectively in a crisis.  A captain will do utterly all that is necessary to save vessel and all lives on board. Salvaging law another debate entirely. Being at sea in a storm in challenging circumstances is not for the faint-hearted and if I may use a hackneyed expression it does separate the men from the boys (women from the girls). A challenging situation, risk, potential loss, collateral and/ or physical damage requires analytical skills, short term risk assessment, decision making skills, confidence, communication and strategic planning, to mention just a few.  On a vessel in a storm this will all happen in minutes, they’ll be a process and a plan of action to get out of said troubled water.  Now, these skills are hardly a rarity in business, they’re constantly trained for, studied for and gained through experience and endeavour.  Bob Diamond, for one, would have all (and still does) of these skills in abundance. 

Surely, if we’re really going to change our banking culture, Bob Diamond with his undoubted capabilities would have been the best man for the job.  Whilst he may not have been directly responsible, the buck most certainly stopped with him.  As the master of a ship, captains are in that position not for the high days and watching the dolphins but actually when a crisis hits; manmade, natural or otherwise, it is their responsibility to get it sorted using all the aforementioned skills.  If we are nationally to develop those phenomenal skills of dealing effectively in a crisis, and demonstrate resilience, grit and commitment to the next generation then perhaps the first step is to shift this characteristic of quitting at the top when it gets tough (really tough).  

After all, as a nation, we used to be globally renowned for it.  

Gold-plated bulldogs.

Split in one tyre (that would be the unavoidable pot-hole due to oncoming traffic a few weeks back), a hole all the way through another and the third tyre was just on the legal limit of mms of rubber required.  The fourth was fine! I’d only popped in to the tyre shop to get my tracking checked, which not surprisingly was off.

My vehicular traumas however are not the topic of this blog. Rather, it was just where I wrote it, two and half hours for above said work to be done, wifi, coffee, unexpectedly became a perfect environment for my morning’s business activities.

The service I received was exceptional, I was shown the damage, not just told about it and taken through the tracking checks. Kept up to date all the way, treated like an individual and regularly refuelled with coffee.  Pretty standard practice I hear you say, but is it? Really?  Always?

Whilst pondering an imminent meeting, I suddenly became aware of the television in the corner of the room, it had obviously been in the reception area and on all morning however I hadn’t noticed it.  Denny Slagle, the CEO of Mack   was speaking about teamwork, people and what makes Macks special. He was also talking about being part of something that is bigger than yourself, what’s important and making a difference.  

Mack’s are American trucks (although now owned by Volvo), just as you might imagine an American truck, big, very big, brash, fabulous engines with lots of torque and horsepower and with a formidable sort of presence about them.  What captured my attention though was the sheer passion and enthusiasm of the Mack employees to get these vehicles out on the road in superb condition, efficiently and effectively.  And if something was looking unusual or irregular questioning it. Moreover, the individuality with which all the employees were treated was something else, an exemplary leadership standard if ever I saw one. 

 

Some of the employees were experiencing tough times for one reason or another but for sure there was a fantastic support network in the company.  People didn’t appear to ‘just’ go to work at Mack trucks, there was a greater importance attached to people’s lives and their communities and delivering excellence through a combination of skill, determination and hard work. 

Branding is talked about constantly however the branding that shines forth beyond the Mack truck and indeed STS in Letchworth goes way beyond the corporate colours. It’s about integrity, resilience, happiness   - perhaps qualities that can’t be put on a badge however the strength of feeling and commitment associated with them is immense. I’m not really in the market to buy a big American truck (funny that) but on the strength of the passion, dedication and enthusiasm I spied this morning, I’m tempted!

I was very honoured to be at a school last week where the headmistress gave a talk which I was quite taken by. Not once did she talk of academic prowess which she could very easily have done, grades or league tables but of the importance in our schools to teach children about those things that aren’t on the curriculum namely resilience, happiness and the ability to ask questions.  How fantastic, after all, these are the qualities that will mean the difference between moving ahead or not when life’s challenges appear, be it a difficulty on a production line, corporate challenge or something intensely personal.

On a final note, the gold-plated bulldog.  If a Mack truck has entirely Mack parts the badge is gold-plated, if other manufacturers have parts in the vehicle the badges are merely chrome!  

Is what you stand for gold-plated?

Risk is the currency of progress.....

Last week I attended a business breakfast and when everyone was asked “what would you tell your younger self when you started out in your career or business?”, the resounding response was “just get out there and do it”.

So, risk  – and that intangible fine line between taking the plunge compared with convincing yourself not to do something.

Being a bit of a Jason Statham fan (we all have our guilty pleasures…), I was watching The Mechanic the other night and one quote which stuck in mind was “good judgment comes from experience and experience from bad judgment”.

And it’s these bad judgments or negative experiences that prevent so many of us from ‘just getting out there and doing it’ - whatever the ‘it’ is for you. It seems to be the standout trait that we hear about time again that separates the achievers from the also-rans; the ability to take the hits, adapt and evolve stronger.

When I wrote my last newsletter, Dakar Team GB had just set out on one of the greatest challenges known to man (in my humble opinion anyway). They’re all back safe and sound - a stupendous achievement, especially for Toby Younger who had entered the Dakar for the first time and finished, got a medal.

What an inspiration. He took the risks that others wouldn’t – not only life and limb but also that slightly more indefinable element around mindset and getting out there and going for it, come what may.

Extraordinary things can happen when we take the risk, embrace the mindset and become alert to the potentially life changing opportunities that may lie ahead.

There are no guarantees of success. But things will most definitely ‘happen’ and the world will look a little different.

So, if risk is the currency of progress, what will you spend yours on today? From working with boards and senior leaders of Fortune 500 companies, through to some of the most innovative and creative SMEs, I’ve seen first hand that risk taking pays off; new territories, products, people, ideas, experiences, luck… profits.

On a more ephemeral note, another quote from the movie - “listen to your heart, it may be homesick for somewhere you’ve never been”.

Be it a new role, product, business or speaking opportunity, the New Year always brings with it a yearning in all of us for change, progress, new experiences and new ideas – the leap of faith (listening to your heart) that takes us on a journey we never knew was out there for us (to be homesick for).

Can you get that new business, position, adventure or board seat you might crave if you don’t take a risk? Perhaps.

But what would happen if you did take that leap?