I have played the piano since I was about 5 and have even earned money playing in rock bands etc – long ago.  However although I can read the notes (slowly) I have never learned properly and cannot play the classical pieces which I love.  So I have started learning the piano again - from scratch.   Enter Malcolm my amazing teacher.  Malcolm is someone many teachers, coaches and mentors could learn from in so many ways.

I always look forward to a lesson from Malcolm as I know that in his music case there will be a new musical ‘goodie’ for me to get my teeth into.  You see he has thought about me and where I am with my playing in between lessons.  He has then chosen something which I can start to play but will stretch me and above all will engage and interest me.  He often has a little story about the piece too.  The other day as we looked at Westminster Cathedral from my window he reminded me that Purcell and Handel were organists there and would have played this very piece in that building

If you are a teacher, mentor, advisor or consultant do you think about your clients in between sessions?  Do you consider where they are and what you can do to move them forward?

Popularity: 21%

I was lucky enough to be taken out to lunch today by Mrs K. Not to any old restaurant but Gordon Ramsey 3 Michelin establishment. We have been there before once some months ago where we picked our choices from the menu.

This time Mrs K wanted to try the 7 course sampling menu and as we ordered the waiter asked if we had any allergies or wanted to make any changes. They had chocolate brownies in a sweet and as she does not like cooked chocolate she asked if she could have something different. ‘Last time you had the tarte tatin would you like one with banana Mrs Kaday?’ the waiter asked ‘Maybe you would like one too Mr Kaday?’ We were pleasantly amazed that what we had eaten on our one and only other visit had clearly been recorded somewhere.

OK it is the only three Michelin star restaurant in London and so not cheap to eat there, but with this level of service and such great food too is it any wonder it is packed? I am a huge Gordon Ramsey fan not only because he is a good chief - there are plenty of great chefs in London. It is because he is an outstanding manger who really understands how to deliver a great customer experience with real attention to detail as this story shows. If only every business was as customer aware!

Popularity: 25%

Jose Mourinho said on his appointment to Chelsea ‘I am a special one’.  Was this arrogance or just how he felt?  My view is that everyone is special but many do not know it and instead of believing they are ‘someone’ they feel they are ‘no one’.  In my business life I have found that people like to work for a ‘someone’.  They might not always agree with them but they do know they can learn from them as they have a chosen path and are probably going to get there. 

Popularity: 19%

It always amazes me how many people run their business from fear rather than courage. Worry is not a process therefore when in a fearful state nothing moves forward. When clients talk to me about their fears I just say ‘do something – anything’. Make a decision, get into action, now, not tomorrow – do not delay. There really is no angst in action.

If someone shouts fire you evacuate the building without a thought. I can honestly say that in my business I spent very little time worrying as I was far too busy doing. My ‘doing’ produced results and then there was nothing to worry about. Simple eh?

Popularity: 19%

In business consistency is vital as people find lack of consistency really confusing. Nowhere is this more pertinent than in your marketing materials. The more you repeat the same thing in the same way, the more likely it will have a lasting impact on your target audience. Take proposals for example. When checking the ones my staff wrote I invariably found the same thing referred to in different ways. For example, the use of project, programme, campaign or using different words to describe them like company, business, enterprise, operation and so on. The same applies to web sites and in fact anywhere you are writing copy which you want your reader to understand without a pause or raised eyebrow. Why not check some of your copy now and see if it is consistent or confusing.

Popularity: 74%

I have just started taking piano lessons again.  I can bash out the rock numbers but want to explore the classical repertoire.  My teacher Malcolm is a most entertaining fellow and always has some interesting anecdotes about the pieces or the composers.  Today he told me that Mozart would not get out of bed in the morning so his mum devised a really great way to get him from under the covers which worked every time.  Your task is to guess what this was.  The first person who posts the correct answer gets a free signed copy of my book Grow Your Own Carrot. 

Popularity: 100%

Apparently the average time people spend looking at a web site home page is 6.231 seconds.  A very very brief attention span to get your message across.  I have been reviewing a lot of sites recently as I am writing an ebook on how to write good web copy – watch this space.  It is a depressing expereicne.  Lack of focus, mixed messages, content which should be relegated to pages deep within the site, no clear offer, far too wordy, and so it goes on.  With one site I still could not see what they were really offering after 6 minutes let alone 6 seconds.  I suppose the main error is writing the site from the perspective of what you want to say rather than what will immediately inform your audience and motivate them to click on the next page.  Try printing out your home page and giving people 6 seconds to look at it whilst talking though what they are seeing and thinking.  Love to hear how you got on with that and the lessons you learnt.   

Popularity: 12%

I have recently discovered social networking and now contribute to a few really great business forums – happy to tell you what they are. If you are prepared to add value there are lots of people looking for the views of an old timer who has won his success stripes. I replied to a request the other day with what I thought was one of my better efforts. The issue was clear and I offered some very simple improvements which could be implemented in a matter of days. I received a nice acknowledging email from the enquirer but it contained a phrase which made my old heart sink. ‘You have given me a lot of food for thought.’ How I hate that phrase. You can hear procrastination dripping out of every syllable. I am looking to stimulate action not interest and clearly I had failed with this young entrepreneur. When receiving the input make an immediate decision on its value. Is it relevant or rubbish? If the latter then dismiss it - don’t ‘chew’ on it. If the former then do it now! Business is time dependant and does not wait for you to stop thinking and start acting.

Popularity: 12%

If you live in a big city then you will be all too aware of the hectic pace of life and the serious stress this is increasingly causing.  I live right in the centre of London and although I adore the culture and variety of this fantastic capital I sometimes find myself racing like a rat too.  Here is a something you might like to try.  Next time you are rushing along in the middle of the surging throng change your pace and slow down to half of your original speed – just for a minute.  Now look around you.  Look at the faces, the furrowed brows, determined to get where they are going at any cost, totally oblivious of those around them.  That is what you looked like just before you decided to slow down for a moment.  Bit frightening eh?  Just take it all in and give a little smile that you have dropped out of the fast lane even for a moment. Does this mean I am not goal focused – not a bit of it!  I just like to enjoy the journey as much as arriving at the destination.  I have got lots more practical ideas for reducing that stress if you would like to hear them.

Popularity: 12%

In the last series of ‘The Apprentice’ the confrontational interviewers asked the hopefuls what they knew about ‘Siralan’ and his businesses.  None of them had a clue as they had just not bothered to do any research.  As Managing Director of Commodore Computers at the time his Amstrad games consul was on the market I probably knew more about him than they did.  So one would have thought that this new bunch of aspiring A’s for Sir A would not have repeated the same mistake.  Not a bit of it.  Amazingly only MENSA mind Simon had done his prep and very unfairly I thought, got chastised by the great man for doing such a thorough job.  The egotistical short list were largely too caught up in themselves to show any interest in others even their possible future boss.  What it is about pride going before a fall?

Popularity: 10%