Month: November 2024

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Nov 2024 IBEM Executive Autumn Dinner

IBEM staged their Executive Autumn Dinner 2024 in London.

Our speakers discussed transformation and innovation that explored new horizons and potentially which disrupts business models, and whether this requires an entrepreneurial mindset.

Leaders need to harness the power of relationships, put people first, enabling them to take on and solve daunting challenges enabled by a mindset that turns problems into opportunities that creates economic and social benefit.

Passion for ownership and collaboration, thriving in uncertainty, relentless optimism about the future, deeply inquisitive, open to new experiences and unique skills of persuasion are powerful mindsets and beliefs demonstrated by entrepreneurial leaders. The best entrepreneurial leaders are good at experimenting, learning and iterating that unleashes an ability to unlearn and relearn at an increasingly faster rate.

A vision led values-based leader is one that has a very clear view on purpose, vision and mission of the organisation that aligns to a “True North” and importantly leads by example in building trust within and external to the organisation. Typically, these leaders have a very strong combination of EQ/DQ/IQ coupled with a strong sense of curiosity and desire to continuously learn.

A growth mindset starts with deeply appreciating the changing context of the internal and external operating environment that unlocks adjacent opportunities. Having a deep understanding of the business’s currents core assets and capabilities equally allow for the identification of new innovation opportunities.

Trust is one of the most vital forms of capital a leader has today. Amid economic turbulence and global uncertainty, people are increasingly turning to their employers and business leaders as a source of truth, rather than their institutions and government officials. Trust, which can be defined as a belief in the abilities, integrity, and character of another person, is often thought of as something that personal relationships are built on.

No heroic leader can resolve the complex challenges we face today. To address the important issues of our time we need a fundamental change of perspective. We need to start questioning many of our taken for granted assumptions about our business and social environment.

Our by invitee executive guests received the richness of the event conversations and presentations throughout the evening. We covered various topics including the complexities of the macro-economic environment, leadership skills and attributes relating to positivity, curiosity, resilience, building trust and sheer determination amongst many others that unlock sustainable long-term businesses.

Our guest speaker, Stefan Dieffenbacher, touched on some insightful views of looking at non-core, core and differentiating areas of a business model and how and where to play in these areas equally demonstrating why some initiatives fail and the pitfalls to avoid.

Philippa Dempster’s sharing of her personal journey within Freeths was equally amazing as it demonstrates how having a leadership culture that is vision led and values driven can unlock greatness beyond traditional business performance, positively impacting the lives of so many.

Finally, Geoff Hudson-Searle reiterated how we are very excited about our journey of Entrepreneurial Leadership, resilience goes beyond merely weathering storms – it’s about using adversity as fuel for growth.

In leadership, resilience empowers CEO’s to be bold, meet challenges head-on, keep a positive outlook, and motivate their teams to push through. Resilient leaders stay cool under pressure, think strategically, and find innovative solutions to tricky problems.

Yet, there are always lessons to be learned when you take the time to reflect. This can set you up to navigate the future. And in doing so, you need to look beyond the past and to the future for solutions, new ways of doing business and new mindsets. Enter the importance of resilient leadership.

Leaders need to create an environment of continual growth, learning and improvement. You cannot achieve this in a negative, a better way, is in an inspiring, empowering way. This all comes down to having a culture of trust.

To build this culture, allow your people to share ideas, thoughts, suggestions and insights. In other words, ensure they know you trust them to be bold. This can improve relationships, connections and a sense of appreciation. When you build on trust and make it one of your company’s core foundations, you are setting your organization up to succeed and stand the test of time.
We look forward to continuing to develop this approach to leadership working alongside the guests and others to co-create a better future for us all.

Event Host – Geoff Hudson-Searle
Speakers:
– Douglas Lines
– Stefan F. Dieffenbacher
– Philippa Dempster

DOWNLOADS:
– Stefan’s slides – PDF
– IBEM Autumn Dinner – PDF

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The Power of Storytelling

Telling stories is one of the most powerful means that leaders have to influence, teach, and inspire. What makes storytelling so effective for learning? For starters, storytelling forges connections among people, and between people and ideas. Stories convey the culture, history, and values that unite people. When it comes to our countries, our communities, and our families, we understand intuitively that the stories we hold in common are an important part of the ties that bind.

