How to Gauge the Effectiveness of Employee Wellness Programs
23/10/2018
thenakedsnail/Getty Images Tracking the data on the effectiveness of employee well-being programs can feel like you’re watching a Ping-Pong match. While more than 60% of U.S. businesses offer such programs, research on their effectiveness has been mixed. There are findings that point to positive gains in both cost savings and productivity measures, while other […]
Here’s what young Indians really want from life
22/10/2018
As the fastest growing economy today, India is home to a fifth of the world’s youth. Half of its population of 1.3 billion is below the age of 25, and a quarter is below the age of 14. India’s young population is its most valuable asset and most pressing challenge. It provides India with a […]
Why governments need to respond to the Fourth Industrial Revolution
19/10/2018
Around the world, the ground appears to be shifting beneath our feet as we hurtle through a period of unnerving change, marked by disturbing weather patterns, xenophobic protectionism, mass migration, failed states, science denial, cyberterrorism, a loss of faith in institutions and many other factors. What’s more, global energy markets are in flux. Supply chains […]
One Reason Mergers Fail: The Two Cultures Aren’t Compatible
18/10/2018
Executive Summary Amazon’s 2017 acquisition of Whole Foods was met with a lot of fanfare. The deal would allow Amazon to grow beyond e-commerce and collect significant shopper data, while Whole Foods could lower its prices and scale up after its recent declines in sales. But a year later, stories of Whole Foods employees crying on […]
3 Ways to Build a Data-Driven Team
17/10/2018
Executive Summary As organization turbocharge their ability to gather more and more data, what matters most is having people who can ask the right questions of the data. Although people will differ in their general predisposition towards critical thinking, you can help them develop whatever potential they have if you put in place the right […]
Don’t Try to Be the “Fun Boss” — and Other Lessons in Ethical Leadership
16/10/2018
Executive Summary The ethical misconduct of leaders in not a new concern, but it seems to be a more prevalent concern today. So what should today’s leaders do to build trust with their teams and the public? Showing your team that you exercise caution, take calculated risks, and will adhere to organizational principles will go […]
Winning customers & investors biggest challenges for UK start-ups in 2018
15/10/2018
A survey of 500 Startups.co.uk readers, carried out in partnership with business broadband and phone provider Plusnet, has found that a third (34%) of UK small business owners find attracting new customers their biggest challenge, followed by accessing finance (29%). We asked you, our audience of start-ups and small businesses, to share your experiences on […]
Stop Wasting Money on Team Building
14/10/2018
Most corporate team building is a waste of time and money. I say this based on my 25+ years of research and practice in the field of team effectiveness. Seventeen of those years were with Mars Inc., a family-owned $35 billion global business with a commitment to collaboration. Many companies, when they decide […]
Reminder: Customers Care How You Treat Your Employees
13/10/2018
Executive Summary As companies pursue the talent they need for the future, and especially as the average age of U.S. workers continues to rise, some firms may be tempted to use biased talent practices. According to a recent report, for example, IBM has allegedly been systematically firing workers over the age of 40, perhaps to […]
innocent drinks Richard Reed: How to win over investors with a stellar pitch
12/10/2018
Whether you’re looking to get the public to back you, or you want to catch the attention of private investors, if your pitch doesn’t sing then you won’t win. No matter how many times you pitch, dealing with investors can still be a daunting experience. The only thing you can do is present a stellar […]
5 ways you can prosper with millennials as a wholesale supplier
11/10/2018
Millennials are a challenging consumer base. Just when you ‘d gotten used to selling to one generation, with their worth systems and beliefs, a whole new one occurs and renders a lot of what you do relatively redundant. Millennials search for various things than the generation above them, or the generation above that. They desire […]
What to Do If There’s No Clear Career Path for You at Your Company
10/10/2018
Tatsiana Volskaya/Getty Images. We all know the old script: join a company, work hard, move up the ladder. But it’s been decades since that was a reliable path, and not just because of layoffs or outsourcing or robots. These days, the culprit preventing many professionals from identifying a clear career path at their company is […]
How Self-Reflection Can Help Leaders Stay Motivated
09/10/2018
Executive Summary Occupying a leadership role often comes with more prestige, money, and flexibility. We often forget, however, that leadership is hard and exhausting work. A team of researchers tested a short daily intervention to see if it would help leaders remain energized throughout the day at work. Leaders take a few minutes in the morning […]
These 11 questions will help you decide if blockchain is right for your business
08/10/2018
One of the most unique aspects of blockchain is its high number of evangelists – people who believe blockchain can solve everything from global financial inequality, to the provision of ID for refugees, to enabling people to sell their houses without an estate agent. The enthusiasm to (over) promote the technology is also damaging its […]
8 famous UK entrepreneurs who made a weird career change that paid off
07/10/2018
In the enterprise world, the phrase ‘start a business doing what you’re good at’ is common advice. While it certainly can help to maximise on your career background when launching a business venture, there are several entrepreneur case studies which prove this advice isn’t strictly true. In fact, you can start a business in an […]
Execution Is a People Problem, Not a Strategy Problem
06/10/2018
Photography by Joe Munroe Paul,* the CEO of Maxreed, a global publishing company, was having trouble sleeping. Publishing is an industry that’s changing even faster than most other fast-changing industries, but Paul wasn’t awake worrying about his strategy. He had a solid plan that took advantage of new technologies, and the board and his leadership […]
A growing number of people think their job is useless. Time to rethink the meaning of work
05/10/2018
A great deal has been written in recent years about the perils of automation. With predicted mass unemployment, declining wages, and increasing inequality, clearly we should all be afraid. By now it’s no longer just the Silicon Valley trend watchers and technoprophets who are apprehensive. In a study that has already racked up several hundred […]
Is there a new debt crisis on the horizon?
