ROAR Blog

Where’s my Cheese?

There was big news this last week in case you missed it. No, it was not the budget, it was that nearly £300,000 of cheddar cheese was stolen by fraudsters. It seemed this was the leading story on all the talk radio shows I had on whilst running errands, last weekend. Still, it made a nice change from all the anxiety-laden discussion about the budget mind you, which was finally delivered mid-week after about 3 months of talking about it….… Read more

Embracing thinking… carefully

All of a sudden it seems to be events season (yes there is an event season). I have been on the road quite a bit recently, and away from the office.Whenever this happens what always strikes me is just how inefficient all this travelling is. At your desk, it seems easy to keep up with all the tasks, but step away, once you are stuck on a train or in a live presentation and the whole routine falls apart… However… Read more

The Future? From the Back of the Bus?

It’s been a hectic few weeks; there seem to be events everywhere. It really does feel like there is a ‘conference season’. As overwhelming as these can feel, by listening, closely, we can often use these to pick out many new ideas, so something to embrace… and for me it started last month. Coffee, Cake, Repeat To be honest, I am still feeling somewhat burnt. Generative AI, a topic, in reality, that had been around for a while, only seemed… Read more

Making a Pitch for Excellence

This week I was at the annual CSA conference, held this year at St George’s Park in Burton, Derbyshire. An interesting agenda and discussion of course… albeit with a slightly disturbing update on the economic outlook for the UK. It sent me into a bit of a spin over dinner… for which I must apologise to my fellow dinner guests… I am sure it will be fine 🙂 … honestly. These things also come with a bit of political analysis… Read more

Less of a Blur – more surge pricing

Saturday was the release of Oasis tickets for general sale in the UK. Now I would not say that I am an Oasis fan really, but having spent time in Manchester in the early 90s, it did evoke a certain nostalgia for my youth… I decided to join the queue. I thought if I was lucky and the tickets were under £150, why not go along? It will be quite the spectacle. [In transparency, I felt the same about the… Read more

Spring out of Summer

There is always a day when you notice it, usually mid-August. There is a slight cool breeze in the air, more amber hue to the sunlight, or a chill when you open the window in the morning. You suddenly realise peak summer has gone, and we are on the run down to Autumn. In the UK, where we have been waiting for summer to actually start, this somewhat inevitable event is just not great news… and this weekend Twitter or… Read more