Category: #leadership

Future kinds of work

How I work has changed massively over the past ten years. Okay, so now I draw pictures, whereas I used to write programs – or lead others to write programs. Probably the biggest change I’ve had is being exposed to Mozilla’s way of working. They corale creative communities using some very clever practices and technologies. And…
Social Purpose

With the genesis of the Wapisasa concept in my head, I was keen to use a different model. A people-first model. A social business. I wanted to pin the social purpose to our foreheads, so that profit never became our top priority. I wanted to run Wapisasa as a business, but never wanted to lose…
Work culture

A business starts with a culture of one. Every person that joins adds to that culture. Their values, their humour, their work ethic. Every decision, communication, action sets a precedent. Culture can take years to build, but days to damage. A organisation is it’s people – so which part do you play? (Inspired by “The Open Organization”…
The Big Arrow

This cloud is going to lift in 5 minutes. I said it so often it became my punchline. A dad joke – only to be appreciated by other dads (and sometimes their wives). We need to turn off the path somewhere near here to get to the top of the mountain. Nothing says top of…
Transparent and Open

I’ve been thinking about Cooperative business models recently, thanks to Doug Belshaw and John Bevan. Engaging with different ideas means playing out scenarios, and like splitting light through a prism, you can’t quite imagine how it will be until you shine it through.
Entrepreneurship

It’s the things you don’t know you don’t know that’ll kill you every time…
The long burn

A cracker of an idea. A business idea. I should start a business with this idea right now. Figure it out in my spare time and then just set it up… For me, startup never happens like this. It starts with a hunch, a curiosity, almost an irritation. So much uncertainty. So many unknowns. It’s half-baked…
Catalyst of change

I had a very enjoyable conversation with Giles Anderton before Christmas, and this thought appeared. I see myself as a catalyst for change. But if I’m being honest, I realise that in the past I’ve been as resistant to change as the next guy – and not even for reasons I can clearly articulate. I once heard…
What every business needs…

I was on a train with Doug Belshaw and John Webber recently, and someone mentioned an appointment described as “director of out-of-the-box”. I suddenly realised what I had seen play out in all the businesses I’ve been involved with – the tension between Quality and Innovation. Obviously, every business needs both…
So… how’s it going? (growing a social business)

I wrote this visual poem in 2014 when the social business I had founded (wapisasa) and its vision were struggling – I had completely forgotten about it until I found it in an old sketchbook, and thought I might turn it into something to encourage others. If it resonates with you, let me know!
Outbreak of Hope

Here’s another thought emerging from a conversation at @dotcomrades – with reference to the vote for Independence in Scotland. I’m fascinated by hope – as its relationship with strong leadership…
It’s all about people

Having sold a couple of businesses, I’m often asked about the ingredients of running a successful start-up. Well, this may be obvious, but it’s top of my list every time. People. But not just your immediate team (which is of course critical), but those who you sell to, those who support what you’re selling, those…