Patience is a virtue: Why older bosses are better January 6, 2016 Youth is as prized in Silicon Valley as it is in Hollywood. The inexorable rise of disruptive tech companies, adored by investors and consumers alike, has ignited debate around the merits of young and older bosses, and what they can offer shareholders and employees. Young managers are often said to be more innovative, energetic and less [...]
Elite listening: The tricks to getting what you want done November 15, 2015 Why is it that so many meetings, negotiations and everyday conversations are so frustrating? Why didn’t you emerge with the result you needed or manage to persuade others to do what (you thought) you were asking for? It’s all in the listening. Most people will say they’re a good listener. The reality is that, [...]
The etiquette secrets for doing business in Asia-Pacific: Think twice before belittling a colleague or waving your card around September 23, 2015 Are you thinking about taking your business to other markets and expanding beyond Europe into Asia- Pacific? Taking the leap into Asian markets can be daunting – especially given the challenge of operating across very different cultures with specific rules and etiquette. Having acquired a Tokyo-based business, here are a few lessons I’ve [...]
Michael Dell talks EMC deal, leadership style, cyber attacks and how to prevent digital fear among companies November 8, 2015 Imagine striking the biggest tech deal of all time. Well, Michael Dell, founder of the eponymous tech company, is trying to do exactly that. Three weeks ago, the giant announced a $67bn bet on digital storage company EMC. “We believe that scale matters,” says Dell. “We believe that converged infrastructure is real. The software-defined data [...]
Christmas adverts: John Lewis, Sainsburys, Burberry & Marks and Spencer beaten by Universal for most shared festive ad of all time November 2, 2015 It's that time of year already. John Lewis is poised to unveil its Christmas advert on Friday (8am if you're really keen) and once again will be launching in on social media first, followed by a grand pushing out to TV audiences at the weekend. It has become an iconic start to the festive period, [...]
Trade Union Bill explained: Will it prevent strikes? What does it mean for employers? Here’s everything you need to know November 9, 2015 Some have called it an "attack on workers' rights", others have defended the plans – either way, the government's proposals to impose a minimum turnout of 50 per cent has left employers scratching their heads. Here's everything you need to know about the Trade Union Bill. Explain the new threshold rules Under the existing rules, [...]
Tube strike could lead to more home working disputes: How businesses should plan around disruption June 23, 2015 London is braced for the worst tube disruption in a decade next month if Tube workers and their unions decide to go ahead with planned strike action. For some employers in the City and elsewhere, this could lead to more workplace disputes if employees abuse permission given to work from home. The always-on culture of [...]
Behind Greece’s Problems July 10, 2015 Greece will not get very far out of its present morass without coming to grips with how it got there. The country provides a textbook example of a flawed economic system. The public sector is notorious for its corporatist practice of clientelism to gain votes and cronyism to gain favours – though some say that [...]
Summer sizzler: Over £11bn of UK-focused takeover deals on horizon as market heats up July 28, 2015 The deals market sprang back into action yesterday, with four major takeovers unveiled after a relatively quiet month on the transactions front. Over £11bn worth of UK-focused takeovers are now on the cards, after Melrose agreed to sell portfolio company Elster for £3.3bn and pharma group Hikma bought a US drugs business for £1.7bn. GKN [...]
Sounding off: How to speak up at meetings July 27, 2015 A colleague’s introduction will legitimise your comments Meetings can be daunting for any introvert, but there is no virtue in silence. Not only will your good ideas go unheard, you risk sending the wrong message to your superiors: either that you’re lazy and unprofessional; or that you don’t have anything valuable to contribute. Here are [...]