So called flashes of insight are nothing of the sort. Talent is only table stakes. Character and discomfort are the only safe bets.  A game changing idea, a revelation that reframes how you look at things. They actually happen gradually and all of a sudden.  They are really slow hunches.  Most leap forwards in any…

  I go on about being an athlete a lot, sorry about that, but still   I always hated to start to a new year when I was a swimmer Train for months, reach peak form Take a few weeks off, then you start all over again   It always shocked me how quickly form…

Because I’m not very good at the job I read a lot. Mostly stuff that has little to do with planning, brands or marketing. Partly because everyone else reads the same industry books and such. Mostly because ideas are really re-combinations of existing things. So, the wider the raw material, the better chance of an…

You may know I love cycling, I’m a MAMIL (middle aged man in lycra) To the eternal dismay of the people I live with, I also watch it Tell you what, it’s in a bit of a golden age After years of the likes of Team Sky grinding other teams down With one boring strategy.…

Once upon a time I used to be a swimmer (I may have mentioned this once or twice). My biggest failing was controlling adrenalin. I used to start training sessions like a lunatic, crying in agony by at the end of two hours. Because I'd used my energy far too soon. I used to go…

I hate gyms, I 'd rather be outside or in water, but I have been in them from time to time. One of the species of gym bunny I used to find amusing was all the all the gear no idea types. You know, high on expensive kit, light on actual exercise – usually doing…

If you read this blog more than once a year you're probably sick of me telling you I used to be swimmer and cycle a lot. When I was a teenager being an athlete used to define me, maybe too much  if I'm honest. But when I swam I felt powerful and capable, I felt…

The worst thing you can do in research is ask people about your brand or product. Because they really don't think or talk about it in real life. Ask stupid questions, get stupid answers.   Just as when people can, and do, pay to avoid advertising. Asking them to talk about it in research, is…

The biggest challenge with being a planning/strategy type is that everyone things they can do your job.  But like many things, it's easy until you actually have to do it. Let's be honest actually, it's not that hard to be an okay planner these days. Since many places prefer a process being ticked, rather than…

The title is a poor bastardisation of that famous line. Sorry, I'm not David Abbot.  'A poor workman always blames his tools'. The idea that it's the skills, craft and effort of the person that makes or breaks a project. This is true, up to a point.  But while tools can't cover up lack of…