.....do as many meetings in an hour as some do in a day I met Allan in Paris at the France/Brazil World Cup and later had a mentoring session with him. He's the businessman who started at Mars, helped turn Asda around before its sale to Walmart, went on to hold a string (dozens in fact) of senior board roles, and is now back as Asda’s executive chair. I remember being struck by one of his habits: eight-minute meetings. Some meetings had no chairs, just high tables. The thinking was simple: sit down and people get comfortable; stand up and they’re more likely to stay alert and focused. It made me think about how casually we book an hour. “Have you got time for a meeting?” “Of course. I’ll put an hour in.” Then we sit down, settle in, chew the fat and sometimes spend more time talking around the issue than dealing with it. An eight-minute meeting makes you prepare. You need a clear point to discuss, a decision to make or an outcome to agree. Everyone needs to know why they’re there. Eight minutes won’t suit every conversation. But for a quick catch-up, a decision or a focused check-in, it can be plenty. Think how quickly a diary fills when every conversation takes an hour. Before long, there’s little time left for your key team members, customers, prospective employees, loved ones—or yourself. With eight-minute meetings, you could fit seven focused conversations into an hour, with a little time between them. That takes a shift in behaviour, but it can sharpen your focus, protect your diary and give you time back. We all get the same 24 hours. You can make more money; you can’t buy back an hour that’s gone. How we use our time shapes our future, our legacy and the difference we make. What could you get done in eight minutes?

When you visit a doctor, they don’t simply glance at you and make everything better. ...audio on - listen for the cure First, they ask questions and examine the problem. Then they diagnose what’s wrong and prescribe a course of action. But the prescription itself doesn’t cure you. You still have to: - Accept the diagnosis. - Pay the price of the prescription. - Take the medicine. - Follow the advice. - Change the behaviours that contributed to the problem. - Continue the treatment long enough for it to work. .....Only then do you begin to get better. Business and life work in exactly the same way. A mentor, coach or adviser cannot magically fix your problems. They can examine the symptoms, identify the underlying cause and give you a prescription for progress. But you must still pay the price... and I don’t simply mean money. The real price might be: - discomfort, - discipline, - difficult conversations, - changed habits, - longer hours, - greater focus or finally doing the things you’ve been avoiding. The bridge between your Problem and your Potential is the Prescription... ...but progress only happens when you follow it. Advice is not the cure. Implementation is the medicine. And nobody else can take it for you.

Hi everyone, some of you may already know, I host Progressive Business Network Peterborough. Next Tuesday, 13th October, Mike is our keynote speaker. His talk: "Why 97 percent of entrepreneurs and SMEs never make more than a decent living." You already know how Mike thinks. This is a chance to hear him in person, ask him your questions face to face, and meet other business owners from Peterborough and the surrounding area. The evening is simple: A room of local business owners and decision makers. Mike's keynote, with time for questions. Introductions, so everyone gets heard. Not just the loudest voices. Tuesday 13 October. Doors 5.30pm, starts 6pm. Anglia Ruskin University Peterborough, University House, Bishop's Road, PE1 5BW. Room UHP220, second floor. Tickets £30. Never been to PBN before? Message me here for a discount code. Book here: https://progressivebusinessnetwork.co.uk/event-peterborough/ If you're coming, comment below so we can say hello on the night.

What an amazing week, possibly one of my best for a long time…. https://lnkd.in/p/eJUFeEBf I explain it best in this Linkedin post, as to round off this week, after meeting HRH Princess Royal and now nominated and being recognised as Founders Choice for overcoming resilience and adversity. I post this to share, that life (and business) can be a rollercoaster and to have the highs and lows is all part of this rich tapestry called life 👊 Thank you @Dr Mike Greene DL and the community for all their support through what has been one of my toughest periods.

Together with @Scott Dwyer, we have been selected for this year's VC26 with Datumra, (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/phil-meakins_vc26-datumra-vc26-share-7512262137281486849-hiDL), which is very exciting. See the list: https://vc26.datumra.com/finalists