I’m writing this article from my desk, but by the time you read it, I’ll be somewhere rather lovely in Portugal with my wife Kay, hopefully with a glass of something cold in my hand and absolutely zero emails on my mind. I’ll be honest, scheduling this time wasn’t easy. The past few weeks have […]
Progress Beats Perfection: Lessons from Our Away Day
Last week we held our annual ‘away day’ (it’s actually an away two-days but that’s not as catchy!), a chance to step away from the daily whirlwind and spend time on the business rather than in it. It’s amazing what happens when you pull a group of like-minded business owners together in one room. There’s an instant sense of energy, […]
Evaluate Your Life Day – The Power of Hitting Pause to Move Forward
This Sunday is Evaluate Your Life Day. Yes it might sound like one of those quirky “national days” dreamt up by someone with too much time and a social media calendar to fill up, but I actually really like the thinking behind this one, and the timing couldn’t be better! Why? Because this week, we’re taking […]
Leadership Under Pressure: What the 2019 Cricket World Cup Final Taught Me
Last night, Kay and I had dinner with three people who know more about pressure than almost anyone else I’ve ever met: Kane Williamson, New Zealand captain Ben Stokes, now England captain Eoin Morgan, the man who led England to that World Cup win in 2019 There were about 500 of us in the room […]
Positive Expectation for Leaders: Why It Beats Positive Thinking
This Saturday is National Positive Thinking Day. But let’s be honest, positive thinking on its own doesn’t move the needle. What does make a difference is something far more powerful: positive expectation. The Science of Expectation David Robson’s brilliant book The Expectation Effect dives into how our beliefs shape our outcomes – mentally, physically, and emotionally. It isn’t fluffy self-help […]
Why Planning with Purpose Matters (and Why I Do Mine on Holiday)
I’ve just got back from three days in Norfolk. For me, Norfolk means long dog walks, windswept beaches, cosy pubs, and rummaging through second-hand bookshops. It’s the kind of place where life slows down, and that’s exactly why it’s become one of the most important parts of my year. While those things are lovely (and […]
Unexpected Leaders Inspire Change
Have you ever noticed that the most inspiring leaders often aren’t the ones with the loudest voices or the biggest titles? Sometimes, they’re the ones who quietly nudge you in a different direction. They appear when you least expect it, and their impact might not even be obvious until years later. For me, one of […]
16 Years On: What Taking a Leap of Faith Really Taught Me
16 years ago, I took a leap of faith. I’d just walked away from what I thought was my dream job at the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA). It wasn’t entirely my decision, sometimes life nudges you (or shoves you) in a different direction, but looking back, it was exactly the shove I needed. […]
Stepping Into Success: You Don’t Grow the Callouses Before the Ride
I had a conversation with a client today that stopped both of us in our tracks. It began with a familiar theme, one I’ve heard time and again from people on the brink of stepping into success. She was nervous about putting herself out there more on social media. She had big goals, but the […]
Purpose and Direction – What Happens When People Come Together
A couple of weeks ago, something powerful happened. Over 80 people came together for the second annual Charity Golf Day, which I helped to organise, and The Business Clubhouse proudly sponsored. We raised a brilliant £6,788.03 for Rennie Grove Hospice, a small charity that makes a huge difference to the lives of so many. It was a fun, heart-filled […]
