We often respond to disruption by adopting new technology, changing structures or launching transformation programmes. I believe the more fundamental question is whether our organisations have developed the capability to learn and adapt. In my latest op ed for Dawn, I explore why technology alone cannot transform an organisation and why people, judgement, learning and […]
What Gives Meaning to My Life?
For most of my working life, I don’t remember thinking very much about the meaning of life. There was always something to do. A target to achieve, a business problem to solve, a team to manage, a career to build and of course a family to look after. That is probably true for many of […]
What If I Am Wrong About This Person?
Recently, I noticed something about certain leaders that made me realise how quickly we form opinions about people. We are quick to categorise them as “He is not strategic,” “She doesn’t take enough initiative,” “He is very dependable,” “She is definitely leadership material.” Anyone who has managed people for long enough has probably made similar […]
What Can I Do About It?
I recently came across an interesting article in The Economist that asked a simple question. If you could give your children one quality, what would it be? Intelligence? Empathy? Confidence? The article suggested something else; an internal locus of control – the belief that your actions can influence what happens to you. The idea stayed […]
When the Extraordinary Becomes Ordinary
In a recent conversation with a client, I was asked a simple question; ‘How do we become successful in operations?’ My instinctive answer was the traditional one; good systems and processes, combined with motivated people. That answer is not wrong. However, when I think deeply it feels incomplete. Most businesses begin with bundles of positive […]
What Would Be Lost If We Disappeared?
Most organisations have a mission statement which reads something like ”To be the leading provider of innovative solutions (or product xyz) that create sustainable value for all our stakeholders.” It may sound impressive, but it could also belong to a bank, a software company, a hospital or a cement manufacturer! It tells us almost nothing […]
Missing foundation of AI readiness
Over the years I have had the opportunity to discuss with many leadership teams their thoughts about digital transformation, automation and, increasingly, AI. Almost every organisation is excited about what these technologies can do. But when the conversation goes a little deeper, a different picture often emerges. Many organisations are eager to adopt AI, but […]
What Should Leaders Measure Themselves By?
Early in my career, success was easy to define. As a young commercial manager, it was about achieving sales targets and improving recoveries. Later it became market share and brand performance. As I reached senior management, success was measured by P&L. Every promotion simply gave me a bigger number to chase. Then, somewhere along the […]
Are We Losing Our Communities?
I grew up playing cricket on the streets with my immediate neighbours and children from a few streets around us. Today, when I go for a jog in my neighbourhood, I still see cricket being played on the streets. But it is almost always the household help; the drivers, guards, cooks and domestic staff, who […]
Thinking Across Boundaries
Speaking with some entrepreneurs recently, I noticed something interesting. They were energetic, deeply knowledgeable about their businesses and quick to act on opportunities. But many of our conversations remained anchored within the boundaries of their own industries. It made me wonder whether, in focusing so intensely on building a business, we sometimes limit the very […]
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