04/10/2018
The US Federal Reserve governor, Jerome Powell, stated in the recent Jackson Hole meetings of global central bankers that the US economy is doing well at present and confirmed the continuation of interest-rate hikes in the foreseeable future. Even though such a stance is probably already priced in by the global financial market and did […]
The 15 Diseases of Leadership, According to Pope Francis
03/10/2018
Executive Summary Pope Francis has not tried to hide his desire to radically reform the administrative structures of the Catholic Church, which he sees as imperious and insular. The Church is, essentially, a bureaucracy, full of good-hearted but imperfect people – not much different than any organization, making the Pope’s counsel relevant for leaders everywhere. […]
In focus: The rise of cannabis drinks
02/10/2018
As Canada prepars to legalise cannabis next month, weed is coming into the mainstream, and the drinks industry must decide whether this is a threat to its livelihood or a budding opportunity. “There’s no way to stop this now,” says Spiros Malandrakis, Euromonitor’s senior analyst, about the tidal wave of legalised cannabis sweeping across North […]
From cheeseburgers to coral reefs, the science of decision-making can change the world
02/10/2018
Daniel Kahneman, the psychologist who won the Nobel Prize in Economics, credits some recent public policy successes to the application of behavioural science. He helped establish this field and its “nudge” approach to changing the behaviour of large groups of people. Nudge economics has had a profound influence, everywhere from No 10 Downing Street to […]
Why Companies Are Creating Their Own Coworking Spaces
01/10/2018
Nestled in the Silicon Sentier district of Paris, the Villa Bonne Nouvelle (“House of Good News”), or VBN, initially appears to be another new coworking space. But what sets it apart is that only half of its 60 occupants are freelancers. The remainder work for Orange (née French Telecom), which launched VBN in 2014 to […]
What next? 4 ways to build a sustainable future
30/09/2018
Here are some of the biggest stories of the week: 1. We announced 100 Coalitions accelerating climate action and sustainable development “The implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals is an absolute must to ensure a peaceful and prosperous future for humankind. Governments are challenged to fulfil their commitments, but business has a key role to […]
Having a Growth Mindset Makes It Easier to Develop New Interests
25/09/2018
[T]echnology alone is not enough—it’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the results that make our heart sing. — Steve Jobs Steve Jobs’s vision for Apple was rooted in the belief that the arts and sciences do not live in isolation. They complement and enhance each other. John Lasseter, […]
What makes an equity crowdfunding raise successful?
