Philjones.biz - Latest Comments

Re: A Business Adventure

bob — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 15:37:37 -0000

Yes, an adventure is probably as good an analagy as any that budding entrepreneurs should hold in their minds as they build their business. My own experience in growing Benchmark for Business taught me a lot about how one behaves when faced with adversity or times of bounty. Both situations are adventures in their own way but give very different feelings.

Re: Flex Yourself…

paulfabretti — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:35:45 -0000

So, so true Phil - funny how when you break the "reaction" down into a process of sorts, it is like removing oneself from the situation - like it's always easier to solve other people's problems than your own!

Re: A Business Adventure

Ann Rimmer — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:23:43 -0000

Loved this, it reminded me of how I felt when I started Clock some 13 years ago. It was a big adventure and every day brought something new, a new challenge, a new business win etc. However 13 years on it also reminds me how important it is to maintain that spirit of adventure – and how important it is to engender it in the team, maintaining the 'can-do' attitude and embracing mistakes as learnings not failings. I think it's easy for entrepreneurs in particular to buzz off the new idea and the starting something – but actually the UK economy equally needs business owners to continue to take risks, which means we need to get a buzz off running and growing our businesses too.

Re: A mini buffet of business

Tracy Griffiths — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:06:06 -0000

Still thinking about your buffet - it was quite delicious and very much left hungry for more - thanks Phil!

Re: Collaborative Consumption

Paul — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:14:57 -0000

Phil - thanks for this very interesting article.
In Collaborative Consumption, and many other areas of both online and offline trade and life, trust is key.
Your idea of an aggregated validation of a person combining to allow a valid online rating is certainly something we have thought about at www.RentMyItems.com where we accept and understand why users need to be able to trust not only those people they are renting to (in our case we call then Rentees) but also those they are renting from (Rentors).
I am sure we will see someone doing this very soon, just like credit agencies in the offline world sell their scoring to those who make credit available.

Re: Great Expectations

Scott Mckinnell — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:26:45 -0000

Good blog post Phil. I agree absolutely. The construction industry is facing similar challenges. In a survey last year c50% of the industry said they were doing nothing or virtually nothing in terms of design and Building Information Modelling - but the government and some developers are saying all of their projects will be set up this way. It looks like many, like your hotel are going to end up going the way of BETAMAX,Cassette tapes and yesterday's sport pages wrapping up your fish and chips...

Re: How are you Evolving?

@KevBaxter — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 04:19:13 -0000

A very inspiring Blog Phil. Very! I'm going to use this as I head towards my 40th Birthday this year. Recent redundancy, and new jobs have already made me think, and this will help Direct 2012. Thanks again, and best wishes for you and the family.

Re: Think like a CEO…..

James Roberts — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:02:08 -0000

Excellent advice Phil, especially point 7, to easy to over advise and end up with reports actively working against you in the future.

Re: Leading is like Conducting an Orchestra

Nick Robinson — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 09:40:05 -0000

Fantastic report, really enjoyed reading this. And brilliantly done Phil to capture all that so eloquently whilst in an (presumably) informal non-interview setting.

I'm seeing a business-focused Frost-like tv programme here: BBC2: "Jones' Journeys With..."

Re: Likert Scale

David Nowell — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:54:15 -0000

I like the idea of a 5-point spread rather than 10-point. I just posted this rant on common misuse of Likert Scales in business settings: http://www.psychologytoday.com...

Re: Inspiring Others

Berniejmitchell — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 05:29:57 -0000

"That’s why it’s important to get out of the office, meet new people, discuss, debate and network" absolutely Phil! Getting the balance of off line and on line is where the gold is. People who are committed to growing their 'self' as well as "their business" are just brilliant to have around - Tom Peters and Steven Covey would be to long-standing examples of that. By the time most people have tried to justify the cost that could have just gone! However, I am not sure it is always the cost or the time that is the barrier - meeting people is scary and learning is an 'huge' effort. You have to believe the mental improvement is worth any feelings of inadequacy on the way (which of course it is) then everything grows.

Re: Not Working at Networking

Rax Lakhani — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 06:18:48 -0000

Found myself ferociously nodding at every paragraph. You've hit the nail on the head Phil. As someone who has worked in social media for the past seven years, I still find it astounding that people build up huge numbers of connections on sites like Twitter and LinkedIn only to never actually contact anyone personally. As you say, a contact is only truly useful when you've extended the relationship offline. And by offline, I'd include phone and even email (although strictly speaking it's still online).

Great blog!

Re: Igniting Innovation Conference

Matt Dunn — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 04:32:32 -0000

Phil, it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on Kjells description of the ideal future firm and its components. We have seen many an organisation sell of parts of its business that it does not deem critical to its future success and become leaner and more focused, but can a global company fit in to his Tribal, non-hierarchical design?

Re: Are entrepreneurs born or nurtured?

Neil Lewis — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:44:40 -0000

Hi Phil

Pretty much agree with your take - that most entrepreneurs have a stroy about overcoming adversity. As you suggest this is what leads them to do things 'their way'.

I think the key behind this question is that you can't predict entrepreneur success using psychometrics, but have to look instead at how entrepreneurs respond to set backs.

