Letters from a Perfect Imperfectionist

So my week of semi-convalescence is coming to an end and I want to thank all of those who have altered their diaries and accommodated me this last 5 days.

This morning I woke feeling quite like Coach Barrow for the first time and less like a Casualty extra.

Evidence being that Annie let me out at lunchtime and I’ve been working at Hale Cafe and Costa (photo) most of the afternoon, albeit with Jon and Rachel as orderlies.

Still not totally fixed – the occasional dizzy spell, quick to tire, needing more sleep than usual and unable to face the idea of any physical exercise – certainly until the metal is out of my head and I’m not worried that what brains I have are going to fall out if I go jogging.

I’m at the bottom of my email in-box and simultaneously aware of my announcement during Episode 6 of The Island that there was more to life than that.  All in good time.

The show must go on for the moment and I have a duty of care to my clients and my fellow team members at 7connections to KOKO.

It has been a very busy week for new clients – we are the beneficiaries of a steady stream of enquiries from those who need help (even in the last 5 days) with:

• marketing for an old established family practice
• start-up plans for an implantologist associate who dreams of doing his own thing
• growth strategies for a 3-year old private squat that has hit a ceiling of complexity
• a former client who wants advice on how to grow a cosmetic ortho division as an addition to his existing product mix
• existing 7connections clients who are looking for our help in building lead generation systems
• those who are curious about MagicBox
• a pot pourri of innovators in dental supplies and services who have great ideas but limited financial resources and capital

Notwithstanding my bouts of physical instability, I’ve mainly had enough of being grounded now and very keen to get back out on the road next week, starting with a 7connections marketing team meeting in Liverpool on Monday and then off to Yorkshire, East Scotland, Dorset, Nottinghamshire and London before spending Saturday shooting the breeze and networking at Dentistry Live in Westminster.

I love my home life and my holidays but I’m a road warrior at heart, destined to roam and thrilled at the prospect of the surprises in store next week, the new relationships formed, existing friendships confirmed and at reading the profession’s pulse at the conference.

Although The Island has finished now – there are still some ripples in the fabric of my life – a couple of show-related events are looming in the calendar and I’ll let you know more when they are official.

For now – I’m just about to gingerly walk home and prepare for one last call with a prospective new client at 17:15 before closing down for another quiet night in.

Some of you may be old enough to remember Government sponsored TV commercials from the 60’s called Public Safety Films?

One of which contained the phrase “most accidents happen in the home”.

At 10:00 Sunday morning I went into our kitchen for a glass of water, opened the fridge door and promptly passed out.

Some minutes later, a very confused CB regained consciousness lay flat on my back and staring at the ceiling. I managed to stand, look down and realised that I had been at the centre of a very large pool of blood.

Annie was upstairs, along with daughter Ellie and boyfriend George so a rather wobbly me managed to climb the stairs, leaving an impressive trail of bloody hand prints and collapsed against the landing wall.

Oblivious of the extent of my injuries (which include an impressive cut on my right eyebrow), the resulting fuss was surprising.

15 minutes later a first response para-medic and ambulance crew were making me comfortable before driving me over to Wythenshawe Hospital. One the journey over there, we were told that both my heart rate and BP were unusually low.

I have to say that I am reminded of The Island, when every time we stood up, the dehydration and malnutrition caused dizziness and near black-out and became a part of our daily existence.

It has me wondering whether my recovery from that experience has been slower then I thought.

At the hospital I was to spend the next 8 hours taking the usual tests, including a CT scan before the lovely staple gun arrived.

I’m no hero and I’ve got to admit that being expertly fastened back together again was one of the more “ouchy” experiences of my life.

I’m very grateful to Annie, Jon, Rachel, Ellie and George who spent most of that time by my bedside, even though I was in and out of sleep. Also to the expert medics who were a credit to their profession and to the NHS throughout.

Back home last night feeling very groggy and, at the same time, dismayed by the firm instruction from the ward sister to stay at home for one week and get complete rest.

