VQ

VQ

JUNE 2016

Inside this issue

17 // VQ Topic An in-depth look at taking your business through the accelerated growth phase we call ‘Scale-up’

.........................................................................................................

55 // Keynote Speakers Insights and ideas from some of the country’s leading business thinkers

.........................................................................................................

66// The Last WordIain Lindsay, Vistage Chair, asks whether you’re getting the most out of Vistage Open Days

59

Bringing you the latest insights, trends and opportunities for the Vistage community

62

Scale Up

Thought Leadership

A proven formula for success

Are goal-setting acronyms DOA?

59 // Vistage Speaker Awards A night of accolades and accomplishments, acknowledging speakers for their dedication

62 // Face To Face How to get the most out of 1-2-1 sessions with your Vistage Chair

Vistage Cover 04-03-16.indd 1 29/04/2016 15:18

55VQ | Keynote Speakers

Keynote Speakers

When it comes to business change has always been the only constant.Which is why managing and mastering the right kind of transformational change

– the kind that inspires people, fuels innovation anddrives sustained growth – has always been the hallmark of businesses that survive and thrive.

Traditionally a fear of the classic ‘burning platform’ has often been the way corporations have kept people on their toes and galvanized their corporate ‘fight or flight’ transformations - fear of losing customers, of loosing market share, of new technologies, of new competition – or simply of change itself.

But more recently an increasing number of businesses are moving beyond the tradition notion of ‘burning platforms’ to develop more purpose-led business transformation driven by a compelling sense of corporate and personal burning ambitions.

■ Branding on PurposeThis is because ‘purpose’ fundamentally encapsulates a brand’s reason for being.

It explains why it exists and crucially the impact it wants to make in the world beyond the pursuit of profit.

Whereas profit-led businesses tend to focus on what their company does and how they do it. The purpose-led business starts by defining why their company exists and then looks to build the what and how around this as irrefutable evidence and validation of the purpose-in-practice whether this be what products to develop, what talent to hire or how we all need to work together around here.

All resulting in brands where the total internal and external brand experience is being simplified, unified and amplified around an irrefutable and shared sense of corporate raison d’etre.

■ Purposeful Planets AligningThe rise of Purpose-Led Transformation is also being driven as a positive response to many of the challenges facing modern corporate Boardrooms

Why the future of successful business transformation is moving beyond the traditional notion of ‘burning platforms’ to more purposeful ‘burning ambitions’.

● The crisis of trust in markets, institutions and markets

● The need for more corporate transparency and accountability

● The renewed focus on corporate ethics and good corporate citizenship

● The challenge of attracting next generation talent (a generation who increasingly want to work for a ‘cause’ not a ‘company’)

● The deeper involvement of consumers in co-creating their brand experiences

All of which is encouraging businesses to stand-out by passionately standing-up for why they exist, who they are for and what they believe in a way that goes far beyond the predictable ‘mantras’ of corporate mission and vision statements.

It’s why Southwest Airlines purpose is all about “connecting people to what’s important in their lives”

It’s why IKEA’s purpose is to “create a better everyday for the many”

It’s why IBM’s purpose is to “create a smarter planet”And why cleaning product brand Method’s purpose is

all about “people against dirty”What’s clear is that business ‘purpose’ can come in all

shapes and sizes but what will always separate all great purposes from this seasons ‘strategic slogan-ism’ will be the courage of conviction a business can sustain in harnessing the power of its purpose to edit the corporate ‘must do’ (and ‘must-not-do’) list across every facet of the customer and employee experience.

When it comes to purpose it’s ultimately all about demonstration not presentation.

Because purpose is something we feel, believe in and act-on not remember and re-count.

And it’s ultimately the capacity of purpose to move and motivate people where it’s true power lies.

Profile – Ralph Ardill

Ralph Ardill is one of the pioneers and leading authorities on Experiential Branding. He consults with SMEs and some of the world’s leading brands, including Carlsberg, Barclays, Sky, Tate Modern and CBRE on how to best bring their brands to life inside and outside their organisations and is an accomplished writer, speaker and consultant.

