For those that missed a fabulous night with Allan Leighton on the 10th September, here are a few quotes from the evening to whet the appetite. We have been inundated with requests for video and audio content from the event and this will be available soon to download via www.inspiredleaders.com

QUOTES FROM THE NIGHT:

• Culture has a structure to it. It is a system that doesn’t come naturally; you’ve got to keep everybody sharp within the organisation.
• Culture is a third of who you are, a third of what you intend and a third simple pot luck.
• At Asda we had an open plan, egalitarian culture. The stores were the absolute hero.
• All of our managers were measured on the morale and motivation of their people.
• Leadership is about doing the right thing. It’s that easy. The only piece of regulation on that is you.
• Good leaders know that 30% of everything they do will be wrong. They’ve got to be prepared to change.
• Don’t invest in things you don’t understand.
• In a time when all the pressure is on performing tomorrow, take a long term view.
• Generally the people that do the work are at the bottom of the organisation. Where the money is spent is not where the money is earned.
• Companies don’t die. People kill it.
• Businesses with the right moral compass can have more influence on the country than politicians do.
• If you go and talk to the people that do the work, you can solve the problem tomorrow.
• If you look after your people, that’s what continues to motivate them. To them the organisation is you.
• Keep the key numbers that really matter to your business in your head.
• Running a company is the best job in the world bar none. But it is lonely; the buck stops in one place.
• Family businesses try and make everyone working there feel like they own it.
• It is very important to do things quickly. Be pacey and positive.
• There are only two ways to be more productive: do it faster or take the work and the jobs out.
• The most important thing to do when changing a culture is to stick at it, stick at it, stick at it. It’s always going to be a hard process because you’re asking people to think about things in a different way.
• When your brand is failing, go back to what made it work before and do it again with modernity.
• As you go through life you should learn as much as you can and do more good with it than you do bad.

Just as I was applying the finishing touches to this eflyer, I realised I had to include a small but relevant story from late last night about leadership and customer-centricity, showing how powerful it really can be.    

Some of you may have noticed the charismatic whirlwind darting around Interbrand that is Tony, our photographer extraordinaire and all round good guy. I was out having a meal last night when the phone rings at half past ten in the evening.    

It's Tony.    

"Luke I promised you the photos from the Allan Leighton event by today and the postal strike has caused me problems. I'm getting on a train now and I'm coming to Caterham (where I live) to drop them off."    

"Where are you now?"    

"The West End."    

"Are you crazy? It's going to take you about an hour and a half to get to Caterham. Let's sort it out in the morning, there will be another way to do this I'm sure."    

"No. I'm coming. I said I would gice them to you today and there's not going to be any "could have, would have, should have". I'm on my way."    

"Listen, I'm in Croydon so get a train to East Croydon station and I'll meet you there; it'll save you time."     "Ok, I'll get the fast train from Victoria and see you in about an hour."    

So there I was standing at a near deserted East Croydon station at quarter to midnight and up walks Tony with a CD of photos so we can send this eflyer out today. We chat for a few minutes, talk through some ideas for the future and he's gone.. heading back on the trip to Hackney that takes well over an hour.    

It was a master class, and if that's "the way he does things around here" then we want to be part of it.    

As Allan put it, "your organisation is YOU".    

If you ever need a photographer then look no further than Tony and his innovative business Black Ink Photo - 07973 507458.    

Spreading the word really is the least we could do.