Direction - IoD Scotland

Direction

WINTER 2018

iod.com/scotland

The official membership magazine for the Institute of Directors in Scotland

Conference 2018 – The Future is Now! IT’S TIME TO End the work-late culture energy production onsite is win-win

Be brave, be curious Fiona Logan of Insights on leadership, strategy – and Walt Disney as a headhunter

EVENTS

DIRECTOR DEVELOPMENT

ADVICE AND INFORMATION

NEWS

Brexit isn’t the future, it’s the now Executive comment: The clock is counting down towards March 29th 2019, when the UK leaves the European Union. Is your business prepared, asks IoD Scotland Executive Director David Watt Barring some sort of miracle, Brexit is going to happen, and rough or smooth, it is going to have a significant impact on all businesses.

In our recent survey of IoD members, only 40 per cent of businesses stated that they had taken serious steps to prepare, whether there is a deal or no deal. Given that we are around four months from the exit, this a frightening statistic.

So, what should businesses be focusing on in order to be in a better position? First, look at your staff and their origin; then their partner or spouse’s origin. If they are EU nationals, do they know what is being proposed? It is important to reassure them regularly on their ability to stay, and these conversations should be had on a near-daily basis, given the constant press speculation and the unhelpful blustering of politicians.

While the reality of their position might be clear, the message coming through is often mixed and confusing, causing many to re-think their options.

Consideration should also be given to your supply chain – in terms of continuity of supply as well as cost, and alternative options should anything go wrong. Ensure you know the true source of the services and product you depend on down to the final detail, and assess what impact, if any, Brexit may have. Jaguar Land Rover estimates a third of its supply chain comes from the EU and will need to take steps to safeguard its business.

Firms must ask the question of their suppliers and have a thorough understanding of their products’ origin in order to make alternative provision if there is any concern of supply being threatened, or costs rising significantly.

If you class the EU as your biggest market, then ensure you are looking further afield to new markets, in case of increased tariffs or customs delays and difficulties. The

commencement of Emirates flights out of Edinburgh, for example, adds cargo space to the Middle East and beyond, opening new doors to trade. There is no better time to be looking at the opportunities to internationalise beyond Europe.

Business and economy have been so intertwined with the EU for the past 40 years that specific industries will see changes as we depart. For example, agriculture funding, fisheries rules, research funding partnerships and so on; the list is almost endless. Unless you are very close to these specialisms and the core knowledge, you may not know the possible outcomes; but you must start considering what might happen.

The UK government has issued many guidance papers, around 80 to date, on the possible implications of a ‘no deal’. Leaders should read those most relevant to them and use this as a guide to prepare. In terms of seeking further help for businesses to prepare, the IoD recently called for the Chancellor to issue Brexit planning vouchers for businesses as part of the Budget – unfortunately, it was call that went unheeded.

Under the proposed scheme, which has been used elsewhere to help businesses prepare for wholesale change, small and medium-sized businesses could submit online applications for vouchers to redeem against legal and professional advice in order to be as prepared as possible for Brexit, whatever the outcome of negotiations.

The biggest issue, and I believe this is only truly dawning on people now, is that if there is no deal, there is no transition. We crash out of the EU on the 30th March with no soft landing.

Everything will be affected, from the label on our tin of beans to our workers’ rights.

This is really very serious, and business leaders must try to prepare. Whether we like it or not, an extreme change is coming.

“The biggest issue, and I believe this is only truly dawning on people now, is that if there is no deal, there is no transition. We crash out of the EU on the 30th March with no soft landing...”

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IoD Scotland & Direction IoD Executive Director: David Watt For email enquiries: iod.scotland@iod.com W: www.iod.com Address: 10 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh EH2 4DR T: 0131 557 5488 Direction is the official membership magazine of Institute of Directors Scotland and is published on its behalf by: Chamber Media Services, 4 Hilton Road, Bramhall, Stockport, Cheshire SK7 3AG Advertising sales: Colin Regan Tel: 07871 444922 / 01942 537959 Email: colinregan001@ yahoo.co.uk Production: Rob Beswick Tel: 0161 426 7957 / 07964 375216 Email: rob@chamber mediaservices.co.uk Editorial: Please send press releases or editorial for consideration for future issues of Direction to: Kirsten Paul Email: kirsten@clark communications.co.uk Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of material contained within this magazine, neither IoD Scotland nor Chamber Media Services can accept any responsibility for omissions or inaccuracies in its editorial or advertising content.

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the IoD. The carriage of advertisements or editorials in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised.

Cover: Fiona Logan, CEO, Insights Photo: Susie Lowe

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Comment / News

The future is young – let’s celebrate that fact A front-row seat at the Year of Young People has left Alexandra Mancini, Chair of IoD Young Directors Forum and IoD99, excited for Scotland’s future #YOYP2018 In this Year of Young People (YOYP) we are recognising the brilliance, strength, problem-solving savviness and determination that younger members are contributing to Scotland’s business community and the IoD. YOYP is a Scottish Government initiative, an opportunity for generations to come together and celebrate our nation’s young people. By giving them a stronger voice on issues which affect their lives, the aim of YOYP is to challenge the status quo and create a more positive perception of their intrinsic value in society.

As Chair of the Young Directors Forum (YDF) and IoD99 in Scotland, I have had the privilege of a front row, multi-perspective seat, watching as

experienced directors work alongside the YDF to help implement (as much as possible!) future-proofing tactics and strategies, ensuring young leaders have access to the knowledge and insight they need to help them make informed decisions about their futures and their business growth.

A purpose of the YDF was, and remains, to create a community of peers facing similar start-up challenges while also providing a solution to encourage a younger demographic to join and engage with the experience that is held within the IoD. Since our launch in 2014, we are proud to have seen the delivery of a programme that is enabling a platform for change and increased diversity within the ranks of businesses and boardrooms throughout the country.

Elsewhere in this issue of Direction,

you’ll meet some of our YDF members and read about what the YOYP has meant to them as they navigate their everyday; from the tenacity that drives them toward their continued success and their fearless confidence to approach things differently, shaking up the business models of yesterday.

The young leaders of today recognise that it’s their peers that will see them soar and this year – more than ever – it has been encouraging to witness the collaboration of members learning from and being buoyed by each other.

There is a strength in asking for help and by calling on each other for support and inspiration, our younger members are building better relationships and a stronger Scotland.

The future is now and the future is our young people. Let’s celebrate.

Academic entrepreneurs rewarded in Challenge

African Heads of Mission gather in Scotland Scotland played host to ambassadors from 17 African countries alongside their trade and education teams for a series of seminars, receptions and private meetings over three days in September.

The Heads of Mission Meeting was held in Edinburgh – the first time it has taken place outside of London – to demonstrate sectors in which Scotland excels and were important for the visiting nations to learn from, including energy, education, infrastructure, renewables and agriculture.

The conference outcome was positive,

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with several African embassies looking to pivot trade efforts from London to Scotland because of the potential for growth. Representatives from several Scottish companies will travel to Africa next year to progress further the opportunities discussed.

Countries represented included Angola, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Uganda and Zambia.

See www.africanheadsofmission.co.uk

Carbogenics, an Edinburgh University spin-out, won the coveted first prize at the annual Converge Challenge Awards 2018 for its innovative waste solution.

The awards celebrate innovation and entrepreneurship in Scottish academia, with prizes worth over £160,000 awarded to 10 entrepreneurs from universities and research institutes across Scotland.

Paul Atkinson, founder of Par Equity and a member of the Converge Challenge Strategic Advisory Board said: “The challenge combines business support, training and mentoring as a complete package to support business creation. It continues to nurture disruptive innovative companies generating a much-needed pipeline of high-quality investable propositions.”

Well done to all the winners.

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SocialBite ready for its biggest Sleep in the Park yet

IoD member first Scot to join global programme IoD Scotland member and founder of PURE Spa & Beauty, Becky Woodhouse, has been selected for the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women ‘Class of 2018’ – the first Scottish entrepreneur to join the prestigious global business programme.

The EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women programme identifies and supports high-potential women entrepreneurs whose businesses show real potential to scale and become market leaders.

As part of this year’s cohort, 22 female entrepreneurs from across Europe will participate in the programme, offering executive education, access to partnership and funding opportunities, mentoring and business skills coaching. The year-long initiative has a focus on innovative enterprises that are disrupting the market and creating new business models – one of the core pillars of PURE Spa & Beauty’s success.

Creative Industries losing out on tax relief funds Business advisers and accountants Scott-Moncrieff helped its creative clients claim £6.7m of cash from HMRC via Creative Industries Tax Reliefs, freeing up funds for investment into music, theatre and other cultural pursuits in Scotland.

However, experts at the firm say many other creative organisations in Scotland could be missing out by not claiming, and now that museums and galleries can also apply via the Museums and Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief, it is feared that unclaimed funds will continue to mount.

A swashbuckling team representing the IoD took home the spoils at the Scottish Government RNLI charity golf event at Ratho Park recently.

The foursome – Donough O’Brien, Daniela Grenedene, Russell Shepherd and Drew Pryde – proved too hot for their rivals, scoring 90 points between them on the Stableford system

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The Museums and Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief, which launched in January 2018, accepts claims of up to £100,000 for touring exhibitions and £80,000 for non-touring exhibitions.

HMRC designed the relief to support museums and galleries in the development of new exhibitions and collections, and to encourage exhibitions for the benefit of the general public. The funds could provide a lifeline to some organisations or an opportunity to do more to benefit the public in the long term.

Can you afford to miss out?

SocialBite is hosting its biggest ‘Sleep in the Park’ on 8th December with four events taking place in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Building on the 2017 event where £4m was raised after 8,000 people slept out in Princes Street Gardens, SocialBite wants to make this year’s event bigger than ever before.

To help support the charity and its programmes, SocialBite is calling on individuals and businesses to join the expected 12,000-strong group to sleep out in the cold for one night.

This year, the charity has invited some amazing musicians to busk stripped back acoustics sets.

Frightened Rabbit, Amy Macdonald, KT Tunstall, Lulu, Eddi Reader and Kyle Falconer will perform across the four cities – with a bedtime story read

by Irvine Welsh being broadcast across all four sites. Sir Chris Hoy will once again join rough sleepers for the night.

There are no tickets available for the event; however, SocialBite asks that individuals or groups make a small fundraising commitment to sign up.

Visit www.sleepinthepark.co.uk

Scottish government backs The Data Lab

The Data Lab has secured up to £13.5 million of funding from the Scottish Government.

The non-profit organisation said the financial boost will allow it to “improve data innovation’s economic impact on Scotland”, create employment opportunities and enhance the country’s global reputation.

The funding package consists of up to £9.5m from the Scottish Funding Council, £2.5m from Scottish Enterprise, £1m from the Scottish Government’s Digital Directorate and £500,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

The funding will officially begin in April next year and run for five years.