“But don’t you know I have a business to run?” seemed to fall on very stony ground (sic).

So a call to the ever-amazing Phillippa last night and some re-arranging to be done in short order this morning.

We are considering the use of Skype or Go To Meeting for as many conversations as possible. I do have a few meetings in Manchester later this week and I’ll probably be able to attend but dashing up and down the country by train looks off the agenda.

Phillippa will be all over that this morning I’m sure.

As for me, sore, groggy, frustrated and constantly thinking about the task list that I was going to hammer today, my weekly Bunker Day.

Head bandaged today, staples in for 7-10 days and a salutary reminder that I may look great for my age but I actually am my age and need to be just a little bit careful.

Further grisly photos available on request (you should see the cut before the staples, amazing).

If you read this and we are due to meet/talk this week, stay calm, we will be in contact.

The time has come for a de-tox.

I returned from The Island with Bear Grylls on 3rd March and, having dropped 20% of my body weight, had plenty of inches to add back and a yearning desire to eat and drink just about anything.

There was a New York cheesecake period that fortunately only lasted a week or so but I’ve gradually returned to my pre-Paleo eating and drinking habits, using the excuse of extended business travel and a hectic routine.

My weight is back at the standard 11st 4lbs and Jon Barrow has challenged me to take part in a Tough Mudder with him later this year.

I need a mental break from “the 19th marathon” training (that will be 2015) but a target to aim at.

So – 1st June tomorrow.

Back on it – and a a kick-start to a summer of health, nutrition and fitness before we head for Tanzania in August.

As of tomorrow:

• 21 days of no alcohol (followed by a wedding weekend with best friends in Devon)
• thereafter alcohol on Friday/Saturday and special nights

and on a more permanent basis

• no bread
• no pasta
• no rice
• no potato
• no dairy
• lots and lots of colourful fruit and vegetables
• plenty of meat, fish and fowl
• vitamin supplements

I’m also going to try my very best to extend my morning runs and aim towards an hour a day, travel and work permitting.

Tonight, we have Rachel back from University for a couple of weeks and so Jon and I are threatening everyone with a night at Hale Kitchen.

The last time we were all there together was Boxing Day – that is madness and a reflection of just how full all of our lives are.

Tonight I’m going to eat and drink what I like.

On another note – The Island comes to an end on Monday evening and, if you haven’t heard, episode 5 starts at 21:00 and is followed by a BONUS Episode 6 that will feature extra events, behind the scenes footage and interviews that we all gave last week about “life since”.

Then, I guess The Islanders sink back into the mangrove mud of everyday life, changed forever by the experience.

I have loved every minute of it – including the last 4 weeks of people chatting with me about the show and asking for selfies!

One thing I will not miss – if another parent sends me a picture of their 13-year old Scouting son lighting a fire in 15 minutes – I’ll scream.

The Island will go down as one of the best experiences of my life – a huge privilege. 

There is a book inside me on the subject and I’m chatting to the production company about that.

For now – some work this morning, shopping for wedding clothes later and then a little family party ce soir.

Have a great weekend.

The old saying was that “you wait for ages and then three buses come along, all at the same time.”

Anyone else old enough to remember that?

The same thing happens in business coaching.

I travel for weeks and weeks talking about branding, marketing, lead conversion, finances, teamwork, strategy and tactics – then, suddenly, a particular subject appears in conversation and is repeated in different geographical locations and business models.

So the latest “thread” in my travels is…..

Managers who are struggling to cope with the sheer volume and variety of issues they face on a daily basis.

Before I get emails saying “how dare you” let me make two points:

1. these observations are not restricted to those I have physically visited in the last few weeks – I also have my eyes open and my ear to the ground in dentistry
2. this observation isn’t about incompetence – I’m not describing managers who cannot do the job, I’m commenting on managers who have too much to do – so much, in fact, that they are overwhelmed, drowning and gradually becoming less effective

That in itself is a dangerous trend.

