These stories (the sub-menu of this page) are just a small selection from my career and they are presented to provide insight into how my simple rules were established and then deployed consistently to organise and develop enterprises. I deliberately remove all names from stories, the ‘who’ is not material to the tale and, in most cases, neither is the absolute quantum of sales.
Some of the problems I have had to resolve are highly unusual – Black Hole, for instance, involved creating a microbiology laboratory and getting to grips with fluid dynamics. I had not been near either subject since my O and A Level science studies.
Curiosity, fast learning and the wide variety of contacts I have met throughout my life have never let me down. Faced with a problem, I will either quickly work it out with colleagues – or ‘know a man who can’. The clock is always ticking, time is of the essence.
I have a pet hate of unsubstantiated claims and gurus with overly complex theories so it is important to me and, I hope, to you to see how my simple-sounding principles play out in real situations. I am very aware that as a ‘consultant’ to your company there is a risk of being perceived as an arms-length theorist – I hope these stories demonstrate how far this is from the truth.
Some of the patterns and scenarios may strike a chord with your own experience, past or present. Please take it as read that I would be delighted to hear from you, I would sincerely love to hear your stories too!