Delighted – DataLab CEO Gillian Docherty

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Downtime

Consultation opens on Edinburgh ‘tourist tax’ The public consultation for Edinburgh’s proposed ‘tourist tax’ is now open. The proposed levy would charge £2 per room per night, or 2%, to visitors staying in short-term lets.

Capped at seven nights per visit, the levy would apply to hotel rooms as well as other forms of short-term lets, such as Airbnb rentals.

Some, such as Edinburgh City Council, argue that the tax would create an additional £11 million per year for the city’s tourism industry.

Others, such as the Scottish Tourism Alliance, argue that the interests of the tourism industry have not been considered.

Samsung has the camera covered

The online consultation closes on 10th December. The social media debate, however? That is expected to continue for months to come.

Ahoy! I spy a new hotel for Edinburgh On the subject of tourism in the capital, a new, floating hotel is set to open in Edinburgh before the year is out. The 23 cabin MV Fingal will be berthed in the Port of Leith and is based upon the former Northern Lighthouse Board ship which has benefitted from £5m of investment in its renovation.

The Fingal promises to create a unique guest experience. A range of stylish, spacious cabins aim to provide accommodation for every occasion.

Guests can choose from a luxury cabin

with private deck, a duplex cabin with comfortable living space or the stunning Skerryvore Suite with extensive outdoor space to relax or entertain. Perhaps not one for seasickness sufferers, however!

It’s been a busy quarter for phone launches, with new devices from Apple, Samsung and Google.

However, it was Samsung’s Galaxy A9 that caught most attention with not one, two or three cameras – but four!

Each camera has a different spec.

From a 24-megapixel sensor with an f/1.7 aperture to an ultra-wide 10-megapixel sensor that provides a 120-degree field of view, which lets you capture tall landmarks and big group shots without too much hassle. Other features include rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, contactless mobile payment capabilities and expandable storage of up to 512GB. Targeted at the ‘Instagram Generation’, this mid-tier phone isn’t looking to compete with the iPhone X, but instead will be available as an affordable (£549) handset – perfect if you prefer to be SIM-only. Available now.

Dundee’s network on the charge Dundee City Council is to invest more than £1.6m on projects in the city, including over £800,000 on providing new electric car charging points in Broughty Ferry.

The ‘Dundee Go Ultra Low’ charging centre will be based in Queen Street and follows the news that Dundee has two of the most-used car charging points in Scotland.

Figures released by the council earlier this year revealed the varying use of each electric charging point in the city.

In total, 31,112 sessions have taken place in the city since the beginning of 2017.

The most-used point is at the council’s public works department on Clepington Road, which was used 5,958 times since its installation. It is thought to be the

most-used charging point in Scotland.

City development convener Lynne Short hailed electric car usage in Dundee, saying it has one of the most “extensive” support infrastructures in the UK.

Cheers! BrewDog leads way for crowdfunding Raise a glass to BrewDog, the craft beer maker from Aberdeenshire, after its recent crowdfunding campaign was described as ‘the world’s most successful equity crowdfunding raise’, raising £26.2 million from about 50,000 backers over 12 months.

The brewery exceeded its original target of £10 million within 90 days. It then set a new challenge: raise an additional £40 million.

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Although it failed to reach that milestone, BrewDog went on to raise £26.2 million.

According to co-founder James Watt, the campaign was ‘the most successful equity crowdfunding round the world has ever seen.’ The Scottish business plans to use the new funding to expand its breweries in Aberdeen and America, as well as to construct a new facility in Australia.

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YDF

2018 has been Scotland’s ‘Year of Young People’, so IoD Scotland YDF chair Alexandra Mancini asked some of the IoD’s younger directors what the year has meant to them and their businesses.

‘Believe in the possible’ Kirsty Mackenzie, iMultiply Founder and CEO For me, the ‘Year of Young People’ has made me reflect on the value young people can bring to a business – something which can often be overlooked. I believe in the power of diversity but discussions on it can often be overshadowed by emphasis on gender or race.

However, ‘diversity’ can be recognised across many dimensions: political beliefs; socio-economic status; religion; education; life experience; sexual orientation; age; personality and geographical background.

Young people bring a different dynamic to the workplace and a different perspective to conversations.

I’ve recently realised how much I learn from young people (and not just through social media!). Experience can be useful, but lack of experience can also be extremely beneficial. I regularly see some of our best concepts come from young people who don’t have preconceived ideas. These individuals often also make things happen in a way people with experience can’t, because they haven’t developed barriers to achieving their goals built over time by previous knockbacks.

I was in my 20s (and some may say rather naïve) when I founded the company. Looking back, I wonder what allowed me to gain funding, attract high calibre advisors, create a USP and grow the team quickly. The answer is, because I never thought it wasn’t possible.

We all can learn from each other and I think business leaders have a responsibility to ensure young people are engaged and that all voices are heard. @imultiplytweet imultiplyresourcing.com

‘Shake things up & connect’ Andrew Guild Director, R3NDER Ltd Despite the constant advancement in technology, the process of developing a product for commercial success is by and large firmly stuck in the dark ages.

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‘Young people are our future leaders, it’s our job to see them as such and teach them – and be taught by them’ Alexandra Mancini chairs a session during the IoD Scotland Conference, with Jordan Maguire and Andrew Guild of R3NDER Ltd and Kirsty Mackenzie, iMultiply

As a director of an innovative company with a rich history of inventing and commercialising its own products for the last 45 years, we know the challenges when you are trying to make a success of your concept – especially in working to make the company relevant for the next 45 years to come.

Embracing the spirit of the ‘Year of Young People’, we have shaken up the prototyping and engineering market with a revolutionary and affordable solution. There is a lot we can learn from our peers and other businesses in the market. All that’s needed is the confidence and connections to get this started. It’s by being able to meet new, positive disruptors that we are inspired to adapt and update our business.

Fortunately, with the wealth of brilliant businesses in Scotland – both old and young – we are ready to learn a whole lot more. @R3NDER_PD r3nder.co.uk

‘It falls upon a generation to be great’ John Loughton CEO Dare2Lead

“It falls upon a generation to be great” is the infamous call to action by the late Nelson Mandela.

To me, the ‘Year of Young People’ has been important in orchestrating a proactive, high-profile and co-ordinated effort in highlighting the rights of Scotland’s youth as well as creating civic ‘space’ for youth to lead and be heard.

Although I’ve been a youth campaigner since I was 11 (and was also Chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament), this year has been an opportunity that I, as a young IoD member, have tried to maximise.

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My leadership training business has secured contracts to run events from Elgin to Dumfriesshire, and I have been involved in hosting the ‘Year of Young People’ SQA exams day, where the Deputy First Minister spoke to young care-experienced people who gained qualifications.

Inclusion is critical to enterprise.

However, beyond the headlines and siloed campaigns, it’s efforts by organisations such as the IoD all the way to the work we do that will ensure a meaningful legacy beyond the ‘Year of Young People’. It is therefore vital that the youth of today believe that they know that they are central to realising the potential of Scotland’s innovation engine in the future. @JohnLoughton dare2lead.co.uk

‘Young people are future leaders. We need to remember that’ Rob Gelb, CEO, Kindaba

We need to view young people as leaders. Regardless of how we see it – the way they view the world will become the status quo.

Older generations can either choose to avoid and teach or engage and reach.

People assume it’s difficult working with young people. They think the lack of experience and naivety of knowledge is matched with a lack of hunger to learn. It was false in years gone by, and it’s false now. From our experience as a social impact company, if you’re coachable and if you’re encouraged – you can fly.

We’ve found this while running our student-only content creation team – a paid opportunity for students to develop their writing skills and grow their experience of a remote-working context.

Developing leaders is key and our team are now managed by one of the very students who started on the team last year.

As founders on the cusp of still being considered ‘young’ our perception is that if you give clear definitions, encourage experimentation, are willing to accept failure, be unafraid to share your learnings, then we want to work with you. Young people have shown us time and time again the largest capacity to take that brief and run with it. That means proper responsibility. That means no more unpaid internships.

They will be our future leaders, it’s our job to see them as such and be willing to teach and be taught. @thisisgelb kindaba.com WWW.IOD.COM

Reviewing your cash savings options When investing your ISA allowance this year, remember to review your existing ISA assets – particularly Cash ISA balances. With CPI inflation now at 2.4%, it is increasingly likely that your cash savings are falling in spending power.

This is where the interest paid, albeit tax-free within ISAs, is lower than the effect of rising prices. Over time, this will reduce the ‘real’ (after-inflation) value of those funds.

In conjunction with an Ascot Lloyd Financial Adviser, you can develop a financial plan which includes a suitable cash reserve to cover significant planned expenses and unforeseen spending needs. This can avoid you breaking in to your investments, which are ideally left to accumulate over time.

Cash ISAs have long been a good shelter for your emergency fund; a savings account where you don’t pay tax on the interest.

When the Personal Savings Allowance was introduced in April 2016, the use of Cash ISAs to hold tax-free savings lessened in importance. To a considerable degree, a normal deposit account now does the same job. If a higher rate tax payer holds £20,000 in a deposit account paying 2% interest per year, the gross payment of £400 is within the £500 allowance and therefore tax-free. The Personal Savings Allowance is even more attractive for basic rate tax payers, at £1,000.

Holding your emergency fund in deposit accounts frees up Cash ISA balances to be invested to try and achieve a higher tax-free return. You may transfer your Cash ISA balance into your investment ISA, maintaining its tax-free status.

Investments that are held within ISAs grow free of Capital Gains and Dividend taxes. You may also add up to £20,000 to your ISA during the 2018/19 tax year.

Whilst it is essential not to overcommit your cash savings into investments, it is important to ensure they work as hard as possible for you. Investments involve some risk, and carry higher annual charges, but investing your money will give it the potential to grow ahead of inflation. Investment returns allow your savings to build, creating wealth over time.

At Ascot Lloyd, we believe in managing volatility by diversifying the assets in which you invest. This helps instil a disciplined long-term approach and increase the compound return. An Ascot Lloyd adviser will tailor a portfolio to achieve your personal goals, accounting for your personal risk tolerance, risk capacity and the level of investment return you require.

You may achieve your financial goals just that bit quicker by making sure all your assets are held within the most appropriate and tax-efficient types of account. April 5, 2019 still seems a long way away, but there’s no need to wait until the end of the tax year to review your Cash ISA balances with a financial adviser.

Don’t forget: there is a £20,000 ISA Allowance for 2018/19.

Want to know more?

Speak to an Ascot Lloyd adviser on 0141 225 8500 for more information, see www.ascotlloyd.co.uk/ or contact us at 120 West Regent Street, Glasgow, G2 2QD

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Behind the desk: Peter McCudden, Salesforce

End the ‘stay late’ culture – and embrace the fourth revolution Name: Peter McCudden Position: Senior Regional Vice President, Scotland Company: Salesforce Number of employees: 30,000 globally Short overview of organisation: Salesforce is the global leader in customer relationship management (CRM). It enables companies of every size and industry to take advantage of powerful technologies – cloud, mobile, social, internet of things and artificial intelligence – to connect to their customers in a whole new way across sales, service, marketing and ecommerce.