It can be exacerbated if the frustration is internalised, the problem isn’t accepted and the manager is in denial, the mistakes are covered up and a gradual dilution of self-confidence creeps into the manager’s psyche.

My favourite cliche here is:

“all problems exist in the absence of a good conversation”

If you know me, you have heard me say that many times.

I’ve been thinking recently about the source of this problem and have recognised that it is a product of evolution:

• when a practice opens and as it grows to £500,000 in sales, there is a particular skill set that is required to be an effective manager;
• the journey from £500k to £1 million requires a different skill set
• as does the journey from £1 million to £2.5 million
• and from £2.5 million to £10 million

and so on.

So the person who managed your practice at level one might not be the person(s) who take the last part of the journey.

Imagine mountain guides who take you on the 2-week trek from Lukla to Everest Base Camp and then those who accompany you to the summit – two very different types of person but all Nepalese.

The decision that faces a career manager in a rapidly expanding business is whether they are going to stay the course and re-skill themselves at every step of the way, accept that they will reach a ceiling of complexity and become a team player in a small group of managers or realise that the business has outgrown them and look for alternative employment in another practice to repeat their pervious experience at that level.

Sadly, too often, the problem is ignored or covered up, long term frustration sets in and it ends in tears for someone or other.

The good news is that I have worked with dental practice managers who have re-skilled themselves and taken MBA degree courses so as to “keep up” (Suzy Gorman at Ollie & Darsh springs to mind) and others who have happily accepted new colleagues and a division of labour.

The responsibility to identify and solve this problem rests with the Principal, not the manager – and so part of leadership is about making sure that your managers are happy, competent and evolving (or not) and do something to support that on a regular basis.

My best clients are those who have the best managers – period.

Make sure you have those good conversations and check that the most important passengers on your bus don’t become unhappy.

There has long been a distinction between:

1. time based coaching – “I want my 8 hours with you, I’ve paid for my 8 hours with you – so keep talking”
2. results based coaching – “I don’t mind how long we talk – if I get my answer in the first 2 hours its been worth it – and then we can play”

Today with Lea and Louis Linster is a perfect example of the latter.

Part of the mid-term project here for 7connections is to help Lea to monetise her personal brand.

She is a celebrity chef and published author of cook books in Germany, appears as a judge on The Taste and also owns two restaurants and a delicatessen in Luxembourg.

We agree that e-commerce and m-commerce create a huge opportunity to create multiple streams of income – and that data capture and lead generation will be the first step in that process. That’s where we come in.

So there is a huge amount of work to be done by all the 7connections team – the last 6 months have been about imagineering that bigger future – strategic planning.

But today’s proposed meeting with her branding and marketing consultants had to be postponed as they were called out of the country.

So I arrived in Luxembourg city centre this morning to meet Louis at the deli (opposite the Parliament) and was informed that there was no agenda for the day.

My immediate reaction was frustration and some guilt (a month’s fees for nothing?).

Lea arrived shortly afterwards and I shared my concerns about “value for money”.

She asked me not to worry – to enjoy a day of chat about our lives, a walk around the city centre and a wonderful lunch at a nearby Italian restaurant.

What a smart lady.

She knows I will be there for her and the business for years to come – and I will always give of my best – because she understands that its about the end result and not a ticking clock.

20 clients like this and you have true success.

An absolute pleasure last night to meet up with Sam Nightingale and Alex Barrow (plus a small posse of well-wishers) at The Castle in Farringdon to watch Episode 4 of The Island.

Proper pub grub, a few pints of Doom Bar and the excitement of the cliff climb and the night-time caiman hunt.

Yet again, the editing team have nailed it – and brought back to life many of the tensions and hardships of that time.

Even I was surprised at just how knackered I looked last night – by the time those scenes were captured, we had all lost a lot of weight – me down from 11st 4lbs to 10st 2lbs.

I caught up with Sam on his canal boat home in Little Venice yesterday and it was great to chat about events since the show, our minor celebrity, his career progression and plans for the summer.