21/09/2018
Decided that equity crowdfunding is the best option for raising funds for your business? With over £400m invested into over 650 campaigns on Seedrs you’ll be in good company. But how do you make sure your campaign stands out and has the best chance of success? The experts at Seedrs have outlined what’s involved: First, […]
Here’s how we get businesses to harmonize on climate change
21/09/2018
The most popular song of the 1970s British rock band Ten Years After goes, “I’d love to change the world … but I don’t know what to do.” After a great guitar lick, the lead singer adds, “… so I leave it up to you.” In a world riven by political polarization and dysfunctional governments, […]
Why artificial intelligence is learning emotional intelligence
17/09/2018
The biggest risk we have to mitigate transforming businesses with technology is the resistance of people and organizations to change. It is a well-known fact that three in four transformation programmes fail to achieve their intended goals because people are not prepared to adopt new processes and technology. Mitigating these risks and helping people learn […]
Susan David: The gift and power of emotional courage
15/09/2018
Psychologist Susan David shares how the way we deal with our emotions shapes everything that matters: our actions, careers, relationships, health and happiness. In this deeply moving, humorous and potentially life-changing talk, she challenges a culture that prizes positivity over emotional truth and discusses the powerful strategies of emotional agility. Read More
LinkedIn Launches ‘New LinkedIn Groups Experience’
13/09/2018
“We’ve heard from all of you about how important LinkedIn Groups are to helping you build your professional communities. With your feedback in mind, we’ve rebuilt Groups from the ground up, making them available right in the main LinkedIn website and app. Why does this matter? Over the past year we’ve focused on bringing conversations […]
Brené Brown: The power of vulnerability
13/09/2018
Brené Brown studies human connection — our ability to empathize, belong, love. In a poignant, funny talk, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity. Read More
You Don’t Find Your Purpose — You Build It
24/07/2018
“How do I find my purpose?” Ever since Daniel Gulati, Oliver Segovia, and I published Passion & Purpose six years ago, I’ve received hundreds of questions — from younger and older people alike — about purpose. We’re all looking for purpose. Most of us feel that we’ve never found it, we’ve lost it, or in some way we’re […]
Technology that knows what you’re feeling
22/07/2018
What happens when technology knows more about us than we do? Poppy Crum studies how we express emotions — and she suggests the end of the poker face is near, as new tech makes it easy to see the signals that give away how we’re feeling. In a talk and demo, she shows how “empathetic […]
How to Be an Exceptional Coach with Michael Bungay Stanier
20/07/2018
Do you interact with people? Then you need to learn how to be an amazing coach. My guest, Michael Bungay Stanier, will show you how with The Coaching Habit. Source: SPI 325: How to Be an Amazing Coach with Michael Bungay Stanier
The rapid growth of the Chinese internet – and where it’s headed
18/07/2018
The Chinese internet has grown at a staggering pace — it now has more users than the combined populations of the US, UK, Russia, Germany, France and Canada. Even with its imperfections, the lives of once-forgotten populations have been irrevocably elevated because of it, says South China Morning Post CEO Gary Liu. In a fascinating […]
How New Technology Can Upend a Government
16/07/2018
Thousands of protesters demonstrate against a repressive regime after coordinating online. Counterinsurgency forces receive crucial tips through mobile devices distributed throughout the civilian population. Foreign agents flood social media platforms with targeted, divisive content ahead of a tense election. Over and over, changes in the flow of information — often enabled by developments in information […]
Leaders Focus Too Much on Changing Policies, and Not Enough on Changing Minds
06/07/2018
Not long ago, I asked 100 CEOs attending a conference how many of them were currently involved in a significant business transformation. Nearly all of them raised their hands, which was no surprise. According to a study by BCG, 85% of companies have undertaken a transformation during the past decade. The same research found that […]
Middle-aged entrepreneurs are more successful than young ones. Here’s why
06/07/2018
Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg are three of the biggest role models for entrepreneurs. They are all famous for starting their companies in their early 20s and in many ways set the benchmark for what a successful entrepreneur looks like. And yet, there is reason to believe that we’d be better off investing […]
3 Transitions Even the Best Leaders Struggle With
04/07/2018
We love to read about the dynamics of success. We study it, celebrate it, and try to emulate how successful leaders rise to the top. I’m no different: I’ve spent my career helping executives succeed, either through coaching and development or assessments of their strengths and opportunity areas to identify the development work they need […]
Could Japan become a role model for the Fourth Industrial Revolution?
02/07/2018
Leveraging fast-emerging technologies like self-driving cars, artificial intelligence and data-intensive precision medicine to address social challenges is a goal that many countries share. The most successful will have at least two things in common: a strong sense of mission across government, industry and civil society; and the right mix of intellectual and industrial assets to […]
Do Not Ignore Your Consumers Throughout a Merger
23/06/2018
When companies merge, client experience (CX) is often neglected — yet it’s arguably among the most important elements of any company. In truth, inning accordance with Gartner research study, tomorrow’s companies are anticipated to complete mainly on client experience. I just took my business through an acquisition and found that even the tiniest functional change […]
Can Being Overconfident Make You a Better Leader?