What is the greatest recurring challenge you come across in your role, and what’s your strategy for dealing with it?

The first and most important recurring challenge I face is finding the right talent to drive growth. My strategy to cope is ‘think laterally’, look outside my own network where I can and focus on new thinking. Everyone has something to bring.

The second recurring challenge is time. There are simply not enough hours in the day to cover the plethora of material I need to review and see the people I need to see. Customers are at the centre of all we do and it’s critically important to prioritise face to face interaction, picking up the phone, building meaningful relationships with customers, prospects and partners.

Who, or what, drives or inspires you?

I am inspired by the people around me, principally close family, long-term friends and a sense of being rooted in my local Scottish community. What drives me is a sense that I can make a difference, for my family and for the company I work with.

What is your long-term vision for the organisation that you lead?

We set up Salesforce in Scotland just over two years ago and have successfully grown the business and team, and are now having a real impact. Making a real and lasting difference to the effectiveness of the Scottish business community is our vision and we have embarked on that journey.

The other aspect of Salesforce that is possibly least understood is our philanthropic mission. We leverage our technology, people, and resources to

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improve communities throughout the world. We call our philanthropic approach the 1-1-1 model. Since our founding, we have given more than $230 million in grants, 3.2 million hours of community service, and product donations for more than 37,000 nonprofits and higher education institutions.

What keeps you awake at night?

I am a regular traveller to London and the thing that most keeps me awake is missing the plane to London!

What makes a good leader great?

I have worked with many good leaders and the ones that stand out for me had lots of patience and were excellent at listening. They had the boldness to let me fail when I needed to, helped me pick up the pieces and helped me learn from my mistakes. If I can adopt that as a core strategy, I will hopefully be OK. Great leaders work well with people, must be authentic and are generally happy in their own skin. They are courageous communicators.

Have you had a mentor, and what did he/she add to your development?

I have had some fantastic mentors over the years, in business of course, but also much closer to home in my wife of nearly 30 years. Mentors have been an important sounding board as I developed my early career, expanding my horizons and challenging me.

Now as I approach the latter part of my journey, I value the honest feedback and fresh thinking that comes from mentors today, more than ever.

Even leaders aren’t the finished article.

What’s next in your leadership development journey?

I need to up my focus on wellness, both mental and physical. I want to play a more active role in the Scottish business community and to expand my horizons a little to mentor others. I also want to spend more time on my trustee responsibilities with Mainstay Trust, a charity I work with. Mainstay Trust Ltd are a Glasgow based charity offering a range of support services to people with a learning or physical disability living in Glasgow. My sister is cared for by Mainstay and my family have for many years been actively involved in the Trust.

I was honoured to be asked to join the Trustee Board six years ago.

What is the ‘next big thing’ that will transform your sector?

The business world is facing possibly the biggest transformation we have seen in decades. With the coming together of Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things, businesses now have the ability to digitally transform at a pace never before seen.

Data lies at the heart of this revolution and companies that harness the power of that data to provide greater insights, give better advice, provide quicker and more effective responses to digitally savvy customers, in real time and quicker than their competition, will win.

What piece of technology do you rely on most?

My iPhone8 is always at hand.

What is your favourite social media platform, and what does it bring to your business/organisation?

I use Chatter daily – it connects stakeholders in real time and allows them to respond collectively to all aspects of the customer experience.

What needs fixed?

Organisations need to wake up to the Fourth Industrial Revolution and do so quickly. It will dramatically change customer expectations and companies need to plan how they can use these tools to deliver innovation that is centred around the customer.

The “stay late” culture in many organisations needs to change, too.

Companies can help their staff adapt to the new world coming and find the space for personal development and wellness. This will help them find fulfilment in their work and home lives.

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The Leadership Interview: Fiona Logan, Insights

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See challenges for what they are: not in a negative way, but as the kind of things that all businesses face. You have to stay agile; stay quick to market and to embrace and understand the business environment in which we operate.

“

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Be brave, be curious

Fiona Logan, Chief Executive Officer of Insights Learning and Development, discusses leadership, the challenge of maintaining business growth, workplace diversity and the crucial role Walt Disney can play in career development with Rob Beswick

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Photos by Susie Lowe

alt Disney isn’t the most obvious person to act as a head-hunter for a senior executive role, but Fiona Logan can thank the US entertainment giant for helping her land the role as CEO of Insights.

For it was at the Edinburgh premiere of the Walt Disney/Pixar classic Brave in 2012 that Fiona first met Andy Lothian, co-founder of the global learning and development business. “We bumped into each other after our sons had wandered off to play together before the premiere, and we got on well,” Fiona recalls. The fact that she was, in Andy’s view, a dead ringer for Princess Merida, the heroine of the Scotland-based cartoon – “I share her long, wavy red hair” – meant that the meeting stuck in Andy’s mind, at a time when he was just starting his succession planning for the next stage of Insights, the business he had founded with his father, Andi.

What made the connection slightly unusual was that Fiona wasn’t an obvious choice for a senior role at Insights, as she didn’t come from the learning and people development sector.

Rather, she had followed a corporate career with the likes of Unilever and IBM and this, backed by a strong interest in the environment, had led her to the CEO role at Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. But there were strong connections in other ways. “We’d used the Insights Discovery programme at Loch Lomond so I knew all about the company, how it worked and what it could achieve. My chair there was Mike Cantley, a long-time friend of Andy’s, and he helped make the link, too.”

Another advantage was that, while not central to her career, Fiona had a long and deep interest in getting the most out of her people and growing teams.

“Throughout my career it’s always been

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one of my goals to unlock human potential, developing great people to be even better. In many ways it’s been a focal point of my career, and one that has given me great satisfaction.”

She was ready to learn about a new business, too. “I’ve always had a learning mindset – a view that every day you can learn something new. It can be from your teams, from your clients or elsewhere, but always keep an open mind.”

Once in place, was it daunting stepping into Andy’s shoes, with Insights being a firm he had built with his father into a global player in its sector? “No, not at all. I came in as Chief Operating Officer and we considered the handover carefully. I was able to assimilate myself into the business, understand my role and the company’s philosophy. It helped that I joined at a hugely exhilarating time of growth for the business.”

Throughout the handover, Fiona felt totally supported by the Lothian family.

“This is still a family business but I had three years to understand how it worked.

By the time I became CEO I felt as much ownership of Insights as anyone as I had helped develop the culture and strategy.”

There wasn’t a clash then, between the Lothians’ ambitions and your own? “No, not at all, but it is important in this type of business structure that you are all on the same page. The leadership was united in its goals: to grow, to maintain high standards and to continue learning about itself so it could develop more programmes for clients. There was no one challenging the direction of travel – if anything, the only challenges to driving through change would be challenges within myself.”

So what has been the key to Insights’ phenomenal growth over the years? “See challenges for what they are: not in a negative way, but as the kind of things that all businesses face. You have to stay agile; stay quick to market and to

embrace and understand the business environment in which we operate.

“One of the reasons for our success has been the speed at which we’ve adapted to leverage changes in global markets over the years. That has really helped us open up in Asia, for example.”

Is that what has driven Insights’ success? “In a way, but I think more important has been our consistency. We have focused on delivering our products and services to clients in a consistent way.

“Insights is, at its very core, a people business: it delivers courses that develop a profound level of self-awareness within course participants and of others, and we offer a methodology that allows people to adapt and connect to each other in a way that underpins better communication, greater teamwork and delivers greater productivity. We then help people apply this understanding to their own businesses to make those key breakthroughs that boost confidence, relationships, turnover and profitability.”

It’s a programme of learning that is particularly attuned to the needs of organisations going through any level of change – acquisitions, growth or restructuring. “Insights programmes can really unlock the human capital in your organisation.”

It is, in simple terms, just a business about developing talent and understanding in your people – and in an increasingly digital age, that is a key USP for Fiona.

“What we do amazingly well at Insights is to create community – and in a digital era, that’s so important.

“We are in an increasingly disruptive world, whether it’s digital, social or environmental. Remaining human – or, if necessary, rediscovering our base humanity – is absolutely vital for successful businesses.”

Continued on page 14

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The Leadership Interview: Fiona Logan, Insights

Continued from page 13

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“

Diversity has to be the watchword in the future for all businesses. I’m not just talking about gender or ethnic balance in a boardroom. Embedding truly inclusive decision making in all aspects of the business, at all levels, is vital...

I think what upset me most was I was only 36 at the time and was horrified to learn I was the ‘older person’ in the relationship!

“However, it opened my eyes to the way different generations think, and that impacts on how our products are perceived by other groups. Having young people – and older people, too – involved in the decision-making behind our products is important.”

So what is the one piece of advice Fiona would offer other leaders? “Stay curious. I said earlier that I see myself as having a learning mindset and I get a buzz out of learning from my teams and my clients. It is healthy to discuss the changes we are facing and how to tackle them. Build a community around you in which you feel it’s safe to fail.

“That’s one of the reasons why I value the IoD so much. When you attend IoD events, you are in a community where people have faced the same challenges as you, and you can find the answers you need. The IoD is great at bringing people

“

Many business leaders have admitted to genuine concern over the pace of change created by the digital era: is the challenge of digitalisation a major threat, and how will it impact on leadership in the future?

“On the face of it, leadership will change. At Insights, over 30 per cent of our team work remotely, so face-to-face connections are more difficult. But the really important aspects of leadership haven’t changed through the generations, and won’t change in the future.

Transparency, honesty, staying connected and maintaining our humanity and understanding of others, they will always be the traits we’ll need. How we stay connected – whether it’s via social media, web conferences or face to face, etc – isn’t as important as staying connected in the first place. At Insights we will use technology to help us work together and improve productivity for ourselves and our clients.”

This is an area which Insights is very focused on in the future. “Andy Lothian is well known for setting his ‘big, hairy audacious goals’. We hit the last one, which was a three-year goal of doubling the value of the business, and we’re now setting out on our next, which is to underpin the business by investing in our people.

“It is a core part of my tenure that at Insights we are seen to practise what we preach to our clients. We use our own tools and products to improve our working relationships and we are champions of our own work.

“It’s something I’ve noticed that many businesses don’t do. We don’t want to be cobblers’ children. At Insights, we can demonstrate personally to clients the value our products and services bring.

“We know we’re not the finished article; we’ve more work to do. But we have goals we are striving for in terms of our performance, both internally and externally, that we are determined to achieve.”

And by investing in its people, Insights means investing in all its people.

“Diversity has to be the watchword in the future for all businesses. I’m not just talking about gender or ethnic balance in a boardroom. Embedding truly inclusive decision making in all aspects of the business, at all levels, is vital, particularly in a global business like ours. We need to create products and services that translate across genders, across ethnic divides; to do that we have to embed diverse thinking into the business from the ground up so what we offer is a natural fit for everyone.”