In every culture, in every corner of the world, storytelling has been an intrinsic part of human communication since the beginning of time. From ancient myths etched on cave walls to modern-day novels and podcasts, stories have served as the lifeblood of human connection, understanding and growth. Beyond mere entertainment, storytelling offers a myriad of benefits for both the teller and the listener, weaving a tapestry of shared experiences and profound insights.

This understanding also holds true in the business world, where an organization’s stories, and the stories its leaders tell, help solidify relationships in a way that factual statements encapsulated in bullet points or numbers don’t.

I have written on the subject of ‘Have we learned from the Tudors and Storytelling’, ‘Are good story tellers happier in life and business and ………’Continued’ and ‘Do fables really convey the power in storytelling and education?’

Stories have value. As an author, I have come to respect their evocative power, I share many stories and quotations daily. But even these stories are like fingers pointing to the moon. At best, they replace a deluded cultural narrative or a misleading tale with a tale of compassion. They touch us and lead us back to the mystery here and now.

Perhaps the most interesting intersection in the business world is between mindfulness and technology, as they appear to pull in opposite directions.

Stories do grab us. They take us in, transport us, and allow us to live vicariously and visually through another’s experience. As I’ve said often in my work around presence, shared stories accelerate interpersonal connection.

Learning to tell stories to capture, direct and sustain the attention of others is a key leadership skill. Storytelling also greatly helps anyone speaking or presenting in front of an audience.

As Steven Spielberg once said:
“The most amazing thing for me is that every single person who sees a movie, not necessarily one of my movies, brings a whole set of unique experiences. Now, through careful manipulation and good storytelling, you can get everybody to clap at the same time, to hopefully laugh at the same time, and to be afraid at the same time.”

A Hopi American Indian proverb says: “Those who tell the stories rule the world.” Well, just maybe these words of wisdom are totally correct.

A feature interview with author Salman Rushdie. Literature plays an important role in providing insight into society.

It is true that in our information-saturated age, business leaders “will not be heard unless they’re telling stories,” says Nick Morgan, author of ‘Power Cues’ and president and founder of Public Words, a communications consulting firm.
“Facts and figures and all the rational things that we think are important in the business world actually do not stick in our minds at all,” he says. But stories create ‘sticky’ memories by attaching emotions to things that happen.

That means leaders who can create and share good stories have a powerful advantage over others. And fortunately, everyone has the ability to become a better storyteller. “We are programmed through our evolutionary biology to be both consumers and creators of story,” says Jonah Sachs, CEO of Free Range Studios and author of ‘Winning the Story Wars’. “It certainly can be taught and learned.”

Consumers want to know they can trust a brand before they buy from it. But establishing that trust is a complex, convoluted journey that takes time. The customer has to know they’re in safe hands – and that is getting harder for brands to manage.

The equation for trust was easier in pre-internet days. You would know the local shopkeeper or the brand in your town. You might have friends or family who worked there. And you almost certainly would read about them in the local paper from time to time. The community would tell stories about the brand – and that was enough.

The story that goes before a brand interaction influences how much trust people will give. While great digital experience has been hailed as the holy grail for modern companies, consumers quickly become fed up with brands that fail to cater for unusual or bad user experiences.

Typically, these are experiences that don’t fit the normal user journey, such as customer support, resolutions, payments or something else that is hard to scale.

For that reason, brands have realised that engagement is key to customers – not only the purchase and user experience as you’d expect – but also general behaviours and more recently, points of view on global affairs and news.

In times of growing uncertainty, trust is built further when you demonstrate an ability to address unanticipated situations effectively and demonstrate a steady commitment to address the needs of all stakeholders in the best way possible.

The best business leaders begin by framing trust in economic terms for their companies. When an organization has low trust, the economic consequences can be huge. Everything will take longer, and everything will cost more because the organization has to compensate for the lack of trust it commands.

These costs can be quantified and when they are, leaders suddenly recognize that low trust is not merely a social issue. It becomes an economic matter. The dividends of high trust can also be calculated, and this can help leaders make a compelling business case for trust.

The best leaders focus on making the creation of trust an explicit objective. Like any other goal, it must be measured and improved. It must be made clear to everyone that trust matters to management and leadership. The unambiguous message must be that this is the right thing to do and it is the right economic thing to do. One of the best ways to do this is to make an initial baseline measurement of organizational trust and then to track improvements over time.

Thich Nhat Hanh is a famous Buddist monk whose core message to the tech leaders was to use their global influence to focus on how they can contribute to making the world a better place, rather than on making as much money as possible. Fame and power and money cannot really bring true happiness compared to when you have a way of life that can take care of your body and your feelings.”