23/06/2018
When Apple CEO Steve Jobs approached AT&T about partnering on a new kind of mobile phone — a touchscreen computer that would fit in your pocket — Apple had no expertise in the mobile market. Yet AT&T executives quickly came to believe so strongly in Job’s vision that they skipped internal process protocols to land the deal. Randall […]
A TED speaker coach shares 11 tips for right before you go on stage
21/06/2018
The weekend before a TED conference, each speaker rehearses their talk in the TED theater. It’s a chance for the speakers to get to know the space, for our curators to give last-minute suggestions on talk content, and for our speaker coaches to give advice to help each speaker feel their absolute best the day […]
Will blockchain ICOs replace traditional funding for start-ups?
16/06/2018
The UK’s tech sector has given birth to many leading businesses and inspired the establishment of so many others. This remains so in the digital era, as the online world shifts us to a truly global economy. Now with Brexit looming, looking to new growth and digital innovation has become even more important as the […]
Saving the UK high street: It’s time to embrace the retailtech revolution
15/06/2018
London Tech Week is all about showcasing innovation and highlighting the range of exciting start-ups and scale-ups that are growing within a variety of verticals in the UK’s thriving tech community. The UK’s position as a global tech leader has often been attributed to the rise of fintech, with companies such as TransferWise and Revolut redefining the financial services industry. These […]
5 technologies that will forever change global trade
14/06/2018
International trade has dominated the global headlines recently. Much of the discussions have been focused on the threat of a trade war, the tit-for-tat tariffs, and the health of the global trade order. While extremely important, these conversations are missing a brighter side of international trade – how innovative technologies in the Fourth Industrial Revolution […]
The Best Leaders Are Great Teachers
12/06/2018
Kundapur Vaman Kamath was a teacher. But he didn’t work at a school or stand in front of a class. Instead, he delivered his lessons at the office—to the employees who served under him during his four decades as a senior executive at, and then CEO of, India’s ICICI Bank. Whether he was offering tips […]
Challenger Interview with Victoria Young, General Manager Europe of YES To
24/04/2018
Victoria Young is General Manager of Europe for the challenger brand Yes To, who create natural, innovative, fun and efficacious beauty solutions from head to toe, ‘free of all the nasties and filled with all the goodies’. Founded 12 years ago, the brand is an early pioneer of the natural beauty phenomenon which is now […]
Interview with James Davidson, CEO of tails.com
08/03/2018
James Davidson is Co Founder of the challenger brand tails.com, which he started just 3 years ago with Graham Bosher, Founder of Graze, and LOVEFiLM. Their web based subscription service for dog owners calculates the nutritional needs of each individual pet, then crafts a unique tailor-made food blend to match them. Think ‘personalised meal-planning for […]
Interview with Ben Greensmith, Chief Operating Officer of PROPERCORN Part 2
07/03/2018
Ben Greensmith is Chief Operating Officer of PROPERCORN, the UK’s Number 1 premium ‘posh’ popcorn challenger brand. Established just 7 years ago, this multiple award winning healthy snack alternative never compromises on flavour, with unusual and exciting tastes like Sweet Coconut and Vanilla, and Fiery Worcester Sauce and Sun Dried Tomato. With over 100 million […]
Branding Britain – The Challenge of Brexit
30/01/2018
On Thursday, Signium invited a diverse group of 30 business leaders together for an informal event over drinks to discuss the impact of the Brexit vote and look at ‘What Next’! Interestingly, a straw poll of the room gave a 2/3 majority to Remain, a rather different result to the country as a whole! We […]
What’s Your Story?
29/01/2018
How the rules of leadership engagement have changed… Here we share a cautionary tale from executive search worth reflecting on if you haven’t recently checked what story people are hearing about your organisation. Business for many continues to be challenging, and this means that more than ever getting the best people into any organisation is […]
When leadership fit goes wrong; avoid these four common mistakes…
27/01/2018
When it all goes wrong In today’s more competitive and complex landscape the pressure for results has narrowed the focus on how to create workplaces where talent can both thrive but also fit for the long term. With so much effort spent understanding how leadership, vision and values create success, it is a surprise that […]
Lessons from Leaders – Campari Managing Director UK Part 2 – Pietro Mattioni
23/09/2017
Part of our ‘Signium Speaks’ interview series where we reveal insights, and lessons learnt by successful Leaders… Pietro Mattioni is Managing Director UK & Nordics for Gruppo Campari, the global top 10 spirits business with distribution across 190 markets of their 50 brands including Campari, Aperol, Gran Marnier, and Appleton Estate Rum. On March 1st […]