Having said that, being part of a diversity agenda can have its fallbacks. “In a previous role I was part of a programme where I was coached by a younger person.

together, building that learning community in which we all benefit.

“The fact is, though, that all innovation comes when tensions are created. I think challenge is good for us: humans will always find the answers if they have the right people around them.

“It is a scary world at times but we have to stay curious and not be negative. We have lots of big questions to answer: on our society, on the environment, the economy, and it won’t be easy, but the IoD can play a key role in bringing together the business community, thought leaders and the government in a safe environment in which issues can be discussed and solutions examined.

“I make mistakes every day, but I feel so supported by the Insights community that it becomes part of the learning experience and I’m not frightened by it.

“It’s a time of changes but it’s also a time of opportunities. Stay curious, ask questions and seize those opportunities as they become available.”

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Technical Briefing

Onsite energy production: A win-win-win scenario?

Chris Trigg, co-founder and managing director of OnGen Ltd, sets out the business case for onsite renewable energy generation Between April and September 2018, the price of electricity contracts increased by 44.1%, while gas contracts rose by 54.1%. Suffice to say these are staggering figures.

Day ahead prices followed the same trend across the summer, a season when commodity prices typically soften reflecting ample system supply margins, particularly for gas.

Factors driving these price increases are outside any organisations’ control, with no telling when these price increases will stop. Undoubtedly the relative weakness of Sterling, rising crude oil prices and system outages are all contributory factors that hit a business’ bottom line, market competitiveness – or both.

Wholesale cost increases, coupled with double digit non-commodity cost inflation (the costs of delivering the energy and the government’s levies) and price volatility are priced into the tariffs offered by the retail energy suppliers.

Mitigating energy prices and volatility Investing in energy efficiency measures (think LED bulbs and lighting controls) are often a sensible place to start, but then what?

Generating electricity and heat at the place it is needed could reduce grid supplied energy costs by up to 80%. However, this requires upfront investment in suitable onsite renewable technologies, ideally using free feedstocks such as solar and wind (which doesn’t always seem feasible).

Government subsidies have encouraged the uptake of renewables and were often enough to justify the initial investment but, as technology costs have plummeted these support mechanisms are being phased out.

Despite subsidy removal, the business case for onsite renewables has never been more compelling, the key is to select a renewable technology (or combination of) with

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energy storage to meet the energy demand on the site.

Consider the tax breaks Companies can obtain relief against corporation tax through maximising allowances on capital expenditure. While not all capital assets qualify, where they do there are varying levels of allowance ranging from an annual 8% write down for long-life assets (those with an expected economic life of 25 years or more) to 100% enhanced capital allowances for energy-saving technologies included in the Government’s extensive Energy Technology List.

Energy resilient vs. energy efficient For some organisations, particularly those involved in expensive batch manufacturing processes, the need for energy resilience underpins investment in onsite generation and battery storage.

A loss of power or even a voltage drop at a critical juncture within a manufacturing process, can result in tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds of loss. Avoiding a couple of these events through investment in a battery can represent a one-year payback alone even without the benefits of price arbitrage and energy cost avoidance.

Will investment in energy efficiency deliver wider business goals?

Reducing carbon emissions feeds into an organisation’s CSR strategy, which can boost brand reputation and help to attract and retain new customers and staff.

As the UK moves towards a low carbon energy future, more legislation is being introduced to encourage businesses to become as energy efficient as possible – namely the Climate Change Levy and Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme.

Ultimately, energy is vital in keeping a business going and will always have a cost associated to it. If it’s possible to make savings through efficiencies, innovation or benefitting from tax breaks it becomes a no brainer.

When also considered with the wider social benefit of energy saving, it will help to make your company more attractive.

More at https://ongen.co.uk/

Concerns Donald MacKinnon, Group Legal Director, Law At Work, considers how exiting the EU will change employment rights in the UK – and if leaving under a ‘no deal’ scenario will alter this picture The UK government has been focusing its efforts on Brexit negotiations for more than two years, yet a ‘no deal’ scenario is very much a possibility.

As March 29th, 2019 draws ever closer, Downing Street has now published a technical note on workers’ rights, advising employees and employers that there are no expected financial implications or impacts in the event of a no deal scenario.

There are two exceptions, both of which are likely to be relatively uncommon: If a UK employer in an EU country became insolvent, whether its UK and EU employees would be protected by national guarantee funds would depend on the country they were based in.

No new requests to set up European Works Councils, used by UK employees in multinational companies to represent their interests, could be made.

At present, a number of employment rights are already enshrined in UK legislation, such as the Equality Act 2010.

When the UK leaves the EU this act, along with many others, will be updated to reflect the new legislative structure.

Those which come directly from EU legislation will become part of UK law through the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018.

This includes the Working Time Regulations, family leave entitlements, the TUPE regulations and protections for agency workers. This should come as no surprise given Theresa May’s promise to protect existing rights. It seems, therefore, that while Theresa May remains Prime Minister, the full suite of workers’ rights currently enjoyed in the UK will continue to apply.

The question remains whether there will be changes under a different Prime Minister and beyond. Broadly speaking, EU employment law can be divided into three categories; employment and labour laws (parental leave and agency worker rights) health and safety at work laws, (the Working Time Regulations) and equality and non-discrimination laws WWW.IOD.COM

over Brexit puts us all on guard (the protection of part-time and fixedterm workers). Theoretically, the current protections found in legislation could be scrapped through a Parliamentary vote while those that stem from decisions made by the European Court of Justice would no longer have to be followed.

In reality, it’s unlikely that the government would make large-scale changes, not least because this would be disruptive to businesses. It’s impossible for us to know the extent to which these rights would exist in the UK had it not been for its membership in the EU. Certainly, prior to EU legislation, the UK had high standards of health and safety law and the UK government has extended some rights without input from the EU. Numerous reviews conducted by the government have also shown that EU legislation is broadly beneficial for both businesses and employees, making revocation and repeals undesirable.

However, there is likely to be room for the government to make piecemeal changes to address some of the fringe issues that are more onerous upon employers. Due to the impact they have had on businesses, some areas that may be ripe for change include the calculation of holiday pay, compensation limits in discrimination cases, collective redundancy consultation and on-call time.

While the government has addressed workers’ rights in a no deal Brexit scenario, it has yet to comment on how this might affect EU citizens currently working and residing in the UK. It has been reported that this will be addressed in a different technical note.

However, leaked documents indicate that existing EU residents will be offered the opportunity to remain. This would effectively require the UK government to unilaterally implement the immigration element of the citizens’ rights agreement, previously agreed with the EU at the end of last year.

Even if a no-deal Brexit can guarantee workers’ rights in the short term and the right to remain for EU citizens, HR

managers should still consider how this might affect their organisations.

For example, it will likely become more difficult to persuade talented individuals from abroad to come and work in the UK. While the government has made assurances that a no-deal scenario is unlikely, there is an increased likelihood of this as the leave date draws closer and businesses would be wise to consider contingency plans so they are not caught off guard.

“Numerous reviews conducted by the government have also shown that EU legislation is broadly beneficial for both businesses and employees, making revocation and repeals undesirable...”

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Technical briefing: IT

Failing high street is a warning to all sectors to avoid complacency IoD Fellow Scott McGlinchey, who is also chief executive of Exception, Scotland’s largest indigenous technology company, tells industry commentator Bill Magee that companies must be aware of technological change that arises gradually – rather than suddenly – and what this can mean to their trading environment. Also, to beware the boiling frog!

It was predicted in the late ‘90s that the advent of ecommerce and the internet would revolutionise the retail market.

Bricks and mortar would no longer be the asset they once were and consumers would switch their buying habits away from the high street and onto the emerging retail platforms available on the web.

Convenience, the ability to shop at any time from any place (and globally too) would reduce the traditional market share of high street brands and local traders. One of the first such platforms was Amazon and it’s fair to say it has revolutionised the retail market.

Notably, Amazon is now also a world leader offering Cloud-based digital services across the globe – it has exploited its own technology capability for others to take advantage off. It’s fair to say, as the years passed, most people probably felt that there was a good mix of high street shops and internet-based retail shops.

However, in the last five years, with

the soaring costs of maintaining a presence on the high street, the reality of internet shopping slowly eroding high street trading is finally hitting home.

The High Street, as we know it, is dying – or at least radically changing.

Perhaps this is some 15 years later than first predicted but many retailers now are struggling from this vastly increased internet-based trade and the change in consumer buying which also reflects todays social trends. So, can we can draw a lesson from this change catalysed by large technology change?

I think we can. My prediction is that we are in an era where new

transformational technologies such as Voice, Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, Augmented Reality, Agile Software Development and Cloud based technologies will have a major impact on businesses over the next 5-10 years similar to that impact experienced by retailers now, but quicker.

This change will extend beyond retailers to banks, health services, utility providers and many other commercial enterprises. In fact, there are not many areas that will not be impacted. My advice is to ensure that your business does not become the boiling frog that Charles Handy featured in the book The Age of Unreason.

His premise being that if a frog is put suddenly into boiling water, it will jump out, but if the frog is put in tepid water which is then brought to a boil slowly, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked, slowly. So be aware of technology change that arises gradually rather than suddenly – be aware of the change in your trading environment and above all, don’t be a boiled frog!

Technology briefs n Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) hit Scotland to promote ‘Immerse UK’, which brings together industry, public sector, researchers, entrepreneurs, innovators and end users for various funds competitions.

Its purpose is to support the UK in becoming the global leader in applications of immersive technologies, high-end visualisation, virtual, mixed and augmented realities along with haptics and other sensory interfaces with data.

Another strand of KTN is Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, which help to improve a company’s competitiveness and productivity through funded relationships with academics and researchers.

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n Applications are open for EIE19 – Engage, Invest, Exploit – the premier technology annual investor showcase featuring Scotland’s most promising innovative, data-driven high growth companies seeking funding from seed to series A. Edinburgh’s McEwan Hall is the venue on 24/25 April 2019 and keynote speakers will include Dr Sue Black, an award-winning computer scientist, radical thinker and social entrepreneur.

One of Europe’s top 50 women-in-tech she is well known for founding the high-profile campaign to save World War II code-

cracking base Bletchley Park, and sits on the UK Government’s new advisory board for improving digital services. n Royal Bank of Scotland has unveiled the design of its first £20 polymer note featuring the image of historic Scottish entrepreneur Kate Cranston at her legendary Glasgow tearoom ‘Mackintosh at the Willow’.

RBS designed the note in partnership with leading arts organisations and designers and it enters circulation in 2020.

It’s the first note to feature a woman on the front other than the Queen.

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Technical Briefing: Ogilvie Ross / SQA

The invisible foundation Most training in business is task-related, says Greta Hart Montgomery – but the success of these tasks is affected by the capacity, or lack of it, to connect with others. People skills matter.

