Business Briefing

2020

Decisions, DEE-cisions: What would DEE have you do?
Some have asked me about the DEE-decisions framework that I used as part of the ‘Toward a New Normal?’ article where I explore ideas to radically redesign meetings to reduce the need to travel, in light of health and carbon and cost concerns.More >>

Toward a New Normal? Rethinking the place of face to face meetings in a challenged world: options and opportunities
Sometimes something happens, and the rest is history. A hundred years ago the invention of refrigeration finished off the wholesale ice trade. Five hundred years ago the discovery of the humble chilli transformed global cuisine for ever. More >>

2019

From facilitation nightmares to 'no cares'
In my one-to-one coaching, I often use a framework adapted from scenario planning. I get clients to describe 4 futures they think they might encounter: the Dream, the Disaster, the Default and the Do-able. When coaching someone to develop their facilitation skills and repertoire, I find that the fear of the disaster scenario figures most prominently. The worry of things going horribly wrong looms large. More >>

On the importance and value of using organisational cycles
As you might know, I am quite a fan of cycling – to the station, through town, to meetings in the UK and abroad... observing and thinking as I go. However, this piece is not about bicycles. More >>

2018

"Vote Now": 18 Analogue and Digital methods to sample participant opinion - guaranteed to bring your meeting to life
When was the last time you were in a meeting when something was put to the vote? More >>

Just Governance: A 10 point checklist for brilliant boards
Collectively, we want our enterprises to be ‘governed’ well, or at least well enough. We are keen that governing systems don't go wrong. More >>

The four essential preconditions for system transformation
I enjoy the work I am invited to help: the places I visit, the people I meet and the tasks I assist. After various projects I distill the lessons and insights. More >>

Do you know the 5G of Happiness?
Much has been written about what might seem like a modern indulgence: the aim of being happy. More >>

'The Exchange' conference format: from an exchange of ideas
First things are fateful... More >>

On our 'best behaviour': ideas for a compelling code of conduct
Creating the best possible organisational climate ... More >>

2017

Grateful for 2017?
I have been reflecting on the past 12 months of 2017 and what they have given to me... More >>

Knowing (and Using) the Four Breakpoints on the Road to Burnout
Over the last few weeks I have spoken with a few people who have felt a bit close to ‘burnout’... More >>

2016

HoHoHo
On the subject of next year, my resolve for 2017 is to use CHHH to guide my work and projects... More >>

Does your idea pass The Chilli Test?
At the end of the Fifteenth Century the America’s were accidentally (re)discovered as a world of tremendous resource... More >>

"Will you chair our conference"?
The Five Brilliant Things Every Successful Moderator Does. More >>

Three things to keep and eye on for organisational success
At the end of last year I first published my FRE framework.  I have been bowled over by the many positive comments. It clearly resonated. More >>

Are you FREe?
I am finding that various colleagues are finding a FRE-based Organisation Health Check really useful. FRE? Interested? More >>

2015

Excellent Events with The Design Dozen: Twelve prompts for perfect conference planning
You may know the alliteration attributed to the military: "Prior Preparation Prevents P*** Poor Performance".  More >>

2014

Business Briefing: Are you a 'perspective manager'?
In a recent series of blogs I argued that managing your own perspectives (and helping others to manage their assumptions) is a key skill for all leaders. More >>

2013

Have a great festive time...
As the holiday period approaches, we trust you have enjoyable and
restful time. Best wishes for a successful 2014. More >>

Painting by numbers...
Here are some numbers I hope you find interesting (with thanks to Andrew Dilnot's podcasts). More >>

Choices, choices, choices...
You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill...More >>

"Want to get unstuck?"
Are you stuck at the moment? Is there something you want to achieve but can't? Are you finding it hard to work out what to do to make things happen? Are you trying things and they are just not giving you the results you want? More >>

First the briefing…then the blog, the tweet and the talk…now, the Book?
I would welcome your view on something brewing here at idenk... should we write a book? More >>

Option(s) for now and the near
I had a choice today: to cancel some meetings and work from home to help me get some things prepared for an upcoming trip….or to work on the move (train, taxi, café) and keep my commitments to a number of colleagues, contacts and clients.  More >>

2012

Good will to all...and choose your ‘present’...
‘Good will to all…’ is a popular phrase at this time of year.  As a way to wish each other well - willing good if you like.  More >>

Honest and timely conversations
In the run up to the start of the Olympics in London last week, the triple jumper Phillips Idowu caused consternation with the GB team coaches for not turning up at training camp amidst rumours of a medal-threatening injury. More >>

Happy days
The coming week is meant to be the ‘most miserable of the year’, in the northern hemisphere at least. So this month the topic we explore is happiness. More >>

2011

Season’s Greetings: The Three Wise Words
Curiosity, productivity and belief. More >>

"On s'engage et puis on voit"
So, It’s that time of year again when many of you will be starting or in the midst of your annual business planning. More >>

