During a board development trip to London last week, which I had the opportunity to lead with my special support, we used the city itself as part of the agenda.
The purpose was to develop the board, broaden our perspective and look beyond our own industry for ideas and inspiration.
The board was divided into groups and given three assignments.
Choose one book relevant to business today. Our group chose Ed Conway’s Material World, a reminder of the importance of raw materials, supply chains and global dependencies behind modern business.
Find one piece of communication worth discussing. We chose an American Express campaign in the Tube, focused on people and experiences rather than the product itself.
Find one company making a strong impression. We chose Louis Vuitton and its ability to create a complete and instantly recognisable brand world through its London windows.
There’s something unique about Bar Termini, and it’s the reason I return visit after visit.
The tiny space, always packed. The immaculate waiters in their black-and-white uniforms. The almost Art Deco feeling of being part of a never-ending gathering.
But perhaps the most impressive detail is the way they serve a Negroni, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, filled right to the very top of the glass, almost above the rim, without spilling a single drop.
A small masterpiece of precision, style and hospitality.
She said, “I wanna live like London. I wanna do whatever you do in London.”
I said, “I’ll see what I can do.”
So I took her to an empty street in Chelsea. I don’t know why, but you have to start somewhere, and somehow it started there, beside an old red telephone box.
I said, “Pretend we’re tourists, just for a second.”
She laughed and said, “Oh, you’re so funny.”
I said, “Yeah, well, let’s take the selfie anyway.”
You wanna live like London. You wanna see whatever I see in London.
What a striking way English bookshops do it. A constant flow of outstanding publications, beautifully presented to an audience that is genuinely devoted to books. A perfect combination.
And as I often say after an evening in St James’s, take the route along Piccadilly and fall in love with the bookshop windows.
This time, the main subject was the Bayeux Tapestry and the publications around it. Which immediately gave me another idea: make it to the pub before last orders and start a discussion about the Bayeux Tapestry.