I often hear businesses claim that people are their greatest asset. And yet, in a recent worldwide survey done by Harvard Business Review, over 20,000 employees were asked what they wanted from their leaders. A whopping 52 per cent gave the answer, “respect.”

Ouch!

I look at human connection and how it impacts on the success of business processes. Human connection, or the skill that a leader or group must have to make genuine, meaningful relationships, is a powerful force. We often sense its presence in successful businesses or sports teams. We know when we are in an environment where it’s missing. It absolutely impacts the bottom line. Human connection is not something you are. It’s something you DO. As a basketball player, one of the worst seasons I had was when I played for the most skilful and knowledgeable coach I had ever worked with. This guy knew his stuff. He had plans to improve our technique and strategy. We started the season optimistically. We had good athletes and the processes in place to succeed. Or so we thought.

This coach lacked human connection skills. I felt like I was only as valuable as my performance. He didn’t listen, never asked about me or any other player, never shared a story that wasn’t designed to teach a lesson. We didn’t get

any better. Work ethic waned, teamwork corroded, and we lost players. We had a bad season and it was miserable.

Likewise, I recently worked with a client whose management team consisted of very professional, highly qualified, people. On paper you would bet this team of individuals would be successful because they possessed knowledge, skills and experience to do superior work. You would be wrong.

This collection of stellar individuals spent a significant amount of time figuring out how they fit into the group and managing social status. They had a frustrating lack of results.

What is the common link between these two unanticipated failures?

It’s the importance of human connection skills. We tend to put our attention and effort on what we can see – individual skills. But those skills hinge on interaction. Processes in business serve as a framework for a living network of personalities who bring their own strengths, fears, and varying degrees of human connection skills.

Always. The development of people skills within this living network is wise leadership. It will reap valuable rewards and move your business forward – including your bottom line.

Human connection underpins all of business. It is the invisible foundational block that holds up and feeds every visible process in your business.

The first critical step for any leader is to recognise that the success of ALL your processes – whether sales, HR, finance, manufacturing or managing people – is tangibly affected by the human connection skills of your employees.

Then you lead! Educate your leaders about the importance of human connection. Invest in training that develops people-to-people skills for every level and division of your business. Most training in business is task-related. If you don’t recognise that business success is based on people’s ability to connect with others, you won’t get the results you want.

I gained valuable insight from my disappointing basketball season. Since then, I see it everywhere. Sports.

Business. Life. Success is often affected by the capacity, or lack of it, to connect with others.

Now coaching basketball myself, the ability to send the message, “I see you, I hear you, you have value here,” has a direct impact on my win column.

The people in your business have a need for that same basic message. It will impact every area of your business, and ultimately your own win column.

Greta Hart Montgomery is an internationally recognised coach and keynote speaker focusing on team performance development and human connections. She is a partner with Ogilvie Ross LLP – and an awardwinning basketball coach.

For more on Ogilvie Ross LLP, see https://ogilvieross.co.uk/, call them on 01577 863040 or contact them at 15 Springfield Park, Kinross KY13 6QS

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SELECT and SQA: Meeting National Standards for Scotland’s electricians Using SQA’s Customised Awards service, organisations can design their own qualifications.

Customised Awards are unique qualifications developed in partnership with, and owned by, the partner organisation to meet their business needs, and demonstrate quality and industry compliance.

SELECT is the trade association for the electrical contracting industry in Scotland, and has been an SQA approved centre since 1999 — delivering a variety of qualifications for Scotland’s electricians, with a commitment to providing high quality training for the industry.

As the first trade association in the world to serve the electrical industry, SELECT supports qualified professionals and apprentices. Newly qualified electricians work to achieve their SVQ (Scottish Vocational Qualification) in Electrical Installation at SCQF level 7 (jointly awarded by SQA and the Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB) ).

Completing the SVQ and their apprenticeship is just the start! To stay up-to-date with changes in technology and regulations, electricians need to update their skills and training throughout their careers. To meet this need, SELECT designed a variety of SQA Customised Awards.

SELECT originally developed the SQA (SELECT) Customised Award in Design and Verification of Electrical Installations. This qualification is for practising electricians who want an in-depth knowledge on how to design electrical installations. It is delivered over three training days and includes home study. The qualification is also credit rated on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) at SCQF level 7.

In 2013, SELECT and SQA developed three additional Customised Awards to provide important training on BS 7671 — the UK national standard for electrical installation and the safety of electrical wiring in domestic, industrial, and other buildings.

Elaine Ellis, Qualifications and Skills Development Manager at SELECT, believes SQA Customised Awards are of significant value to the trade: “Working with SQA and designing Customised Awards has been invaluable.

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During development, we redesigned existing training to ensure the content and training methodologies used met the needs of the industry.

“We also developed additional assessment materials for each of the courses to ensure that our learners not only enjoy the training, but, through assessment, can prove that they have a clear understanding of the course content.

At the delivery stage we ensured high quality and consistency. Yearly visits by an SQA External Verifier have been valuable. These visits highlight good practice and help ensure we stay on the right track. They also drive consistency for learners and have encouraged us to have robust administrative processes and quality assurance in place.”

This partnership between SQA and SELECT has proven extremely positive for the electrical industry in Scotland, as Elaine points out: “We value our relationship with the SQA and the Customised Awards process. The qualifications are a real mark of quality.

“From a candidate perspective, it provides them with a SQA and SELECT jointly badged certificate which allows them to demonstrate the quality of the training to their employers and any other stakeholders.

“The numbers of candidates we have

going through the Customised Awards is a testament to how much the industry values them. Training numbers have been rising and continue to do so. We have a lot of repeat business and deliver BS 7671 training to many well-known organisations. “ Theresa McGowan, Regional Manager at SQA, is delighted with the difference SQA and SELECT are making to the electrical industry in Scotland: “As Scotland’s National Awarding Body, we support qualifications and skills in key sectors nationwide. I’ve worked with SELECT for a number of years and I am delighted to see that their commitment to providing high quality skills and training for electricians is going from strength to strength.

“SQA Customised Awards give our customers to flexibility to design their own qualifications, to a high quality, specific to their needs. Our dedicated Business Development and Customised Awards teams can support a variety of private, public and third sector organisations to meet their training needs.”

To find out more about SQA Customised Awards visit: http://www.sqa.org.uk/ customisedawards e-mail: mycentre@sqa.org.uk or call 0303 0330 0330

Burness Paull

Future Chemistry: Getting the elements right for the workforce of tomorrow Morag Hutchison, Partner at Burness Paull, looks at the recruitment challenges facing businesses in the future By the year 2025, 75% of the workforce will be millennials. Jack Ma the founder and former CEO of disrupter online retailer Alibaba, predicts that we’ll all be working a 16 hour week by 2045 – working smarter, not harder. Other studies suggest that there will be 44 per cent fewer jobs overall by 2030.

Either way, making sure they are ready to attract, engage and retain a future-ready workforce is one of the biggest hurdles for businesses to overcome in this century.

The chemistry we have with our clients is at the very heart of the way in which we work, so we wanted to understand the elements that underpin the challenges and opportunities our clients face.

To probe the issues at hand, we gathered senior business leaders for a series of three debates in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and London. Businesses from the construction; retail; media; fast moving consumer goods; financial services; IT; food & drink; digital marketing; insurance; aviation; and oil

and gas sectors were represented.

Several key themes emerged from the debates: engaging with employees is critical to the success of businesses, as well as bringing together workers from across generations to share knowledge and experience; the gender pay gap is simply the tip of the iceberg and businesses want to consider diversity in its widest forms, whether it’s ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability or social class; and technology will continue to play a major role in not only shaping the way in which employees work but also through the effect it will have on their wider lives including mental health.

While some challenges were sector specific, participants at the debate had clear messages about diversity and the workforce of the future.

Cross-generational engagement and inclusion must be cultivated through open and respectful dialogue, with recognition of the contribution and value which can be offered by all workers.

Caution is needed when seeking to pigeon-hole categories of workers by age: the needs and wants of workers must be seen as fluid concepts and flexibility will be required in relation to working arrangements and benefits.

Management of mental health issues

“Engaging with employees is critical to the success of businesses, as well as bringing together workers from across generations to share knowledge and experience” Morag Hutchison

is now a business critical matter.

Workers have never been more pressurised – especially with the impact of technology – and a risk mitigation strategy bespoke to each business and sector must be found as a matter of urgency.

The reporting of gender pay gap figures and the “pregnancy penalty” has emphasised how society still has conflicting views as to the role of men and women. Politicians will need pressure from society in order to enact legislation which will result in true diversity and inclusion, which in turn will require changes in the way that society perceives the roles of parents and carers when it comes both to childcare and to looking after elderly relatives.

While harassment and inequalities in the workplace have dominated the headlines, diversity at work is not limited to gender; sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability and social class all impacted on the companies present. A number were also beginning to consider how best to react to the increased focus on gender-fluidity or non-binary persons.

Technology touched almost every aspect of the topics under discussion. It was felt that some of the answers still eluded companies, and assumptions about how technology will impact upon businesses and their workforce should be tempered by a more realistic outlook.

So, lots to contend with for employers in dealing with these key trends.

However, we also worked with clients to pin down tangible actions for Boards and senior management teams. The result was a paper which pulled all of the elements together - ‘Future Chemistry: Getting the elements right for the workforce of tomorrow’.

It’s an engaging summary of the most pressing issues facing business in the context of the people agenda, coupled with a road map for how to tackle these challenges and create opportunities for your business to become an employer of choice.

To get your business future ready, request a copy by emailing morag.hutchison@ burnesspaull.com

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Business has to be ready for a tidal wave of digital changes IoD Scotland Conference ’18 hears IoD executive director David Watt urge directors to ‘raise the bar’ and make sure the country retains its status as a great place to do business as the UK prepares to exit from the EU

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ext year will be one of the most challenging years business has ever seen, warned IoD executive director David Watt, with economic uncertainty rising as we approach March 29th and the UK’s exit from the EU. But Scotland remains a confident, optimistic and outward-looking country that is a great place to do business, he told the IoD Scotland Conference – though it is vital that business leaders “raise the bar” to ensure their companies are well placed to handle the challenges and respond to exploit opportunities that will appear.

His comments came at the start of a fascinating day’s conference where the over-arching theme – The Future is Now – was referenced time and again by speakers keen to highlight the changes leaders had to implement if they were to keep their businesses at the cutting edge of commercial life.

As David quoted, ‘the past is a place of education, not a place of residence; we have to face the future and embrace the challenges it presents.’

Diversity One of the key issues highlighted repeatedly by speakers was the need for real diversity to be entrenched throughout all businesses and organisations. Debbie Crosbie, Group Chief Operating Officer, CYBG, suggested that society was conditioned to be biased and it required strong leadership to challenge this and end perceptions. “Judge people on outcomes and results”, she said, “rather

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Debbie Crosbie, CYBG, Alex Hynes, ScotRail Alliance and Michael Welch, founder, Blackcircles.com than gender, ethnicity and societal status.”

