financial | Ask Tim

Aug 21/2014

Lead a Ship or Jump Ship?!

There are huge challenges facing many firms and enormous pressure on leaders. I think our old models and ways of leading no longer adequately serve 21^st century firms. However, there is a jungle of advice out there, the good, the bad and the ugly.

I‘m really interested in learning about the latest thinking and ways in which we can unlock the talent and potential in firms. But I appreciate that this is a massive task and there are no magic solutions. However, there are a lot of great people out there doing amazing things. I wanted to share this latest thinking and learning with anyone who is frustrated with the old methods and wants to learn how situations can be transformed.

Feb 03/2014

Blog, Staple Stories

“The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes”

Back in 2013, I started wearing my Red Kickers to all my business meetings. I now understand there is some research from Harvard Business School indicating that wearing red shoes enhances perceptions of status and competence: Washington Post. Anyhow below is the story of when I bought my first pair.

I’ve never had any real fashion sense but was very fortunate that I grew up in London and just before I was going to university Dicky Dirts had a closing down sale. I walked into a scene of carnage as I entered the shop – I think it could have been a record for how many people you could cram into per square foot of shop. People were wandering around with arms full of merchandise with glazed grins and wide eyes scanning for more bargains.

I quickly found a couple of pairs of jeans, a few shirts, a duffle coat, some brown cord dungarees (I know!) and a size 10 red Kickers left boot – the holy grail. Now where was the right one?

Jan 14/2014

Staple Stories

Tough Love and Why I Loathe Scrambled Eggs

Back in 1980 I ended up in Dundee on an Outward Bound course with a cross-section of c50 other young people. On this course we didn’t climb mountains or ford rivers, instead over three weeks, we faced some of the very real challenges that exist hidden in our communities. I experienced 4 placements including: intermediate treatment (pre-borstal): a psychogeriatric ward; decorating the home of an MS sufferer; and most dauntingly- a ward with about 25 patients where the highest mental age was c18 months.

Nov 29/2013

Blog

Capitalism + Marxism – A Brilliant Business Model Bred in Yorkshire

At Leeds Business School Simon Biltcliffe outlined his revolutionary business model – formed from the bitter dust of the miners’ strike in his native Barnsley. His sense of injustice inspired the creation of his very successful print management business Webmart. And his “northern values” of honesty, directness and trust are the company’s DNA. He wanted to both challenge and encourage us to learn from history, to keep things simple, engage all staff, to innovate, share learning, to expect people to think you are mad – yet to make work as enjoyable and as much fun as possible. In common with Steve Edge he emphasised the principle “what goes around comes around”.

Simon was incredibly open and I was struck that he used many more “share”

Oct 18/2013

Blog

Coming Crisis

I recently learnt that the Chinese symbol for “crisis” is represented by the two Sino-characters for “danger” and “opportunity”. Is that why I have heard such contrasting views from two highly respected business leaders this week?

In October, as part of the ILF I heard Duncan Bannatyne almost preach that “now is the time to start a new business”. Yet the following day at Leeds Business School I heard David Scott present an overview of our debt crisis and share his view that “Europe may be on the brink of a 10 year depression”.