Looking to strengthen your Management Team?

I have an extensive business background in sales and business development. In addition to working at senior/ main board level in the UK I also have worked in both North/South America and the Far East.

Currently I am working as an independent business consultant but am looking for a hands on managerial role where I could more fully utilise my business background and contacts.

If you are looking to strengthen your management team then I would invite you to look at my profile at http://uk.linkedin.com/in/gordonblackburn or alternatively email me at gordon.blackburn1@btinternet.com and I will send you a copy of my current CV.

Banks - haven't we been here before?

The Global stock markets continue their gyrations and once again it is the Banks under the spotlight.

Many of us find it incomprehensible that despite all the evidence to the contrary the Banks still fill that they can behave with a staggering arrogance towards their Shareholders (in the case of some UK institutions the Tax Payer) and their Customers alike.

The level of incompetence is almost unbelievable. At retail level a visit to the Bank now resembles a trip to a supermarket with piped music and Staff in garish dress walking around with lapel badges with a number on. I asked one Retail Banker what was the significance of the badge with a 10 on it to be told “it’s the mark we are trying for”.

 Who on earth has dreamt up this theme park approach to Banking? I don’t want to become friends with the Bank’s representative extolling me to “have a nice day” I just want good professional service. Not exactly what I received when a leading Bank actually managed to lose important documents which I had taken into a branch last week rather than trust the vagaries of the postal system.

As we are witnessing yet again, the Corporate Bankers are even more incompetent, it’s just that there rewards are more lavish. Is it any wonder we find ourselves once again staring into the abyss when the calibre of these Bankers is so poor. Would you really feel confident sending them out to get you a sandwich?

Far from letting them have access to more money to fritter away we would be better off giving them a payment to go now before they wreak any more damage!

Value your Assets

As I undertake assignments for companies ranging from SME’s to publicly listed corporations, I am struck by the attitude of many senior managers towards the Company’s most important asset namely it's Staff.

Presently we are being bombarded with negative news- failing economies, the squeeze on domestic budgets, the spectre of unemployment etc

This constant drip feed of bad news has a very negative impact. Morale in the workplace at present is generally at a very low point and yet this seems not to have percolated into the mainstream of management thinking.

All too often the attitude of the management seems to be that the current backdrop will of itself be the motivating factor.

Obviously as companies struggle with their profitability, it is not a question of throwing money at the workforce but what is required is more of an attitudinal change.

Bringing the staff on board may well be as simple as communicating the company’s situation in a clear and concise manner rather than the heavy handed “if you don’t like it there are plenty of others ready to take the job”.

It is no coincidence that the companies who emerge stronger from challenging times have been able to do so largely as a result of the efforts of a committed and diligent workforce.

People are the main asset and as such should be valued accordingly 

Seemed like a good idea at the time

The current economic data point to the fact that the last quarter of 2011 is going to be a difficult time for all. As domestic budgets are ever more squeezed this will impact on businesses across the board.

This is an appropriate time to conduct a root and branch analysis of your business. Undoubtedly there are areas which would benefit from some radical adjustments/ change of direction. The consequence is not acting now could have very negative effects in the next few months.

Now is the opportunity to prepare for difficult times rather than adopting an ostrich "head in the sand" attitude .

When trying to explain a disastrous strategy to your Shareholders or Bankers it will be of little comfort to trot out the tired old defence “it seemed like a good idea at the time”. 

Hindsight is 20/20 – what is needed is foresight

During my various assignments one observation holds true – whilst there are very few bad businesses, there are many that benefit from a fresh input.

 When you are personally involved it is not always easy to change direction or take appropriate remedial action.

This is where an “outsider” can be of assistance – an objective appraisal can very often mean the difference between merely drifting as opposed to decisively moving forward

View my profile on Linkedin:

http://uk.linkedin.com/in/gordonblackburn

Triple AAA Rating - are you sure?

Every business transaction contains an element of risk, yet at the same time how satisfactory are the mechanics for managing risk?

In recent years we have witnessed just how costly the laissez faire attitude to risk was in many institutions be they large corporations or smaller SME’s.

In the never ending quest for larger profits many of the saner measures of business were abandoned. An analysis of recent disasters from the sub prime fiasco in the US through to the Greek Debt debacle all have one common denominator – the architects of these calamities went hurtling over the cliff like lemmings.

At a time when the US loses its triple AAA rating and the growing talk is for other nations to follow suit then it surely becomes time for each and every business to take account of its exposure.

A forensic analysis of the current Debtors Book might make for uncomfortable reading but like most unpleasant tasks it should not be ducked. Better to take remedial action such as  a write down whilst you are in control of your own destiny rather than have a 3^rd Party appointed to do it for you 

England expects!

The BOE with its usual reliance on metaphors of a nautical nature advise that the UK recovery is being impeded by heavier than expected headwinds. Apart from the overall Global backdrop the UK is facing some very serious challenges in the last quarter of 2011.

Confidence is low and events of last week have added significantly to the sense of gloom. Inflation is forecast to reach 5% by year end and the  increased cost of utility bills as we approach the peak demand season for fuel will impact heavily on domestic and industrial consumers alike.

To pick up on the nautical theme, we are sailing into very stormy seas, so it is time to batten down the hatches and think about jettisoning any unnecessary cargo.

 A tightly run ship i.e. contained overheads and strict control of both inventories and recoverables are undoubtedly the Captain’s Order of the day