She highlighted her own experience during CYBG’s disentanglement from the National Australia Bank: “I had 74 meetings in Australia… and I was the only woman in the room on every single occasion.”

But gender was not the only issue that business leaders needed to consider when looking to embrace true diversity: the way different generations view life has changed and all businesses need to consider their different responses. As Mary Campbell obe commented during the Leadership Debate held the day before conference (see page 27) “Young people don’t focus on the bottom line as older generations did… to them, how they are treated matters enormously, more than salaries.”

Michael Welch obe, the founder of online tyre supply firm Blackcircles. com, laughed at the way some businesses operate: “A bunch of middle-aged men in a boardroom deciding how others have to respond?

Really? Who cares what a bunch of old men think? The public doesn’t.”

Young people getting into positions of power are now bringing new ways of

thinking into business, using tech and digital solutions. “If your business isn’t looking to provide solutions in the future in a similar way, you’re in trouble,” said David Reid of engineering giant Jacobs. “You need fresh minds to provide solutions.”

Businesses run on old-fashioned “hierarchical cultures” had to change, said Kirsty Mackenzie, CEO, iMultiply.

“They don’t work any more. Don’t simply have people near the top leading your agenda; praise good ideas throughout the business, allow space for ideas to form at every level.”

Leadership Wherever ideas come from, she encouraged leaders to be innovative.

“Don’t be afraid of failure. They are not mistakes – I call them ‘learns’,” she said.

“Taking that outlook is helpful and frees the mindset. It’s a philosophy that teaches us how to be adaptable to new situations and try to innovate out of them.”

Leadership was all about “having a vision and making it a reality,” said IoD Scotland executive director David Watt.

“Bring your people together, outline the vision and their role in it and watch WWW.IOD.COM

“

We employ 78,000 people, 5,000 in the UK, built the Queensferry Crossing and work with NASA... and people still think we make crackers...

David Reid, Jacobs

them pull in the same direction.”

And while sincerity was a ‘must-have’ for real leadership, Kirsty Mackenzie thought being able to demonstrate that you are an active listener clinches the deal as far as employees are concerned.

“Listen to their views – and act on what you hear. Don’t just pay lip service to their views.”

As David Reid pointed out, “The best solutions don’t come from individuals … they come from teams who have diversity of thought and a clean sheet to find solutions.”

Kirsty offered an unusual angle on effective leadership. “People go on about operating at 100 per cent, about being a ‘10 out of 10’ leader. But you can’t be operating at maximum capability all the time. If you are, how do you go about finding the space for crisis management? I accept that I’m at 7 or 8 out of 10 nowadays. It gives me brain space to be creative.”

IoD director general Stephen Martin acknowledged that the role of the director had become more complex, particularly in the digital era, and vowed that the IoD would do all it could to ensure directors had the skills they needed to make sense of the digital era.

However, while acknowledging the challenges, including Brexit, “we cannot put off decisions on investment and finance. We must be future facing,” and he called on politicians to take a similarly long-term view.

Across the day it was acknowledged that people in any position of authority were failing to command the respect of the public. Irene Grant had told the audience at the pre-conference Leadership Debate that a poll of HSBC staff had found 40 per cent did not trust their bosses, while a similar survey of Police Scotland officers found levels of distrust towards senior management in the 90s.

Stephen Martin admitted that the public’s perception of business leaders was poor, and they ranked low for trustworthiness. While the IoD had long pushed the highest standards of governance among directors, it was clear there was a long way to go before WWW.IOD.COM

David Watt, Polly Purvis obe, session chair Louise Macdonald obe and David Duke mbe the sector enjoyed wider public confidence.

This would matter a great deal when looking to recruit the next generation of workers, he said. “62 per cent of millennials want to work for a business that makes a difference to the community, and 50 per cent put principles above salary expectations.”

Recruiting and holding on to the best

newcomers to the working ranks would hinge on them feeling valued.

Did the future dictate a different set of core principles for leaders? Scott Ivell from Salesforce did not think so – indeed, digital era leadership would involve tried and tested values: “Focus on trust as your number one value.

Don’t let unconscious bias colour decisions; always look to re-skill your workforce to meet future challenges, and invest in apprenticeships.”

Oh, and get your corporate culture right: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”

Skills shortages A particular concern voiced by a number of speakers was Scotland’s current skills shortages, and whether the education sector was developing the

skills business needs in the future.

Polly Purvis obe, CEO, ScotlandIS, was concerned by a growing gap between IT professionals entering the workforce and the number required by business. “There is a digital skills gap in Scotland and it is growing. We have a shortfall of around 12,000+ people a year to enter the digital economy, and this number increases year on year as more businesses switch on digital services.”

This is in addition to Scotland’s already challenging demographic position: “We have an ageing population and too few young people to service the economy,” Polly said. “We talk about growing Scotland after Brexit – well, you can’t do that without people.”

Polly was joined on the platform by David Duke mbe who pointed out that the skills shortages could be remedied if it brought back into the workforce the estimated 170,000 people currently excluded from it, due to societal or personal reasons such as former dependency or homelessness. “These people are lost,” he said, “and are a loss to our economy, too.”

Continued on page 28

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We cannot put off decisions on finance and investment... we must be forward facing and think long term... politicians have to do the same Stephen Martin, IoD

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There’s lots to be gained from being a niche player. You don’t have to eat the whole elephant Michael Welch obe

Continued from page 27 David made another point that was echoed by David Watt in relation to schools: “We know there is real value in being in the workplace for young people. If teenagers aren’t going to get into college or university, why not give them appropriate pre-employment training that can help them discover the world of work?”

David Watt asked, “Why do we keep children in schools past the age of 14 if a tertiary college may be more appropriate?”

The skills businesses would need in the future were a long way from those that schools were currently instilling in their pupils, said Damien Yeates of Skills Development Scotland. “We are facing years of disruption, potentially a permanent cycle of disruption, from new digital tech, and will demand that people learn and re-learn over the years.

They will need to adapt and be quick to adapt to changes. Our youngsters need strong meta skills – problem-solving, collaborative work and situational learning – but we are still focusing on knowledge-based skills and testing.”

He called for Scotland to create better pathways to jobs, “and we need to add value to jobs such as carers, which are too often deemed as ‘menial’. Let’s add value to those careers.”

His own experiences had shown him a better way of creating a workforce of the future. “I visited Switzerland recently and there you have a population of eight million, most of whom are in high value jobs. 56 per cent of students leave school to do apprenticeships. That has to be the way Scotland goes; having higher order skills is the key.”

Developing a vision Developing a sound business vision was key to success, and conference discussed at length key factors that impact on business growth. Agility and a readiness to change tack swiftly were key, and Debbie Crosbie of CYBG said one of the things holding banking back at the moment was the sheer size of banks’ operations. “In the world of banking, spread used to be everything, but that demanded a huge scale of business that is now a disadvantage.”

New entrants to the market from the Fin

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Andrew Guild, R3NDER, answers a question from the floor, watched by company MD Jordan Maguire “Be more efficient, listen to customers – and do a better job.”

As for small businesses – don’t take on more than you can handle. “There’s lots to be gained from being a niche player.

You don’t have to eat the whole elephant.”

Have the principles of running a successful business changed in the digital era? Not according to Debbie Crosbie or Michael Welch: both agreed that “service is everything – always has been, always will be.”

Good investment Conference delegates were interested to hear Michael’s views on his strategy for investment through the Welch Trust, which he uses to back fledgling entrepreneurs. “I always look for a proposal from an energetic team with a customer-facing attitude.

“I’d rather back a good idea coming from an exceptional team rather than an exceptional idea from a good team.”

Kirsty Mackenzie, iMultiply Tech sector would disrupt the market but they were still very small in scale.

Where the sector could change enormously was if major tech giants such as Amazon and Google entered banking in a big way.

Michael Welch agreed that larger businesses were at a disadvantage in the current climate. “They’re just not responsive to the wishes of customers and that creates opportunities for small and mid-market businesses to cut through.” His advice to big business?

Digital future The conference theme – The Future is Now – ensured that the issues of AI, the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the growth of the digital economy were hot topics throughout the day. Speakers Graeme Smith, Amazon Development Centre Scotland, Gillian Docherty, The Data Lab, and Scott Ivell, Salesforce, rounded off the day with a barnstorming series of presentations on where technology was taking both society and businesses.

Gillian Docherty believed it was vital business “unlocked their future” by understanding how AI machine learning will dominate your life, from organising your day, health, diet and fitness through WWW.IOD.COM

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Our panel for the Leadership Debate. From left Mary Campbell, Carolyn Jameson, Fiona Logan and Irene Grant

Businesses think ‘we’ll have a CSR policy’ and get a bunch of accountants to paint a fence. That’s pointless.

Get them using their skills with a charity or a youth group...

David Duke mbe

to handling transport, diary and home life. “There is a tidal wave of tech coming,” she warned. “It’s not science fiction any more: digital implants in humans to monitor health and wellbeing, self-driving cars, fully automated production processes, they are all being tested now… are you comfy? Well, you’re about to be tipped out of that comfortable spot.

Disruption is coming, no matter which sector you’re in.”

AI will revolutionise the world of work. Kirsty Mackenzie suggested that accountancy, for example, would undergo a sea-change in its role. “AI systems will take over human tasks such as auditing. An accountant’s role in the future will be more to act as financial partners to their clients, helping form the strategic direction of the company. Accountants will no longer be the quiet people in the room.”

Scott Ivell pointed out that the fourth industrial revolution meant we were more connected today than we’ve ever been – yet that had removed a lot of the humanity from business relations.

“The automation genie is out of the bottle,” he stressed. “As business leaders we need to embrace AI innovation but - for the good of society - decentralise it and make it democratic so all society will benefit.

“We have to create inclusive capitalism that does not leave sections of the populace behind.”

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There is a tidal wave of tech coming ... it’s not science fiction any more, it’s real - don’t get comfy Gillian Docherty

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Promote innovation but accept people will fail What does leadership mean in the modern arena – and how will the disruption of the digital age change it?

This was one of the many questions tackled by the IoD’s Leadership Debate, held on the evening before the main Conference. Chaired by Fiona Logan, CEO of Insights, the debate saw Mary Campbell obe, founder and chief executive, Blas Ltd, Irene Grant, an experienced NXD with a strong track record in the banking sector, and Carolyn Jameson, chief legal officer, Skyscanner examine the key questions surrounding modern leadership.

Diversity was now top of most business’s agendas – but it was important not to think of this only in terms of gender. As Mary Campbell pointed out, “the younger generation is different; they don’t focus on the bottom line. They want to know how they will be treated as a stakeholder in a business and how their role will be viewed.”

The older generation expected leaders to have the answers, she said, while younger people “have seen the banking crisis and seen its leaders getting things wrong.”

They want leaders to listen – and the definition of what constitutes good leadership is changing as a result.