Connecting with Alex last night was an unexpected bonus. He works long hours in the property letting business and even though I’m regularly in London I don’t get to see him much.

We invited my daughter Rachel but she is locked away swotting for year 2 exams at University and, just like her father, focused and totally committed to the cause.

I’m delighted to say that Rachel will be serving a summer internship at 7connections, working very closely with Jon on marketing as his lead generation work grows rapidly.

I suspect Rachel will be covering until we make a permanent appointment as marketing co-ordinator in the Autumn.

So the family side of 7connections expands to help the existing team.

By the time I reached my Aldgate hotel last night it was midnight – and a 04:30 alarm call to get to London City Airport this morning was a tough call.

The sort of thing that Rupert would take in his stride!

I’ve been reading the Twitter feeds on last night’s show – Ryan – a predictable response to his turtle outburst. Rupert cast as a bit of a bully and a loner. Neither are accurate.

All of these scenes are snippets (its TV after all) and need to be considered alongside the temperature, humidity, malnutrition and exhaustion that we all suffered.

Everyone on that island said and did things that we wish we hadn’t (even forgetting the figs!) and those who sit in judgement would be wise to wait until the end of the series and then “think for 3 seconds” before they post some of the nonsense I’ve read.

On balance – the show is a huge success with the public and we are all justifiably proud.

Now – off to work in Luxembourg for a couple of days.

So I’ve decided on a new theme for my Tumblr blog – largely to amuse myself and also stimulate a reactivation of my personal blogging.

I have to admit that the decision to take down my posts on The Island last week was very necessary but difficult.

There is a feeling of defeat and frustration when the tabloid hacks force a situation where “free speech” becomes dangerous. I was happy to assist the good folks at Shine TV and Channel 4 – and their advice has been in many ways vindicated as the “feminist and fake” period now seems to have passed and people are getting on with enjoying The Show.

Last week’s “Ryangate” episode has made him a national celebrity with the 16-35 audience – he and Deano can’t go far without stirring up a reaction.

For us “oldies” the response from our peers has, I think, been predictably measured, although “our Tony” has caused a stir.

My invitation to speak to a Scout Group has been added to by a dental conference invitation to talk about my experiences on The Island and, finally, I was recognised on the trains to and from London last Saturday and cross-examined for 90 minutes by one lovely couple who wanted to know all about everything.

As the social media junkies will know, Saturday in London was about filming interviews for a bonus Episode 6 that will form part two of a double-bill next week when the whole saga draws to a close.

We are told that the viewing figures have exceeded all expectations – a success – and there is something of a rosy glow at the thought of that.

So – our “15-minutes of fame” is likely to come to an end in just 7 days – and then it will be each of us back into real life.

I wonder who, if any, will make something more of it?

Ryan for Big Brother? Deano for The X-Factor? Who knows.

It was fun seeing some of the guys over the weekend, although I did decline an invitation to join them on a Saturday night out – simply because my travel schedule in recent weeks has been so hectic that I genuinely wanted some quality time with Annie – and our Saturday night in is a bit legendary.

Work at 7connections is bonkers good – the emails keep coming in from prospective clients and strategic alliance partners. We have so much opportunity around us at the moment that we have to be careful not to stretch too thin – and we have agreed at Board level to seek an operations manager to help us “manage” the work flow.

Personally, I was telling Paul Tipton over coffee at Costa this morning that I haven’t been this happy in my personal and professional life for a very long time.

Life really is a blast and 2014 has already been a year to remember, with the TV show, two books and a super successful business. Yet to come – a trip to Tanzania in August to see our many friends at Bridge2Aid and a summer calendar packed with client meetings.

Not bad for a team who emerged from a train-wreck in February 2013.

What I do need to focus on is my health and nutrition – I’ve been playing at it since we got back from The Island and I feel its time to get back on Paleo proper and up the running.

After all, I’m not getting any younger.

So – here I am again – suitably cautious about telling too many stories about the show – but in the habit of thinking out loud and sharing my reflections.