by Robin Dicks | Sep 16, 2016 | Robin's Blog
Brexit means uncertainty. Should leaders, marketers and other heads try and ignore it, in the hope that it will go away? Should they plan on the basis of an outcome they hope will happen? Or should they give in to the uncertainty and not plan at all? Should they promote hard, or accept reduced budgets? Or should they rethink where they can really add value – click here for some thoughts on how leaders can really respond positively to the challenge and help build the firm’s performance. I’ll talk about the role of scenario planning also in a future...
by Robin Dicks | Jul 27, 2016 | Robin's Blog
It’s felt like a good time over the last couple of weeks to rethink about strategies and talk to clients about “what next?” In this I’ve been reminded of a useful tool which was developed by Dr Tony Grundy. It’s very helpful as a means of determining the best choices from a range of options. You can see a top level view of it here At it’s heart it is a simple way of thinking about and evaluating different options, that you can use in decisions from “what corporate strategy should we use?”, “who should we acquire?”, “what client segment shall we focus on?” “what website agency should we use?” or even “what car shall we have next?” More about it is available online if you search on ‘strategic option...
by Robin Dicks | Jan 14, 2016 | Robin's Blog
The January football transfer window is pretty bizarre if viewed dispassionately – but in an idle moment it made me think. If your firm were a football team, how would you value your players? Who are your star strikers and which central midfielder would you ideally shift to a lower-league outfit? Perhaps more importantly, what are the characteristics of the players you should recruit, and where are the gaps in your squad? What are your objectives for this season? I’m not suggesting you take this analogy too far but if you’re feeling brave, it might open up an interesting debate with the management team and provoke some creative...
by Robin Dicks | Aug 14, 2015 | Robin's Blog
It may not be the first source of theory or advice many people look for, but there was a recent article about how the Sky cycling team took a disappointing 2104 Tour de France and questioned a variety of things which ultimately led to their success this year. The general manager, Dave Brailsford, talks in this article about the desire to not accept “its OK” and the process to build much better performance from the team. You don’t need to be a lycra wearing weekend warrior to be able to consider the points and perhaps apply some of the...
by Robin Dicks | May 29, 2015 | Robin's Blog
Ok, its two years away (probably). But there isn’t a firm in the UK that won’t be impacted by this. I think there are at least 3 things to think about, now. 1. Not just the result, but the period of uncertainty and “noise” beforehand. What will be impact be on your firm, before the decision is made, on changes in corporate investment, appetite for cross-border deals, investment in IP, and appetite for acquisitions (and for the relative appetite to do business within the EU and outside it)? 2. Are there areas where you can help your clients deal with the unpredictability of this and think through their options? What should they do to reduce the impact of increased risk? What opportunities arise for them from this uncertainty? 3. Are you planning for both the “in” and “out” scenarios? No-one will get any predictions of the impact “bang-on”, but do you understand the main challenges and responses your firm will make in either scenario? Those companies who have achieved great results and longevity through periods of upheaval don’t “wait” to think about these issues. It’s better to understand the impact and react quickly. Even a few weeks delay in “getting ducks in a row” after the decision will reduce your ability to gain from the outcome – whatever it...