Irene Grant said there was growing evidence for creating a “new diversity of thought”, while Carolyn Jameson highlighted the need for boardrooms to stay agile. Even after Skyscanner was bought out from its owners, “we

worked hard to keep the culture of excitement and the company’s entrepreneurial spirit. We encouraged everyone to have a voice, throughout the company.”

Leaders had to embrace innovation – “too many leaders are too scared to fail,” said Irene Grant. “Innovation cannot work in such an atmosphere.”

It was a point echoed by Carolyn, who said Skyscanner has embraced a policy of ‘fail forward’ in which senior leaders publicise their mistakes on a blog to eradicate fear of failure. “It can be scary but everyone does it; and people warm to you when you put your mistakes out there.”

Irene Grant said that a culture of innovation was hard to foster in some sectors: “HSBC ran courses on ‘how to experiment’ to promote innovation; it was very unsuccessful as too many people within the banking industry wanted to be told what to do and no-one wanted to innovate. No one believed it was okay to fail.”

Mary Campbell stressed the need for dialogue; the current talent shortage meant directors must stay engaged with their workforce. “Don’t focus on KPIs; they miss the human side and ignore emotional intelligence. These qualities will be crucial in the future.”

Sincerity was still leaders’ most important trait. As Carolyn Jameson said, “If you haven’t got sincerity, you’ll come unstuck. Business leaders get away without it for a while but in the end, it blows up in your face.”

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Young entrepreneur wows Conference ...

Rhianna Harrison, now a student at Stirling University but formerly a pupil at Boroughmuir High School, proved a hugely impressive speaker as she described to conference her journey from student to MD of a Young Enterprise company, Negotium.

Its exam survival kit product had proved hugely popular, though the challenge of bringing a new product to market could not be under-estimated.

The student company had gone through the whole remit of business problems – workforce issues, skills shortages, sales and production – but Rhianna had kept the operation on track through shrewd manmanagement and keeping a keen eye on the finances.

The lessons she had learned had proved invaluable, she said, with team-working and the value of outlining the vision and getting the team to sign up to it chief among them.

Right, Rhianna with session host Alexandra Mancini

... and hears plea to bring 170,000 in from the cold Delegates at Conference were asked not to ignore the country’s ‘easy to forget’ people by Street Soccer Scotland founder David Duke MBE. He pointed out that the tide of homelessness was rising, as was the use of food banks, and one-in-four children was growing up in poverty.

There was a widening gap between rich and poor that societal changes were doing nothing to address.

His work at Street Soccer Scotland, which champions the homeless community and endeavours to bring

it back into the mainstream, had shown him that “everyone wants to work. Work helps people believe in themselves again.”

“The government does not understand what’s going on on the streets,” added David.

“There were too many people with no self esteem who feel life has passed them by.”

What business can do is offer opportunities. “We ask homeless people ‘what does

better look like’. The answer we hear most often is ‘I want to feel part of something, to be part of a community.’

That’s what work gives people – and he implored business leaders to think about offering a disadvantaged person an opportunity within their workforce.

Connecting... at Conference

Delegates mingle to discuss the day’s activities (facing page and pg 30)

Above, conference delegates take a chance to connect with colleagues in the exhibition hall during a break in proceedings Left, the IoD Scotland team at Conference: Kirsty Livingstone, Patricia Huth, David Watt and Avril Gall

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Above, delegates had a chance to check out the latest models from BMW – the new BMW 8 Series and an allelectric i8 Roadster

IoD’s David Watt with the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon.

The First Minister was the keynote speaker at the end of conference dinner.

Left, the dinner was entertained by the wonderful singing of the Glasgow Youth Choir Andy Lothian points out a questioner from the floor, watched by Scott Ivell and Gillian Docherty. Right, Amazon’s Graeme Smith

Conference sponsors

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Andy Lothian paid a fulsome tribute to IoD Scotland executive director David Watt at the conference’s closing dinner, as David prepared to step down from his role next year Delegates connect with fellow members during conference breaks

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Representatives from Sense Scotland and Enable Scotland receive their Carer Positive Engaged Employer awards from the Scottish Government

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Conference included three thought-provoking workshops led by Close Brothers Technology Services (right), Skills Development Scotland and Stanger Pro

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Membership Benefits international TRAVEL

Emirates exclusive IoD Skywards upgrade Emirates works in partnership with IoD Scotland members on its Skywards frequent flier programme, automatically upgrading their membership levels from Blue to Silver or Silver to Gold.

Additional benefits include dedicated check-in, priority boarding, additional baggage & Emirates First & Business Class lounge access*.

Please contact Jill Niven, Senior Sales Executive – Jill.Niven@Emirates.com quoting your forthcoming Emirates booking reference to take advantage of this offer.

Emirates flies 19 times daily to Dubai from 8 UK airports: London Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Birmingham,

Manchester, Newcastle, Glasgow – and, from 1st October 2018, Edinburgh – offering seamless connections to over 160 destinations.

On board passengers can enjoy world-class service, regionally inspired gourmet cuisine and over 3,500 channels of award-winning entertainment – plus phone, sms and Wifi connectivity from every seat. On the ground, First and Business Class passengers can take advantage of the complimentary Chauffeur Car service, expedited check-in, dedicated baggage handling and luxurious lounges ensuring a seamless journey from start to finish.

* Emirates has dedicated First & Business Class lounges in 36 worldwide cities along with several in Dubai. Our premium customers departing Glasgow will have access to one of these dedicated lounges whilst those departing from Edinburgh will be welcome to use the brand new No 1 lounge, opening summer 2018. * T’s & C’s – Skywards status upgrades will be valid for 1 year, tier miles must be maintained to retain status level; repeat upgrades cannot be approved.

HOTEL DISCOUNTS

Modern luxury, classic hospitality, at Principal Hotels – plus up to 15% discount for IoD members* * Subject to terms and conditions IoD Scotland has negotiated special discounts and rates for members at Principal Hotels’ four Scottish properties.

Just quote your IoD membership number when placing a reservation and get up to 15% discount off accommodation (best available rate), meetings and events, and restaurant bookings., including food and beverages*.

The four Principal Hotels are: n Principal Edinburgh George Street n Principal Edinburgh Charlotte Square n Grand Central Glasgow n Blythswood Square

All members must quote their IoD number; all bookings subject to

availability.

In addition, IoD Scotland has negotiated other special deals for members: Aberdeen: Preferential accommodation rate at Aberdeen Hilton Garden Inn and the Malmaison Hotel.

Inverness: Preferential accommodation rate at Kingsmills Inverness and IoD guests will receive a VIP package, including a late checkout and room refreshments.

Special IoD Members’ rates are available at the following Edinburgh hotels: Holiday Inn Edinburgh, Lateral City Apartments, Fountain Court Principal Edinburgh George Street Apartments and Waldorf Astoria

MEETING ROOMS Please check out our complimentary members’ facility at 10 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh: n Members’ lounge and workroom: Free of charge to members for informal meetings with up to three guests.

Refreshments and Wi-Fi – plus VAT-exempt meeting room hire n Exclusively for members to hire: - Boardroom for 16 - Garden View room, for 8 - Castle View room, for 12 - Forth View room, for meetings, training workshops, lectures for between 20-50 people, etc n Free AV and laptop by prior arrangement n Extended catering can be arranged

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- Complimentary Wi-Fi access - 10% discount in the Restaurant on 6th, on meeting room rates and in The Spa - Hourly Room Hire Rates

Call 0131 557 5488 or email iod.scotland@iod.com for details.

PLUS... special discounts at 200 SVS Glasgow IoD hub: - 10% discounted parking at Q Park Waterloo Street

Meeting space in Dundee The Centre of Entrepreneurship, in the University of Dundee, is a unique and dynamic hot desking space in central Dundee where IoD Scotland members can sit down and plug in with a coffee and wifi in between your meetings.

Catering contacts on request.

Accessible public car parking Email Cat Ward - cat@elevatoruk.com or 07384 253591 for availability or queries.

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SMART PA

SmartPA offers outsourced administrative and business support services, freeing business executives from day-to-day management and administrative tasks that have otherwise been holding them back. Including email and diary management, CRM, Social Media content, document production, minute of meetings, expenses logging and more.

IoD Members’ Offer As an exclusive benefit for IoD members, we are offering an 20% increase of support with each of our regular package hours.

Visit smart-pa.com/iod-offer or contact us on 0131 357 1188 remembering to quote your IoD membership number to find out how SmartPA’s outsourced administrative support can work for your business!

SCOTTISH SLIMMERS Improving the health and wellbeing of your employees makes business sense with Scottish Slimmers.

Scottish Slimmers Works is an onsite weight loss and wellbeing service, delivered in the workplace, at your convenience. It can offer one-to-one consultancy, weigh & go sessions before, during or after work, and wellbeing workshops.

IoD Members’ offer: No set-up fee (usually £1250 + VAT) With packages more effective and less expensive than a gym membership, our weight loss programmes are guaranteed to deliver results.

Email eva@scottishslimmers.com or call 0141 255 0959 www.scottishslimmers.com

RAIL TRAVEL

IoD offer: 15% off the Caledonian Sleeper IoD Scotland has formed a great new partnership with Caledonian Sleeper which delivers a superb 15 per cent discount off Standard and First Class travel.

Email iodscotland@iod.com before you book for a unique IoD code.

The offer can be used off any Standard or First Class tickets but cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. The code can be used on bookings for family and friends but the IoD member must be in the travelling party. Your IoD Scotland membership card or digital membership app for Advance members must be presented to the conductor on train with a valid ticket for the journey.

Free first-class upgrade on ScotRail services Abellio ScotRail is continuing its fantastic offer to IoD Scotland members, who can have a Free 1st Class Upgrade on ScotRail Services (nb, upgrade is available on ScotRail services only).

As part of the move to Smart Cards for rail users, all IoD Scotland ScotRail users must now be in possession of a Smartcard before they can access the First Class upgrade.

To apply for an individual Smart Card visit the ScotRail Leisure site at https://www.scotrail.co.uk/tickets/ smartcard First Class upgrade Terms and Conditions: • Advance tickets do not qualify for this offer • The 1st Class upgrade is available on

Anytime and Off Peak tickets only, and subject to availability of seating in 1st Class.

• Only IoD members with a ScotRail Smart Card will qualify for a free 1st Class upgrade, subject to availability and ticket type.

• This offer will be reviewed on an annual basis and may be withdrawn at any time.

• 1st Class upgrade is NOT available on discounted Club 50 purchases or Flexipass.

For more information on ScotRail: See www.scotrail.co.uk/businesstravel or call 0141 335 4015 to find out more.

Forth Valley College

has launched a new offer for IoD members looking for informal meeting spaces in Stirling. Enjoy a dedicated meeting room for up to four people, on-campus parking and WiFi, all free of charge, at its stunning Stirling Campus.

Please book in advance.

In addition, members can use the on-campus catering facilities, including a fine dining restaurant (costs as advertised).