Feeling responsible?
We came across this warning sign on a bowl of nibbles at a recent event. More >>

Learning from Leonardo: lessons for working lives
If you only ever read one book about art, it should be The Story of Art by Ernst Gombrich. More >>

Welcome to 2011 – and to 12th night.
We hope you have come back to work both refreshed and with clear goals. More >>

2010

Season's Greetings from the idenk team
And now for our festive competition… More >>

Noble purpose?
Try answering these questions: More >>

Planning your personal transition through change
“Events, dear boy, events.” More >>

Just to check…
When you hear the word ‘meeting’ do you think ‘oh no’ and your heart sinks? More >>

Getting back onto the front foot
How are you coping in the current business climate? More >>

The Little Book of Big Influence
Success in the modern business world involves influencing people. More >>

This is where the magic happens
We were running a ‘campaign room’ event last week when someone used the phrase “so this is where the magic happens”. He meant it in a positive way. More >>

Making meetings matter
Meetings are a big part of life in business. But why do people so often find them unsatisfactory? Why do they dread them or want to have fewer of them? More >>

2009

Season's Greetings from the idenk team
We have really enjoyed 2009 and hope you have too (and see below for more on preparing for 2010).

We have just re-launched the idenk website.
Do take a look and let us have your feedback.We hope you’ll find lots of useful things there, including articles, business briefings, resources and online assessments.We have also started sharing our ideas in short form more regularly through the idenk blog. You can receive this by clicking on this link. If you register, you will get 5-6 short observations or thoughts (each is about 100-200 words) every two weeks.

Fit for purpose?
Why do business people do so little training? I don’t mean training to get fit physically but to help get better at the sort of work we do? Some people may go on the occasional course, others will do a few development days here and there. But many of us will go through an entire year without doing any formal training at all. It’s the same in both the commercial and public sectors.
More >>

Asking the right questions
“How am I to get in?” asked Alice again, in a louder tone. “Are you to get in at all?” said the Footman, “That’s the first question, you know.”
More >>

Getting better all the time?
Meeting for coffee with one of our clients last week, she talked me through how a sharp drop in sales as a result of the downturn had meant they had had to make cost cuts. That's not an unfamiliar story at the moment.
More >>

Get things in perspective — take the long view
We’ve been delighted with the feedback on our last couple of briefings with their focus on hope, happiness and the front foot organization. The encouragement to be positive has resonated strongly with a lot of people for whom the news seems bleak.
More
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''H' is for Happiness'
Whilst we often help clients examine what is holding their organisations or intentions back, helping them then to acquire the habits necessary for a breakthrough on a particular problem or question, what really excites those we work with most is a focus on potential!
More
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New Year 2009
One of us received this picture on a Christmas card about ten years ago. Do you have a favourite image from a seasonal card you got this year? Have you something to share — maybe graphic that made you laugh, think, cry, cringe...
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2008

Seasons Greetings 2008
This message comes with seasons greetings — and a chance for some guided reflection — from all of us at idenk.
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Getting you onto the front foot
Getting on an early train this morning, with the dawn seeming a long way away, it's encouraging to know that we do have a choice in how we choose to look at things.
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Regulatory lessons ring home
As much as Springtime, we find the early weeks of Autumn a great time to think again about our objectives. To reflect on the year past and to think ahead. Maybe it's living in a university town like Cambridge (or the fact that we still have kids at school) that encourages this focus on academic years.
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Are they being served?
How well are your customers being served? Can you be sure that everyone who uses your product or service, or who comes into contact with your organisation gets the best possible experience they can?
More >>

Climate change - does it leave you hot or cold?
–at home, at work, at play. We see this in a trivial yet powerful way every time we run an event: people take a seat and then return to this same chair again and again – even if the meeting runs for 24 hours!
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A head full of heart?
How much of your thinking is logical and rational? How much of it is influenced by emotion and swayed by the way you feel?
More >>

Did you look at the trees this morning on the way to work?
Despite some hard frosts and earthquakes, most of them are budding. The early bulbs are also flowering and if you look closely lots of plants are showing signs of renewed growth. Hopefully without sounding sentimental, there is something about this time of year which seems to give a sense of potential and possibility.
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Apple, Bovril or Cadbury's chocolate: better to be hated than ignored?
How critical is your brand to your success? Every organisation has one, even though they don’t think they do or don’t believe in them. Whether you are a global enterprise, public body, small business or freelancer, your customers, suppliers, partners all have a view about what it is that you offer them, what it’s like to work with you or buy from you and what you stand for.
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2007

Happy Christmas
We think it's important not to forget what has happened – good or otherwise. To celebrate, to reflect and to learn.
More >>

Irrational Business?
We have been trading and investing since mid 2006. We love the work we do supporting Thinking Business. As we read, talk, travel and meet many interesting people, various things strike us or come up in conversation. We have decided to share more of these.
More
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