Making connections
Reporting on a school trip to the battlefields of WW1 proves a powerful lesson in how personal stories connect us to the bigger picture. A small boy stands solemnly …
A love of letters
We all need a hinterland – territory beyond the world of work. Mine is lettering. When I’m not writing, I’m painting letters. I forget about choosing words and think instead …
A different perspective
An inspiring conversation about leadership (and life) with HR director Toby Peyton-Jones, shortly before he became a Government education advisor, gave me much to reflect on. Toby Peyton-Jones is …
Life and times
New MDs coming into a business need to share their plans and priorities. What engages readers is an honest conversation – and one free of corporate jargon. Darren Davidson …
The authentic voice
Apprentices are a joy to talk to. What’s important is capturing their openness and enthusiasm and letting their true voice come through. “When I walked through the door, I …
Speaking out
Could the Oscar success of The Silent Child, the moving story of a profoundly deaf four-year old girl, result in sign language being taught in many more schools across the …
In their own words
Having a customer say what they value about your product or service is much more compelling than saying it yourself. That’s why I regularly interview my customers’ customers and always …
Life on the outside
Some stories stay with you a long time. One is an article I wrote about a prisoner who was on a National Grid scheme aimed at rehabilitating young offenders. By …
Keeping it real
Stories need to be honest and credible, not rose-tinted. When an engineer on an environmental mission says “I’m far from being a tree-hugger” and admits climate change news can be …
Home alone, stir crazy
A week into being self-employed, I wrote about how I’d found the previous three years working from home. It was a chance to debunk some myths and settle a bet …