In our research and work with Manchester Business School (see http://www.eteamtool), we've found that great entrepreneurs do have certain characteristics - for instance, they are able to doggedly continue with an idea or principle - but also, flip the business when required etc...

So, the making of an entrepreneur is to give him or her lots of setbacks and adversity. The bigger the adversity and more powerfully they respond or recover (or change track and 'have another go') the more successful they will become...

Which is why entrepreneurs also tend to be people who 'just do it'.

Br
Neil

Re: 10 tips for managing the Media in a Crisis

Shelly — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 07:09:18 -0000

This shows what a caring person you are Phil. Please send good wishes to Simon and his family.

Re: Seven Tips for a Start-Up

Javis Lounsbury — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 08:16:42 -0000

Mm, thanks for these tips! Seriously, a business without an end goal or a finish line that has to be crossed will have a hard time staying ahead of the competition. It pays to plan, to organize, and to figure out what needs to be done to reach your goals.

Re: 7 Lessons in Leadership

Donna Howells — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 10:20:11 -0000

Good afternoon Phil.
I whleheartedly agree with your comments, I too have had cause to engage with the medical profession in the past few weeks and your 7 tips for successful engagement will really come in useful for others.

I too saw the best and the worst of the medics and experienced the chaos in our hospitals with one arm not knowing what the other was doing, the lack of continuity was scary: the NHS is a disjointed orgaisation. Like you I took control both for my mothers sake as she sadly was unable to do this herself and for my own sanity.

Regards

Donna Howells

Re: Not Working at Networking

Robwisdom — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 04:02:18 -0000

Good primer and worthwhile read. As always, goals, outcomes and intent are important. If your networking activity isn't structured towards a purpose it will be a random activity which will be an inefficient use of time. That said, people who are overtly calculating in their level of interest/attention are pretty transparent.

Re: CSR – The Business Case

John Rigby — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 13:25:37 -0000

Phil, good to see you out on the road yesterday (Sun July17th). Interested in your work with RMCH. A (good) number of years ago I was the Education Adviser to the RMCH school when I worked for Salford LEA. Just to say, I am very conscious of the fantastic medical work done at RMCH but what is less well know is the continuing educational support given to every child by dedicated teachers during a child's stay there. If you inspired others to financially support the hospital then your time was well spent. If they are also aware of the wider contribution to a child's wellbeing offered by the hospital school, then even better.

Cheers,

John Rigby (NCC)

Re: 10 tips to Understanding your Competition

Andy Whyte — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 06:24:10 -0000

Great article Phil.

Re: 7 Lessons in Leadership

Shelly — Mon, 09 May 2011 11:04:45 -0000

So glad they are on the mend. Your closing thought is so powerful, we do all of the above in order to facilitate the important things in life. All the work we have done together boils down to the messages you have shared. This strengthens my resolve to build on the strengths of the NHS and bring leaders from business and NHS together to share good practice. Anything we can do to help let us know.

Re: 7 Lessons in Leadership

Nick Robinson — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 05:27:00 -0000

Hope that your wife is on the mend by now Phil?
A tough seven days indeed.

Your exposition of Mental Toughness in 5, above, is sterling.
Interesting how we'd been talking about this only a few weeks ago in the context of Brother's recent cycling sponsorships. Mental Toughness can be developed through experience and the right attitudes towards circumstance and objectivity etc are crucial. Staying objective when my family are involved is one of the hardest things for me, and yet it has a huge impact on getting the right outcome.

Re: Is the Timpson business model Cobblers?

Lawrence Jones — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 04:37:03 -0000

As someone who runs a technology business, it's really great to see how James and his father John always put people first. It is often underrated and deemed as expensive to "look after" your team, however it is significantly more expensive recruiting and training when you lose experienced members.

I am a great believer doing your best to keep people busy with plenty of challenges. If you can blend technology and people power, then you are on to a winner.

Lawrence Jones
UKFast
http://www.ukfast.co.uk

Re: Agencies. To Beat the rest. Stop beating your chest!

Sandy Lindsay — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 09:12:28 -0000

I agree with that completely Phil. We went to one a few years back and the room was full of 'creative agencies' with the words 'SALES PRESENTATION' on their laptops! For goodness' sake! You're meant to be ...erm... creative?? We didn't even take a laptop, just lots of tangerines and a little 'game' we got people to play. But I won't spoil it for you and I'm sure you'd prefer us to come and show it to you <cough> :)</cough>

Re: Agencies. To Beat the rest. Stop beating your chest!

paulfabretti — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 07:50:26 -0000

When can I come in Phil?

I totally agree with your approach and is one which serves me well. Specific-industry aside, the ability to show willing and deliver something of value to someone you have never met is always something time-precious individuals value.

Social media is nothing new to most of the people I speak (or attempt to speak) to, and are often, like yourself, more than capable of fathoming and implementing an idea, but if as you say, I can bring a completely different approach to a problem, or show you something perhaps you hadn't seen or knew about, you will likely consider my approach or services in much more detail than anyone else.

I'm a big believer in "What goes around, comes around. Make you own luck. Work hard and be nice to people."

It works.