by Stuart Cross | May 10, 2019 | Business Rocks
Finney, our cocker spaniel, loves to play fetch on his long, energetic walks. I’ve noticed that he sets off to chase the ball before it’s even been thrown. He has a slight glance as to where I’m planning to launch the ball, but then runs away...
by Stuart Cross | May 6, 2019 | Business Rocks
Earlier this week, one Conservative minister reportedly commented that the UK government was trapped in a “Brexit vortex of s**t!” The language might be a little crude, but the metaphor is clear: the government cannot do anything except suffer...
by Stuart Cross | Apr 30, 2019 | Growth
There is research-based evidence going back several decades that organisations struggle to embed the learning that is generated from their projects. Yet, you probably don’t need me to tell you that. The notion that ‘we keep reinventing the wheel’ is endemic in most...
by Stuart Cross | Apr 26, 2019 | Business Rocks
Successful athletes understand the critical importance of great coaching. I cannot think of a leading sports star who does not have at least one dedicated coach. But why do these men and women continue to turn to coaches, even when they are already so great at what...
by Stuart Cross | Apr 19, 2019 | Business Rocks
It took a matter of minutes for a small fire at Notre Dame cathedral to turn into a raging inferno that destroyed the iconic, 850-year old building. Since the fire was put out, over €600 million has been pledged to fund Notre Dame’s re-building. More funds will...
by Stuart Cross | Apr 18, 2019 | Growth, Strategy
If a tree falls in a forest and no-one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? Equally, if a new business strategy is developed and there is no-one willing to deliver it, did it ever really exist? One of the biggest mistakes executives with their strategy is that...
by Stuart Cross | Apr 5, 2019 | Business Rocks
As a Preston North End fan, I’m painfully aware that the football club doesn’t have a great recent track record – and when I say ‘recent’, I mean the past 60 years or so at least! There’s one area where PNE does excel, though. The...
by Stuart Cross | Mar 29, 2019 | Business Rocks
When I’m working with my clients on strategy projects, the biggest gains we make happens when we take the time to develop different future options. Having a few hours to think and talk exclusively about the future of their business is a release for many...
by Stuart Cross | Mar 25, 2019 | Growth
When I was at junior school, in the 1970s, I was obsessed with football. As part of my obsession, I would analyse the latest league tables every Sunday morning, following Saturday’s fixtures. Even better, I had access to my Shoot league ladders (see photo above, for...
by Stuart Cross | Mar 22, 2019 | Business Rocks
The biggest issue my clients face in innovating and growing more quickly is capacity. They – and their organisations – simply do not have the bandwidth to get all their ideas delivered at the pace and impact that they want. Unfortunately, many still try to...
by Stuart Cross | Mar 19, 2019 | Growth
Last week I was lucky enough to be working in New York City. Looking out over the Manhattan skyline, I was amazed by the sheer scale of building work that was going on. New York is in a constant state of regeneration. The developments are almost exclusively high-rise...
by Stuart Cross | Mar 15, 2019 | Business Rocks
The Brexit saga is now creating a full-blown national crisis in the UK. There have been so many mis-steps throughout the process, it’s hard to know where to start. But, in this note, I’m just going to focus on one. Our Prime Minister, Mrs. May, developed...
by Stuart Cross | Mar 8, 2019 | Business Rocks
High-level strategy is as useful to most workers in an organization as a high-flying airliner is to commuters in a bus queue. The bus passengers may briefly look up and notice the plane and its vapour trail, but, even if it is travelling in the same direction, it...
by Stuart Cross | Mar 6, 2019 | Growth
Last Friday, I ran a project planning session for a major UK retailer. The aim of the project is to run a trial to rapidly grow sales in one of the retailer’s most important categories. Identifying the specific capabilities that need developing and improving...
by Stuart Cross | Mar 1, 2019 | Business Rocks
As some of you may know, I am actively involved in SportsAid, a great charity that supports the development of the next generation of leading UK athletes. On Tuesday, I met with other charity members and our conversation turned to the relationship between sport and...
by Stuart Cross | Feb 26, 2019 | Innovation
Twenty years ago, an expert in organisational development and organisational change introduced me to the ‘resistance to change’ formula. I’ve used it ever since to better manage any business projects – which means all business projects!! – involving a change in...
by Stuart Cross | Feb 12, 2019 | Growth
I’m not sure if I made that up or heard it elsewhere, but, whatever the source, it’s true – the hardest part of delivering a breakthrough strategy is the follow-through. Like someone who wants to get fit but is struggling to find time to get to the gym, it can be easy...
by Stuart Cross | Feb 8, 2019 | Business Rocks
When my youngest son was about five years old, he made up the word “figgert”. To figgert is a verb that means arguing because you’re being so polite and nice. For example, if my wife and I our talking about collecting one of the boys from...
by Stuart Cross | Feb 1, 2019 | Business Rocks
This week’s focus: I was talking to a manager at a client this week about her workload. Like most people, she isn’t short of things to do, but I was surprised to learn that she is actively involved in 10 separate projects – and leading three of them! I suspect...
by Stuart Cross | Jan 11, 2019 | Business Rocks
Can our politics get any more depressing? On both sides of the Atlantic, leading politicians of all persuasions are happy to pontificate and posture but seem temperamentally unable and unwilling to reach out, find common ground and understand what’s actually...
