The Bull
Getting Creative on Complex Problems
August 25, 2011 | The Bull 4
For every problem there is a solution. Sometimes the solutions are easy; sometimes not. However you decide to solve a problem make sure that you only have to solve it once. There is nothing worse than a problem that repeats itself every week. …
The Big Difference Between Stubbornness and Persistence
May 9, 2011 | The Bull 4
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Sometimes it is difficult to find the difference between being persistent or just plain stubborn. The difference may seem only slight on the surface but underneath the gulf is wide. While persistence is a good thing especially whenRead More
Is Your Company’s “Core Values Statement” Just Words on a Page?
October 20, 2010 | The Bull 4
FROM THE BULL | When companies start talking about their core values I switch off. Mostly, they are trying to sell you something or convince you that they are better than they actually are. The same applies when they publish this stuff on their…
Extreme Planning | Expect the Best, Plan for the Worst
October 5, 2010 | The Bull 7
FROM THE BULL || Some people love writing business plans and others hate it. Some businesses have (astonishingly) never even written one instead preferring to react to events as they occur. I neither love writing them nor hate it – to me it’s…
Extreme Networking | Lessons from the Best Business Networker I Have Ever Met
September 27, 2010 | The Bull 4
- this guy may have 500 million friends, but he is not Phil.
I have a friend called “Phil”. He is a quiet, unassuming guy but he’s known and remembered by a wide cross-section of people. He is a go-to-guy. He is also the best networker I have …
Do you play sport like you work?
September 6, 2010 | The Bull
I played rugby for nearly 20 years. I loved the game – both playing and training. When I finally hung up my boots at the age of 30 it was a sad day. I enjoyed the camaraderie of the game and the fact that your team-mates relied on you to perform.…
Why Trusting Your Gut Instinct Might be the Best Thing You Ever do
August 31, 2010 | The Bull 4
Fifteen years ago I started a business from the second bedroom of my apartment. I had very limited funds and no experience in the sector that I intended to operate in. Before I started I shared my business plan with my friends and family. The majority…
We can all learn a lot from the humble ant.
August 24, 2010 | The Bull 3
Have you ever watched ants close up? It’s an interesting study.
A few months ago I watched a group of ants converge on some food scraps in a park. Over the course of several hours they carried all of the scraps away presumably back to their colony.…
Why Every Restaurant Should Allow Bill Splitting
August 10, 2010 | The Bull 16
I love a damned good plate of spaghetti marinara. In fact I’ll drive half- way across town to get a good one. Fresh seafood, garlic, a splash of wine and chilli served with al dente pasta really hits the spot for me.
Two weeks ago I had one of the …
The Bull’s 10 Rules for a Successful Business
August 4, 2010 | The Bull 3
The first thing I’ll say is that the above title is written with a heavy dose of irony and my tongue wedged firmly in my cheek. The truth is that I’m not a big fan of rules generally and even less for those that get in the way of sensible progress.…
From the Bull | Which levers should I pull?
July 21, 2010 | The Bull
When you break business down to its fundamentals it is actually a simple concept. Basically, you need to have a product or service that solves a market problem, that you can sell in large enough quantities and at high enough prices to earn an…
From the Bull | “when the competition is drowning, stick a hose in their mouths”
June 30, 2010 | The Bull
- your your next board meeting space
Recessions and economic downturns can sometimes provide the best growth opportunities for a business, especially if it is at the expense of your competitors. Downturns can be tough for everyone but smart…
From the Bull | You just can’t put an old head on young shoulders
June 17, 2010 | The Bull 3These days I am always slightly amused about how much emphasis is placed on youth in business. It seems more and more that people over 50 are considered over the hill and are being replaced by the new young “guns”, many of whom are still wet …
From the Bull | The Five Things Great Leaders do
June 9, 2010 | The Bull 2A couple of years ago a guy I knew got fired from his role as a CEO of small public company. In the end the directors grew tired of his excuses for the company’s under-performance and the lack of a clear plan for the future. They also accused him …
From the Bull | The three customer groups that matter
June 2, 2010 | The Bull 2A while ago a company that I was involved with commissioned some external consultants to help us understand our customers better. These guys were specialists in their field and were impressive. The work they produced was of a high standard …
From the Bull | Jumping in the deep end.
May 27, 2010 | The Bull
- Insight | Constantly jumping in the deep end.
Several years ago I was an advisory board member of a services business that was struggling. The business had a reasonable market position and a decent customer offer but was going backwards fast.…
From the Bull | Job vs. Responsibility
May 20, 2010 | The Bull 1- contemplating his role in the world
Jim Collins of Good to Great book fame has written a new book entitled “How the Mighty Fall”. In it he states: “one notable distinction between the wrong people and the right people (in key roles) is that…
From The Bull | Becoming Slightly Famous
May 5, 2010 | The Bull 2
Remember Tim Shaw? He was the presenter of the infamous Demtel TV commercials encouraging us to buy with the memorable “but wait, there’s more”. Tim is an unforgettable personality but behind that quirky persona is a highly skilled …
FROM THE BULL | On What Frogs Can Teach Us.
