In a recent workshop I gave the example of the Playlist feature being a key reason behind the success of Spotify. This sparked a conversation around how original this idea was. Someone said, ‘well of course, the Spotify Playlist is just a modern version of the mix tape’. Spotify subsequently made the iPod redundant.
How to Use Music in Workshops
This week I facilitated a half-day workshop for a pharmaceutical company. It was the first time I’d worked with them so the people and the context were all quite new. All seemed to be going well and I called a break at about 10.30. Someone who described herself as the ‘tall German woman’ then said to me - ‘so Tony, where’s the music?
Hybrid Working. What's the Ideal Model?
Ways of working continue to evolve. During the pandemic we all got used to working remotely. We grappled with different online tools. We worked out the best way to run online meetings until we got pretty good at them. Then in a post-pandemic world, we started to experiment with hybrid workshops. That strange combination of having people both in the room (IRL) and people on line.
How to Gain the Trust of Your Clients
In a previous post I wrote about the tell-tale signs of a deep client relationship. When you know you’ve created a strong bond with your clients. However, how do you get there? How do you create a strong foundation of trust? Here’s some suggestions.
The Tell-Tale Signs of a Deep Client Relationship
'Brandsplaining'. A Must-Read for Marketers
How Constraints Drive Jamie Oliver's Creativity
Jamie Oliver has been publishing cook books since 1999. He burst onto the scene with ‘The Naked Chef’, the fresh new face of tv cooking . Since then his output has been prolific. He’s now amassed over 30 books and he’s a best selling author. Everyone I know has at least one Jamie Oliver cook book and he has endless Channel 4 shows. There’s no sign of him slowing down.
What I Learnt From Delivering Keynote Presentations
All You Need is a Clear Brief and a Deadline
Mastering the Hybrid Workshop
Recently I wrote about online vs irl workshops and the key differences. But what about the other version - the dreaded hybrid workshop? This is where you’re facilitating a real-life session with people in a meeting space and at the same time, people join remotely via Teams or Zoom.
Online vs IRL Workshops
Over the past couple of years, we’ve become more proficient in the art of planning and facilitating online workshops. Tools have evolved, and tech has improved. We’ve trained ourselves to use it better. During lockdown It was the only option and the fear has dissipated. Now the world is opening up again, we have a choice. Do we revert back to ‘in real life’ (IRL) workshops? Or do we stick with the new ways? Let’s explore.
How to Develop Grit
I discovered the whole topic of ‘Grit’ by watching this short TED talk by Angela Duckworth a few years ago. I found it really enlightening and encouraging. The big takeout was that what really distinguishes the best and worst performers in life is how gritty they are. Not talent. Not IQ. Grit.
Lessons From the Stoics
I first came across Stoicism when I started listening to the ‘Tim Ferris Show’ podcast a couple of years ago. He often referenced the Stoics during interviews with many of his guests. It became a theme. I then stumbled across the work of Ryan Holiday who champions the writings of the Stoics via his social media channels and books.
Dealing With Challenging People in a Workshop
Whenever I’m about to facilitate a workshop, I get pre-match nerves. I hope the people who rock up are going to ‘play nicely’. That they’re going to join in with all the exercises. That they buy into the session plan that I’ve designed so carefully. This is the bit you can’t control - how people will respond. Indeed, the fear of people misbehaving is what stops people from wanting to become facilitators.
9 Brands On a Mission To Change the World
Brand Purpose is a hotly debated topic in the world of marketing. To add to the discussion, I wanted to share my favourite purpose-led brands. The brands that I feel are doing a great job in articulating and delivering a mission to change the world. To help narrow down my choices, I thought I’d focus on relatively new businesses vs brands that are part of multi-nationals.
Finding Your Purpose
How To Inspire Others
Over the past couple of years, I’ve heard so many inspirational stories. Mainly throughout the pandemic, but more recently during the invasion of Ukraine. This has led me to think more deeply about what it means to be inspirational. To deconstruct the actions of inspirational people. So we can all learn their lessons.
I feel that it boils down to five key behaviours.
We Need More Brand Collaborations
My favourite bit of the Brit Awards is where artists collaborate. Ed Sheeran (love him or hate him) does this a lot, most recently with Bring Me the Horizon to kick off this year’s awards show. It always adds a frisson of excitement.
I love interesting collaborations. When researching content for an upcoming communication training programme, some of the most engaging examples I came across featured two brands coming together to form something new and exciting. Here are two that caught my eye.