Unleashing The Power of Purpose

VQ Key Note Speakers/Awards_ Final.indd 55 29/04/2016 15:33

56 JUNE 2016 | VQ

■ Purpose Means BusinessAnother reason why this is taking-off with top-flight business leaders is the increasing wealth of evidence for the superior value potential and performance of purpose-led businesses.

● 87% of leaders believe companies performbetter over time if purpose goes beyond profit

● 82% of people working for purpose-led companiesbelieve they will experience growth this year

● 50 of the most successful brands across 28 categories researched over the last decade were ideas-led

● Brands with positive impact on lives outperform the stockmarket by 120%

■ Unleashing Your PurposeThe business imperative for modern purpose-led transformation to inspire future innovation and growth has never been stronger.

So how can you best unleash your purpose?Over the last 10 years I’ve helped dozens of businesses

discover, distil and disseminate their purpose during which time I’ve identified and regularly helped to implement the following practices as the hallmarks of successful purpose-led business transformation.

● Shift your sense of urgency from burning platforms to burning ambitions

● Establish a purposeful board and company-wide coalition from outset

Kids Nowadays!

As a decade long member of Vistage, and proud Vistage Ambassador, the main thing I have noticed in my time is that business owners are getting younger. A bit like police

officers really!Granted the old guard still exists, those who like me

started their businesses in the ‘80s, (before most current directors and entrepreneurs were even born) after years of honing their trade and preparing themselves for the role of business, those owners who have weathered every storm by knuckling down and sticking to what they know works.

However, the dynamic, has over the past few years and especially since the recession, been shifting towards younger and potentially less risk adverse director who is disrupting the old regime of business and business management.

I have found that in younger boards the lines of management are much less defined with the views of the whole team being taken into account for any and all decisions. Businesses are much less led from the front, instead a team approach is being adopted for starting up a business as well as managing it.

Take Brew Dog for example, they are owned by over 14,500 “equity punks” who have raised over £20million to date. These “equity punks” not only have a share in a

very fast growing, industry disruptive business but are also able to comment on business development ideas and benefit from discounted products and even a free birthday beer!

These new and exciting boards, with their all for one approach and their dedication to corporate and social responsibility, are the future of global business, and that isn’t going to change with statistics suggesting that 72% of young people born after 1995, the Generation Z, want their own business.

What still remains true is that these young boards could, and indeed wish, to learn a thing or two from the old guard about corporate governance. Whilst it is refreshing to see a new and more collaborative approach to business management at a senior level, and long may it continue, care must be taken to ensure good governance is still adhered to so that these boards endure the test of time.

Business and company failure lies in the hands of those people that govern it. If these guardians of destiny, that is the company directors, are not informed and equipped to operate effectively, not only does this put the business at substantial risk, but also creates personal

● Try starting a conversation inside yourself to discover your genuine purpose and direction

● Frame your re-purposing journey around dominant, familiar archetypes and/or symbols

● Powerfully bring to life your purposeful future ‘day-in-life’ and ‘making-of’ stories

● Empower your ‘Purpose Transformation’ team to exemplify your future culture

● Find your ‘purposeful people’ (employees and customers) and make them your heroes

● Deliver regular company-wide ‘high-meaning’ purposeful moments and memories

● Carefully sequence purposeful ‘interventions’ to build confidence/momentum

■ Purposeful TimeSo the stage is set for purpose to define how businesses succeed and grow in the future.

But ultimately purpose is all about people, the part we play and what it means to each of us.

It’s about our life’s work and about a work-life well spent. Imagine at some point down the line your grand-children are asking;

“Grandad/Grandma, why did you spend so much time at work?”

If your answer is a story they’d love to hear again and again the chances are you nailed your purpose.

If not I’d suggest that’s one conversation best not left to chance…

Profile – Jo Haigh

Jo is a corporate finance specialist, experienced in putting together the right deal at the right time and in the right format for growing businesses. She is a partner in FDS Corporate Finance and a partner in the FDS knowledge, a specialist training and development business.

VQ Key Note Speakers/Awards_ Final.indd 56 29/04/2016 15:33