As Jon Kabat-Zinn sums this up quite well when he quotes: “Mindfulness is about being fully awake in our lives. It is about perceiving the exquisite vividness of each moment. We also gain immediate access to our own powerful inner resources for insight, transformation, and healing.”

Finally, a story expresses how and why life changes. It begins with a situation in which life is relatively in balance: You come to workday after day, week after week, and everything’s fine. You expect it will go on that way.

But then there’s an event—in screenwriting, we call it the “inciting incident” that throws life out of balance.

You get a new job, or the boss dies of a heart attack, or a big customer threatens to leave. The story goes on to describe how, in an effort to restore balance, the protagonist’s subjective expectations crash into an uncooperative objective reality.

A good storyteller describes what it’s like to deal with these opposing forces, calling on the protagonist to dig deeper, work with scarce resources, make difficult decisions, take action despite risks, and ultimately discover the truth.

All great storytellers since the dawn of time — from the ancient Greeks through Shakespeare and up to the present day — have dealt with this fundamental conflict between subjective expectation and cruel reality.

Self-knowledge is the root of all great storytelling. A storyteller creates all characters from the self by asking the question, “If I were this character in these circumstances, what would I do?”

The more you understand your own humanity, the more you can appreciate the humanity of others in all their good-versus-evil struggles.

I would argue that the great leaders Jim Collins describes are people with enormous self-knowledge. They have self-insight and self-respect balanced by skepticism.

Great storytellers — and, I suspect, great leaders — are skeptics who understand their own masks as well as the masks of life, and this understanding makes them humble. They see the humanity in others and deal with them in a compassionate yet realistic way.

In the words of J.K. Rowling:

“The stories we love best live in us forever.”

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The Business Awards 2024 – Skopje – Macedonia

The sun went down on a beautiful day in Skopje – Macedonia this week, the red carpet and torches were in place, the champagne was ready, and The Business Awards 2024 had commenced.

Skopje is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It is the country’s political, cultural, economic, and academic centre. Skopje lies in the Skopje Basin. Scupi is attested for the first time in the second century AD as a city in Roman Dardania.

Hotel Alexander Palace was the centre of the domestic business world on Wednesday 17th October, for this spectacle of an event.

Biznis Lider had to be commended for the success of a spectacular event that brought the finalists of the top 100 companies together to celebrate its success.

The Top 500 companies were reviewed through a strict evaluation by revenue category in Macedonia, the companies have a total revenue of 21.2 billion euros.

The goal of the awards was to encourage the development and strengthening of a positive business climate through the promotion of high business practice of the largest and most profitable companies, as well as the largest employers.

My keynote focused on collaboration, and international growth, and coming together to celebrate ambition, sustainability, innovation, diversity and resilience. It’s important that we celebrate business success stories and the role that this talent and ambition is playing in driving the Macedonian economy. A copy of my slides for the event can be found below.

The business professionals and individuals dealing with the great challenges of today’s disruptive and disrupted business world now have renewed responsibility for what business does best: they must innovate, invest and grow their organizations.

The business awards were a critical mission to shape the Macedonia’s future together, while recognizing the accomplishments of key businesses seeking to improve new standards in the business community through a prestigious awards ceremony, this set a strong message to leadership in businesses, senior officials, ambassadors and representatives from the diplomatic corps in Macedonia.

The awards focused on the spotlight, the cameras were live and the audience of 400 people applauded extraordinary leaders from Macedonia. Inspiring as a beacon for leadership excellence, uniting visionaries who, through innovation and resilience, shaping a future defined by impactful contributions. And which illuminated the path for future leaders, fostering a community that champions innovation, impact, and a shared vision for a better economy.

The main focus was to recognize, inspire and connect business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors and innovators who have contributed to the economic growth and development of Macedonia.

The goal of the awards was always is to encourage the development and strengthening of a positive business climate through the promotion of high business practice of the largest and most profitable companies, as well as the largest employers.

Leadership is about excellence, uniting visionaries who, through innovation and resilience, shape a future defined by impactful contributions.

The business professionals and individuals dealing with the great challenges of today’s disruptive and disrupted business world now have renewed responsibility for what business does best: they must innovate, invest and grow their organizations.

Change and transformation can be radical and painful, yet many wait until circumstances force their hand even when they know that change must, and should, come. Whether change has been forced upon you, or whether you are openly seeking and embracing transformation, this book will arm you with tips, advice and techniques to spark fresh thinking about the status quo and inspire the innovation your circumstances demand for the creation of a better business environment.

