Table of Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgements

What readers have said

Introduction – A ramble through the woods of the mind; my background and influences. Before you read this book you need
to understand how I came to be who I am and know what I know.

Chapter 1: Success – Background to success - my early career. What it means to achieve success; business is not a one-talent show nor is it a linear performance
- Networking and relationships leading to success
- Accountant, poet, coach
- Time is the ‘issue’
- Counter influences

Chapter 2: Using multiple attributes to drive business success – The prognosis is that to be successful in business, as in life, one needs a number of separate and distinct attributes. It’s more than one thing that drives business success.
- Results come too late
- Process and patterns
- The Poet
- Numbers plus words plus questions
- Coaching models
- Balanced scorecard
- Customer purpose (mission)
- Cash

Chapter 3: Benefitting from multiple perspectives, multiple perceptions – it’s not all ‘one size fits all’
- Stakeholders
- Black Swans and the unexpected
- Rhythm in business
- Clarity of presentation
- Looking at things differently
- Group coaching
- Finding the better way

Chapter 4: Learning the definitions – Accountant, poet, coach and what they mean for your business
- Accountants
- Poetry and poets (in business)
- Time
- Rhythm in business
- Coach
- Listening and asking questions

Chapter 5: A process of continuous learning – in running and growing a business you have to keep learning
- Keeping on top of one’s game
- The path to take
- Social media helps
- Training
- Life learning and trust
- Coaching and being coached
- The power of challenge through ‘not understanding’
- Visibility as a leader

Chapter 6: Focus on vision – sticking to the picture you have painted as the ideal future for your business
- Considering the vision
- Profit and cash
- Being different
- Business plan
- Strategy to reach your vision
- Milestones
- How your customers see your purpose
- Social media and business development

Chapter 7: Focus on targets and goals – sticking to what makes up, and leads to, the future ideal
- Key performance indicators (KPIs)
- Critical success factors (CSFs)
- Quarterly priorities manager (QPM)

Chapter 8: Business relations are the key – developing and nurturing those who can help you and who, you in turn, can help
- The nurturing process
- Listening
- Networking
- Internal relationships
- Delegation
- Negativity
- The practical aspects

Chapter 9: Succession planning is essential – your thinking can’t start too soon in order to drive yourself in the leadership role
- Planning the time
- The second in command
- Family business: the dangers
- All businesses
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Sale of the business
- The board of directors
- The planning process for sale

Chapter 10: Recruitment: hire slow, fire fast – getting the right people on board
- The recruit’s perspective

Chapter 11: Joining and using a mastermind group – the power of working with others in a peer group, both virtual and real, for ultimate support
- The Virtual Group
- Live mastermind Groups
- MAGIC

Chapter 12: Unlocking Creativity™ – a workshop to exercise the mind, to use the whole brain to solve problems and help to drive innovation for profit.
- Introduction to the concept
- The rational and the irrational
- The workshop
- Quotations to consider
- Word exercises
- Present and future reality
- Fierce Conversations© questions

Chapter 13: Considering the combination – bringing it all together; concluding summary
- Number puzzles

Appendix Answers to puzzles in Chapter 13

Reading List

About the Author

Testimonials

About the Author

David Adams is a business and leadership coach and mentor. A chartered accountant, he has been a stockbroker and corporate financier and ultimately chief executive of a major firm. He has acted as a consultant to professional practices and the Stock Exchange, London. David has spent the last decade providing leadership and business coaching to both senior corporate executives and owner managers. He runs CEO and small business groups for Vistage International, the world’s leading chief executive peer group organisation. He is a member of the Association for Coaching. He is a governor of the Kensington and Chelsea College of Further Education. As an international performance poet he has brought poetry to coaching and training as a means of unlocking creativity and driving innovation in teams and individuals.

Reviews

Tap into 40 years of unique business and life experience in the space of an afternoon.
*Kasper Larsen, CEO of world-leading statistics software company.*

I have been privileged to know David for many years as a colleague, a friend and a teacher. David will tell you just how it is and in such a way that although he is clearly not taking any prisoners you can’t help but really like him for it. A great book with some insightful thoughts which leave you thinking: ‘Well, maybe I’ll try it this way and see what happens’.
*Jo Haigh, corporate financier and author of numerous business books.*

David Adams captures the elements of business in a unique way so that the reader can see the rhythm, the creativity and the non linear connections. A total surprise and an eye-opener.
*Jeannette Hobson, business coach, New York City*

I have known David for upwards of 20 years and he is a good friend and colleague at Vistage International. He is a very experienced businessman with high levels of professionalism and commitment. Above all he is a “left field” thinker and a most accomplished poet as well as being a great coach to many MDs and CEOs.
*Ivan Goldberg, Executive Mentor & Coach, Manchester*

In seven years of hearing valuable speakers each month, I can say that this was the most valuable, the most resonate, and the most needed workshop I have experienced...
*Ash Robinson, Founder at Purpose, Profit and You, San Diego*