LinkedIn Posts
My LinkedIn posts Jan 2022 -
5 ways to sharpen your consulting with AI.
5 ways to sharpen your consulting with AI. There’s a lot of talk about AI in consulting. But not much guidance on how to use it 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 commoditising your thinking. Here are 5 practical ways you can adopt today to make AI augment - not substitute - your craft as
Mistakes consulting firms make when struggling to grow.
Mistakes consulting firms make when struggling to grow: 1/ Sheep dip sales training. 2/ Superstar rainmaker + Rolodex. Both burn time and cash. The outcome? Predictable. The experience? Disappointing. With sheep dipping, remember … Not everyone wants to sell. And that senior hire? Often misaligned, expensive, and gone in 18 months. Meanwhile,
The things I’m learning about ‘expert’ posts that show their bias.
The things I’m learning about ‘expert’ posts that show their bias. Did you notice how many experts use ‘research’ to justify a position … and then frame their paid work as the solution to the problem the research suggests. But they never reveal the actual data or analysis techniques used.
I descend from boatmen...
I descend from boatmen, the ones who worked the canals and carried coal through the heart of Britain. When I was a kid, my Grandad used to point out the old brick tunnels taking the waterway through hills. He’d comment, “They built these to last longer than they did.
I’ve noticed most consultants don’t sell.And in reality … that’s okay.
I’ve noticed most consultants don’t sell. And in reality … that’s okay. But, that being true, it makes sense to invest more in those who do. That’s something I see less often. Let’s look at the maths. The Pareto principle suggests 80% of outcomes come from
Stop selling promises you can’t control.
Stop selling promises you can’t control. That’s the trap some aspiring Growth Leaders fall into. You’re not running the client’s business. You can't guarantee profit, market share, or cost savings. Those outcomes depend on too many of client-side variables. Here’s what elite Growth
8o% fail.
8o% fail. That’s the alarming statistic that gets quoted. But here’s what they skip: 20% succeed. That’s not noise. That’s signal. Because in business, success lives in that sliver. The few who make it are exemplars to model. And for selling consultancy projects - a double
I still see this mistake in firms that struggle with sales.
I still see this mistake in firms that struggle with sales. They set goals based on what’s predictable, not what's possible. It's a problem ... because … real growth doesn’t come from predictable. It comes from what feels out of reach. And for reasons of internal
Growth Leaders don't say “it’s not my fault”.
Growth Leaders don't say “it’s not my fault”. Because that’s not leadership. It’s abdication. When a poor decision backfires. When supporters are furious. When things turns hostile. That’s when responsibility shows up. Some leaders vanish into silence. Others throw advisors under the bus. “It
I remember my first downturn.
I remember my first downturn. Ghosted. Projects stalled. Budgets vanished. The few client conversations were heavy with worry - uncertainty. It surprised me how fragile things felt when the veil of security was lifted. I noticed the smallest acts of steadiness mattered most. Not chasing deals but a calls to