What do you go to work for? Success is getting up and spending all day doing something you enjoy, and then getting paid for it. There may well be a proportion of the day that you don’t enjoy.  Essentially that is the part you would only do for pay.  One way of looking at it…

Brave and Uncomfortable. Thursday 10th May was the time for uncomfortable conversations.  The Marketing Society held a forum to push boundaries and make braver decisions, to help each other to address the toughest issues, this time on gender at work. Gemma introduced the session by talking about the time that I called her out about…

A great plan is crucial to progress. Whether it is a plan for your marketing ambitions, a plan to transform the sector, a media plan or a career plan, great understanding and a logical solution are essential for success. A great plan isn’t enough. As Mike Tyson said: “everyone has a plan until they get…

It’s more important than a good strategy In 2016 I was introduced to the ceo of a manufacturing company as a strategy head.  “Ahh,” he said, “you know Sue don’t you that culture eats strategy for breakfast”. “Indeed” I answered, “but the strategy is to have a good culture”. Without a good culture you can…

Media is complicated. More and more complicated. The more complicated things are the greater the need for simplification. Here’s 3 simple rules to help to deal with the complications. There are more and more lines on a block plan.  The media channels used don’t have easily comparable metrics. Even the media that have been around…

Image: Black Victorian by Stephanie Nnamani Getty Images Some called 2017 the “year of women”.  Time Magazine’s person of the year was “The silence breakers”, the thousands of people who blew the whistle on sexual harassment.   They didn’t put thousands on the cover however.  Five women were represented in the cover photo, together with an…

Which is the most important factor for transformation? At the beginning of 2018 we asked our clients a big question.  Of all of the multiple issues facing our industry, (including GAFAM, Brexit, Millennials, Voice, Purpose etc etc), all of which are on marketers’ minds, which is the most important? I can reveal here that the…

In today’s business world, doing the same thing you always did is not an option. If you don’t innovate, you die.  It could be a slow demise, might be fast, but thriving isn’t on the cards if you don’t change. One of the fastest and most effective ways to drive digital innovation is to go…

Two ways to succeed at networking. Some of us are naturals at networking.  Given a luke warm glass of indifferent white wine and some limp crisps those lucky people circulate at room like honey bees in search of nectar. Two hours later they are the last to leave (undoubtedly to go on to their next…

For IWD 2018 make a pledge.  No more standing by. Let’s talk about bravery. Not mountain climbing. Not parachuting out of a plane. Not bungee jumping, abseiling, marathon running, Tough Mudder or Iron Man training. All of which are admirable. I’d like to talk about everyday bravery. The bravery never just to standby and listen…

11 hours of media consumption in 8 hours of time. This is not a creative endeavour; it is a race for attention This is how Jez Nelson, ceo of Somethin Else, describes the content development and audience generating business he’s in.  I think it is a good description of the business we are all in. …

A recent brief for a talk at a conference about leadership ran as follows: “We want the delegates to understand that what’s got them to the senior level that they are at now, isn’t enough to take them to the next level of business leadership”. What’s necessary for the next level? Technical expertise and being…