April 20, 2010 | The Bull
There is a parable that says if you put a frog into a pot of boiling water; it will jump out straight away. But, if you put a frog in a kettle that is filled with water that is cool and pleasant and then you gradually heat the kettle until it starts boiling,…
FROM THE BULL | What’s behind you is important
April 12, 2010 | The BullRecently, I was invited to speak to the management team of a successful private company on the subject of leadership. At one point I played a small excerpt from the 1980′s movie, “The Gumball Rally” about the famous car race…
FROM THE BULL | Don’t be a Wally
April 8, 2010 | The Bull 4The first day at a new job should be the beginning of a great new adventure. For new employees, it is usually filled with some trepidation and excitement. It’s not unusual for them to “test-drive” the travel route to their new job in advance…
FROM THE BULL | Get Your Hands Dirty (a personal story)
April 6, 2010 | The Bull 2
A positive attitude will overcome many barriers. So will a willingness to get your hands dirty. The earlier this lesson is learnt the better. I learnt it at my first job in 1982.
I worked in a paint factory. For its time the factory was modern and…
IF Melbourne Part 2:: Social Responsibility
March 29, 2010 | White Spaces
IF Melbourne on white spaces tv :: Episode 2 of 3
In late February, uncluttered white spaces hosted IF Melbourne @ Denmark House to a room for 40 guests from various networks in Melbourne to join in a forum on the broad topic of Innovation.…
FROM THE BULL:: A hole above the waterline won’t sink a ship.
March 29, 2010 | The BullW.L. Gore & Associates is a little-known company that has $2.5bn in annual sales, 8,000 employees and 50 manufacturing facilities worldwide. The company invented the water-proof, breathable Gore Tex fabrics and is a leading manufacturer…
From the Bull :: The Little Things Matter
March 16, 2010 | The BullA colleague of mine, who has a business in the start-up stage, called me recently for advice. He had been chasing a big client for months and had finally got the call to come in for a meeting. The problem was that the meeting was in two days time and…
From the Bull:: On Being unreasonable
March 8, 2010 | The BullBeing unreasonable…
A small number of people have suggested to me that I have made a career out of being contrary and at times unreasonable. This always makes me smile and nowadays I accept it as a compliment. Like a friend once told me, …
FROM THE BULL:: Innovate or Perish
March 3, 2010 | The BullRecently I had the great pleasure of participating in an Innovation Forum (IF) in Melbourne hosted by the charming and charismatic Ben Rennie of Uncluttered White Spaces. It was a brilliant evening with a great panel, an engaged audience and…
From the Bull:: What happens when you give more than you take?
February 23, 2010 | The BullRecently, I was chatting with a great friend of mine who runs his own successful business. He’s a fantastic guy who is loved by everyone. His network of friends, business contacts and acquaintances is huge. He is smart, pragmatic and has the…
From the Bull:: The ultimate feedback question.
February 15, 2010 | The Bull 2Remember the old staff suggestion boxes? Staff were encouraged to submit ideas, suggestions, criticisms etc via a suggestion box which once every week or so a manager would open and review. If their suggestion was controversial or personal…
THE BULL :: Bill Clinton has the X Factor
February 9, 2010 | The Bull 3In the past ten years two of my friends had the pleasure of meeting Bill Clinton. One met him at a speaking function where he was part of a greeting line of probably 200 people. The other met him, by accident, on the wharf at Port Douglas in Queensland.…
FROM THE BULL :: The ultimate test of a great manager
February 1, 2010 | The BullWe’d all like to think we are great managers. Right? However there is a big difference between being a great technician and a great manager. Great technicians come in many forms – they might be great buyers or accountants or web designers…
FROM THE BULL :: IN HARMS WAY.
January 27, 2010 | The BullMilitary leaders get paid to make the hardest, most stressful executive decisions that anyone will ever have to make. Essentially, they have to decide (or not) whether to commit their military personnel to armed conflicts and in the process…
THE BULL :: ARE YOU A CURIOUS PERSON?
January 8, 2010 | The Bull 2Curious people are voracious readers and active learners. The great US President, Teddy Roosevelt, fitted this description perfectly. He didn’t just read books, he devoured them. While he was President he would read a book every day before…
THE BULL:: ‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY (AND TO REFLECT ON WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO YOU)
December 21, 2009 | The Bull 3We’re all busy doing what we do and getting on with our lives. Right? However, how often do we stop and consider why we’re doing what we’re doing? How often do we reflect on what it is that we really want to achieve from our lives, not just from…
THE BULL :: Will it make the boat go faster?
December 15, 2009 | The Bull 1Sir Matthew Pinsent is an elite rower from England who competed in four consecutive Olympics, from 1992-2004, winning four gold medals. Pinsent also won gold in every World Championships from 1991 to 2002. He is a legend of the sport.
In the …
FROM THE BULL :: IS YOUR REPUTATION WHAT YOU THINK IT IS?
December 7, 2009 | The BullA friend of mine called me recently for some career advice. He has been at the same company, a large multinational corporation, for the past 12 years. He has kicked some goals but hasn’t made the career progress that he was hoping for. He’s…
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