Category Archives: Blog

You have to build for the reality we live in, not the one we hope to create.

I have been travelling and choosing to ignore Facebook for a few days, I am starting (probably too late) to actively resent its insidious ubiquity. For someone who is known as, a “hail fellow well met, first to the bar, last to leave, loves a party” person I enjoy my own company, my books, silence & contemplationContinue reading “You have to build for the reality we live in, not the one we hope to create.”

Playing the “What If” game.

I delivered my presentation, “Is Dentistry Making You Sick?” in Gloucestershire a couple of days ago and introduced a game that I suggest participants play with their teams and partners. It’s called “What If” and the rules are simple in the extreme, you come up with the most unlikely thing that you can imagine andContinue reading “Playing the “What If” game.”

“Jeff, what does Day 2 look like?”

Another post via the essential Benedict Evans’ Newsletter. This is from Jeff Bezos‘ (Amazon founder & CEO) annual shareholder letter: “managing Amazon and change in a large company”. Well worth a read. “Jeff, what does Day 2 look like?” That’s a question I just got at our most recent all-hands meeting. I’ve been reminding people that it’sContinue reading ““Jeff, what does Day 2 look like?””

The Periodontist, deep pockets in LA.

from the Lefsetz Letter… “I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news.” Huh? I thought the hygienist cleaned and the dentist evaluated. But not at this joint. My old dentist had a love affair with Alaska. For three months every summer he took his boat up north and regaled me with incredible talesContinue reading “The Periodontist, deep pockets in LA.”

They shopped until they dropped and then they stopped….

On the very rare occasions I am in large shopping “malls” (usually visiting a John Lewis – predictable I know) I wonder, “how do these places make any money”? Interesting article in the New York Times about the changes in US retail via Benedict Evans’ Newsletter where he says: Is American retail at a tipping point? (Arguably,Continue reading “They shopped until they dropped and then they stopped….”

The Weekend Read – Deep Work by Cal Newport

This is a “must read” for anyone who feels they are getting overwhelmed or even too distracted by 21st century life. Subtitled, “Rules for focus success in a distracted world” it does exactly what it says on the cover. I regularly hear complaints from my clients that they are having problems focussing on the mostContinue reading “The Weekend Read – Deep Work by Cal Newport”

The second life begins…when the drill is hung up.

  I encountered this quote from Confucius in the FT, coincidentally in the week where I was reading The Path an interesting book on Chinese Philosophy and whilst still coming to terms with the fact that since March 18th I can no longer sing the Beatles’ song which starts, “When I get older losing my hair”Continue reading “The second life begins…when the drill is hung up.”

Now that’s one way to ask for feedback

  I love reading reviews on Amazon, the 4 & 5 stars tell me something but the 1 star reviews sometimes make me fear for the survival of the human species, “couldn’t get the lid off, “arrived without batteries”, etc. I often wonder where the gap between expectations and reality started as they are soContinue reading “Now that’s one way to ask for feedback”