In the Field

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Garry Honey runs a business called Chiron, a risk and resilience company specialising in uncertainty. I was excited to speak to him as he approaches uncertainty in a different yet compatible way to me. Garry works with boards of organisations on managing the uncertainty of risk and talks about the importance of treating risk management as part of strategy, rather than compliance.

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I was delighted to have the tables turned this week as Duncan Brodie interviewed me on the skills that are needed by leaders in uncertain times. Of course, I had plenty to say about that. Not only did I write the book Leading through uncertainty, but I’ve also run over 20 masterclasses in the four weeks that we’ve been in lockdown, as well as having additional conversations. It has dominated my thoughts (and occasionally my sleep) as I’ve learned even more from every interaction with every person.

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Surlender Pendress is MD of the Love Writing Co, a business providing resources for children learning to write. She had to pivot her business rapidly to survive as a result of the Coronavirus lockdown. I’m inspired by her great messages for both small businesses wanting to explore how they stay in business but also for employees who want to re-ignite their passion for the business they work for.

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Fergal Dowling is a partner at Irwin Mitchell and Head of Employment law. He shares the challenges of moving to remote working with very short notice and how they are operating under pressure with a significant increase in workload at a time when regulation is changing daily.

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Bev Messinger is the CEO of IOSH. A former HR Director, Bev understands how important it is to include people in developing a vision and ensuring everyone is on board. Bev talks about the switch from HR Director to CEO and how putting people at the heart of the charity is crucial to the last three years of transformation.

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Tracey Pritchard is Executive Director of Engagement for Prostate Cancer UK. She talks about the uncertainty of life, developing physical and emotional resilience, having a clear vision and being agile and flexible in uncertainty.

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Anita Bhalla OBE is a leading figure in Birmingham where she holds a number of key roles, including Chair of the Birmingham Symphony and Town Hall and Head of the West Midlands Combined Authority Leadership Commission. Anita talks about setting up an Asian Women’s refuge in Leicester, her extensive career as a broadcaster for the BBC and the role of the Leadership Commission in engaging business in being more inclusive to lead social change in the region.

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Irene King is Head of IBM Systems Lab Services for UK & Ireland. She has lived and breathed uncertainty throughout her extensive career, continually responding to technological change and advising clients on how to use technology to grow their business. She applies the same approach to leading people too, recognising that everyone is different and everyone needs to have a voice to be engaged on the journey. If you think IBM is stuffy, think again. Irene is an entrepreneur.

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David Keene is the CEO of the RDM Group based in Coventry. He celebrates 27 years of running his business next month but the vigour and enthusiasm he brings, as well as his approach, are akin to an entrepreneurial startup, which is of course what he set up 27 years ago. David loves uncertainty because it keeps things fresh and exciting and explains how he balances that with providing a structure within which creativity can occur. He has a plan B, C, D for everything so it seems that whatever happens, David is ready to lead through it.

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Ray O’Donoghue is MD of Corporate Banking for the Midlands region in Barclays. He talks about transforming the organisation from geography-led to industry-led and how the relationships with customers changed. It was a bold move that could have led to resistance but he engaged people by making sure they were part of the solution, continually refining the solution based on feedback.