Trust is one of the most vital forms of capital a leader has today. Amid economic turbulence and global uncertainty, people are increasingly turning to their employers and business leaders as a source of truth, rather than their institutions and government officials. Trust, which can be defined as a belief in the abilities, integrity, and character of another person, is often thought of as something that personal relationships are built on.

At one level, we are facing unprecedented opportunities. An interconnected world with tremendous, possibly unlimited, potential. Our ability to communicate instantly through multiple mediums is phenomenal. Online educational capabilities can elevate entire nations.

At another level, we are facing unprecedented risk – a war with no end in sight, raging inflation, fractured supply chains leading to food insecurity, millions of migrating people seeking safety, opportunity, or both, and climate change resulting in stronger hurricanes.

The Business Awards celebrated with a star-studded and excellent cabaret.

B.J. Fogg says celebration can be as simple as looking in the mirror and claiming, “Victory.”

Celebration is an event, not a destination. It’s the little pause where we survey the road we’ve travelled and the mountain we’ve climbed. We can have a snack, with our colleagues or friends, rather than alone in our office. We rest, we catch our breath, we contemplate the next opportunity ahead, before descending to climb again. But the fact that the interval is brief doesn’t make it unimportant, or harmless if neglected. Celebrating achievements great and small is high octane fuel for further achievement. We don’t just celebrate the win; we celebrate to win.

The challenge for people and businesses today is how to navigate through these two views, both of which are very real. We clearly cannot predict the future.

Organisations can gain resiliency and trust through having sound leadership at all levels and strong cultures founded on purpose, responsibility, and accountability. Long-term agility and growth come from that.

If this is implemented in conjunction with clear, concise direction from top management, and in such a way that the middle and lower layers within the company are fully engaged, then the results can be meaningful. However, it is not a one-and-done endeavour.

Even after the company is fully aligned behind a compelling strategy, leaders must continue to reinforce resiliency and trust from the top.

After all, the goal is not to simply navigate today’s needed changes but also to create an organization poised for more change, and sometimes this requires reinvention to travel the terraine.

On Thursday 18th October Geoff was invited to the Slovakian National Day in Skopje – Macedonia.

A meeting with Madam President of Northern Macedonia-Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova and the Slovakian Ambassador in Macedonia, H.E. Henrik Markus gathered with senior politicians and ambassadors from other countries.

The speeches called for the deeper continued economic collaboration.

The Importance of developing business links with companies support its economic potential by providing capital to enhance existing industries, boosting infrastructure and productivity and creating employment.

The choir performed the national Anthem of Slovakia and Macedonia to the audience.

Final thoughts, resilient leaders possess the ability to overcome obstacles and maintain focus on their objectives, regardless of the challenges they encounter. They exhibit a sense of determination and perseverance that inspires others to follow their lead.

Moreover, resilient leaders can effectively manage stress and maintain a positive mindset even in the face of adversity. They do not let setbacks derail them, but instead use setbacks as opportunities for growth and improvement.

Resilient leaders are not only successful in the short term, but also in the long term. This is because resilience enables leaders to adapt to and thrive in ever-changing business environments. They can anticipate and respond to market trends, navigate industry disruptions, and seize new opportunities.

Additionally, resilient leaders are effective in managing and developing talent within their organizations. They create an environment that encourages growth and innovation, attracting top talent and retaining them for the long term.

As the business landscape continues to evolve in Macedonia, the role of resilience in leadership will become even more critical. Resilient leaders will be at the forefront of navigating future challenges and guiding their organizations to success.

In a rapidly changing world, leaders will face increasingly complex challenges. Resilience will be essential in managing uncertainty, adapting to technological advancements, and leading diverse teams.

In summary, resilience is a critical trait for CEO’s to possess to effectively lead their organizations. By being resilient, CEO’s can navigate through ambiguity, manage diverse teams, and drive organizational growth. Resilience enables CEO’s to make sound decisions, address conflicts, and adapt to changing market conditions, ultimately ensuring the long-term success of the organization and the economy.

As Fredrick W. Smith – CEO of FEDEX once said:

“Leaders get out in front and stay there by raising the standards by which they judge themselves – and by which they are willing to be judged.”

DOWNLOADS (PDF):
– “BUSINESS LEADER” AWARDED THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MACEDONIAN COMPANIES FOR 2023 – Article
– Geoff Hudson-Searle – Slides From the Event