The campus offers stunning views across to the Wallace Monument, Stirlign Castle and the Ochil Hills, making it one of the most picturesque environments you can work in in Scotland.

For enquiries and bookings: Call: 01786 406097 Email: fvctheplace@forthvalley.ac.uk

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AIRPORT LOUNGES IoD membership gives you free access to four Airport Lounges in Scotland, plus eight others in the rest of the UK, up to 12 times a year.

Just sign in with your IoD membership card.

Edinburgh Airport: Aspire and No.1 Lounge Glasgow Airport: Upperdeck lounge Inverness Airport: Swissport Executive Lounge.

Aberdeen Airport: Northern Lights Executive Lounge (pictured)

Parking benefit Visitors to the IoD’s Charlotte Square HQ can take advantage of an exclusive member’s only discount for parking at NCP Castle Terrace: park for up to 12 hours for £10. Pick up a voucher from the IoD office to use when exiting the car park.

20% off at Eden Locke Enjoy designer living in a homefrom-home environment next time you are staying in Edinburgh, at Eden Locke Apartments. Based at 127 George St, Edinburgh EH2.

Visit www.lockeliving.com. Enter code LOCKEDIN and you’ll get up to 20% off their best available rate.

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Events Diary

For event queries or to book on any event, contact the IoD Scotland office on 0131 557 5488 or email iod.scotland@iod.com (Patricia Huth) or director.scotland@iod.com (Avril Gall)

06 Dec

13

Dec

Glasgow & West of Scotland Christmas reception

IoD Scotland Christmas drinks

Venue: Radisson Blu, Glasgow,

301 Argyle St, Glasgow G2 8DL Time: 18:00 - 20:00 Prices: Members and guests

£25 + VAT

Non Members £30 + VAT

We would like to invite all our members to our Christmas get together at Charlotte Square.

Over drinks and nibbles, you will have the opportunity to meet other members, as well as the IoD Scotland team to celebrate the festive season. If you have a colleague or friend who is interested in joining the IoD please feel free to bring them along.

Time: 18:00 - 20:00 Location: IoD Scotland, Edinburgh Price: Free of charge

IoD Glasgow and West of Scotland invites you to our Annual Christmas Reception.

Come along and join us at our Annual Christmas Reception for drinks and canapes in the Grahamston Snug at the Radisson Blu. Dress: Business casual We’ll meet at 6pm before a short welcoming address by branch chair Craig Jamieson, This will be followed by drinks, canapes and networking.

06 Dec Gleneagles roundtable discussion on the ‘Future of Tourism’ Time: 18:30 - 21:00 Location: Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder CPD: 1.5 hours Prices: Members and guests £40+ VAT

Non Members £50 + VAT Event manager: Mrs Patricia Huth

Join us for a prestigious round table dinner with Marc Crothall, Chief Executive, Scottish Tourism Alliance at the Gleneagles Hotel.

Marc will tell us about the journey of the Alliance and what the future is going forward. At the table there will also be executives from the Gleneagles Hotel who will also share their thoughts and insights.

A great opportunity to ask your questions, join the discussions and network with fellow IoD members.

Price includes a three course dinner and wine, which will be served in The Barony.

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Event manager for both events: Mrs Patricia Huth

06 Dec Setting goals for you and your team

Time: 13:00 - 16:00 Location: IoD Scotland, Edinburgh Prices: Members £150 + VAT,

Non Members £195 + VAT Event manager: Ms Avril Gall

Effective goal setting is a key element to achieving our objectives, both for personal and professional purposes.

This is also a core principle of coaching. This half day interactive workshop will demonstrate how coaching principles enhance our goal setting approach, and also reveal how developing meaningful and connected goals can be the difference between motivation and stagnation.

This workshop is purposely positioned before the New Year as we turn our attention to next year’s challenges and opportunities.

On session completion you will be able to: • Understand the transformative impact of effective goal setting • Implement a structured goal setting technique to motivate yourself

and others • Identify limiting factors that inhibit success and develop counter measures We will examine the components of effective goal setting and work through a structured goal setting process to establish meaningful goals that motivate and drive success. We will also explore some of the limiting factors that prevent individuals and organisations from achieving their goals, and identify counter measures.

Session lead

The session will be led by Dave Jarrold. Dave is a specialist in productivity and personal capacity development as well as a coach, trainer and serial business owner with 25 years organisational experience.

He has experience at governance level, both as a board member, and also reporting to and supporting board activity. Roles in front line service delivery, senior management, and leadership roles have developed a range of skills which, when combed with his professional experience with coaching and training, have created a unique set of capabilities.

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Professional Director Series 05 Dec

05 Feb

The Trustee/Director in the Third Sector Workshop Time: 09:00 - 17:00 Location: IoD Scotland, Edinburgh Prices: Members £150 + VAT

Non Members £195 + VAT CPD: 8 Hours

With levels of public scrutiny reaching new levels, customer demand growing and funding ever tighter, IoD Scotland is delivering this full day workshop examining the specific role required of Trustees and Board Members of bodies in the Third Sector.

Exploring how Board members need to fulfil their role and maximise the value they bring, this session is primarily designed for Third Sector Board members who want to strengthen their contribution or understand how to help improve their Board’s oversight and governance performance. Those who are thinking about joining a Board will also find it useful. It will cover: • Overview of the particular legal and constitutional position of Boards • The roles and responsibilities of Board Members/Trustees • Corporate governance?

• Examining the practicalities of oversight and delivery • Delivering value as a volunteer You will have a deeper appreciation of the specific demands on a Board Member in the Third sector and will take away a range of concepts, tools and techniques to help you perform your role. The course will be led by David C Watt, Executive Director of the IoD in Scotland.

21 Feb

19 Feb

The Apprentice Director The Professional Workshop Non-Executive Director Workshop Time: 09:00 - 17:00

Location: IoD Scotland, Edinburgh Prices: Members £345 + VAT

Non Members £395 + VAT CPD: 8 Hours

This one-day workshop is designed for the newly-appointed, or apprentice directors who want to gain the basic tools to do the job. It outlines the role and legal responsibilities of a director and explores how the apprentice moves from managing to directing. It is important that all directors, on appointment, receive induction about their role and the significant duties and legal liabilities that go with it.

It will cover: • The legal duties of a director • The legal and regulatory environment • Company Constitutions • Corporate Social Responsibility • Relationships with shareholders and stakeholders • Board structures and organisation • Contributing at board meetings • Relationships with the chair and the non-executive directors • Board decision-making • Understanding strategy and risk including cyber risk It will improve your current performance as a director and help you prepare for your first appointment to the board.

Time: 09:00 - 17:00 Location: IoD Scotland, Edinburgh CPD: 8 Hours Prices: Members £345 + VAT

Non Members £395 + VAT

This one-day workshop (9-5) identifies the various roles of the non-executive director (NXD) in Scotland within a range of settings; how their appointment can help balance a board and how they make an effective contribution to a board’s work. It also examines methods for NXD selection and reviews their motivation, induction and reward. It will help improve your current performance or help prepare you for the time when you may be appointed.

Workshop Content • What you as a NXD can bring to your board • What inputs NXDs can give to the board in different types of organisations and situations • An outline of the legal and ethical duties and responsibilities of a NXD • Clarification of the qualities and experiences needed to fulfil a NXD appointment • Practical guidance on how best to secure an appointment as a NXD • Provision of an overview of the UK Corporate Governance Code and other relevant codes of governance.

Master the art of strategic questioning

Venue: IoD Scotland, Edinburgh Time: 09.00-17.00 CPD: 8 hours Prices: Members Early Booking

£310 + VAT

Member £345 + VAT

Non Members £395 + VAT Questioning skills are the sine qua non of successful business leaders.

In this highly interactive one-day workshop (9-5), you will learn a breakthrough questioning method that is steeped in investigative journalism, cognitive neuroscience and social WWW.IOD.COM

psychology. The method emphasises humility, finely tuned listening, empathy, and Eastern and Western perspectives on mindfulness – an ideal model for effective leadership and governance.

This workshop will offer you a new way to think about and ask questions and features short video clips of interviews conducted by today’s top TV reporters and hosts in the US, UK and Canada to reinforce principles and techniques.

Throughout the day, you will work in small groups on exercises and a case study that capture compelling scenarios faced by directors and trustees.

Workshop Tutor Dr David Steinberg (pictured) is a consultant and university lecturer specialising in advanced questioning skills for business professionals. Prior to starting his consultancy five years ago, he directed sales operations and account management processes in the US for a highly successful e-learning software-as-aservice start-up and for a Fortune 500 Corporation.

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Events Diary

IoD Leadership masterclass with Ros Taylor

This series of half-day workshops aims to provide practical learning and focus on the different behaviours and skills needed to be effective on boards.

Of relevance to individuals who are currently directors and those about to be appointed within the Private, Public and Third Sectors, this series is for those serious

about their professional development.

There are six separate sessions to attend. All can be taken as separate, stand-alone sessions – or book all six and pay for only five.

Special offer: Book all six in the series for the price of five. Contact director.scotland@iod.com for details

Course details (all sessions)

About the workshop leader

Time: 09:00 - 13.00 Venue: IoD Scotland, Edinburgh CPD: 4 Hours Prices: Members £175 + VAT

Non-members £195 + VAT Event manager: Ms Avril Gall

Ros Taylor is a leading UK and International clinical psychologist, corporate and leadership coach, businesswoman, author, TV and radio presenter and commentator.

Ros travels the world developing the leadership potential of employees through her Just Leadership programme. She is a visiting professor at Strathclyde Business School focusing on leadership and runs her own successful leadership and coaching business.

20 Feb

10 Apr

24 Apr

What Kind of Leader are You?

Leading from the front

Confident leadership

There is no template for a leader. All are different as everyone has their own strengths. However these strengths need to be uncovered. This workshop explores participants’ preferred leadership styles and how they can make the most of them. Of course we are required to interact with other styles and coping with that diversity will be addressed here.

• Issues facing the modern leader • Personal profiling and results • Understanding the four leadership styles • Coping with diversity and inclusion • Visual explorer exercise for additional insights

A leader requires a strategy and a vision for the division, team or company to move forward and also a focused way to communicate that strategy. This part of the program looks at the leadership skills necessary to make your strategy memorable and do-able for others. This workshop also includes how to be more charismatic and inspirational.

• Establishing major business goals • Outlining a strategic vision • Researching your clients and competition • Avoiding decision making glitches • Implementing a strategy • Establishing a review process

Leaders stumble without confidence and organisations suffer as a result.

What confidence is and how can you get more is the aim here. Also in this session the use of power as a leader will be explored. Where it comes from and how best to deploy it will be a focus of this revelatory workshop • What does it look like and why you might lack confidence?

• Who are you anyway? Personal profile and branding exercise • Power review with questionnaire and personal feedback • The ingredients of confidence revealed

08 May

12 Jun

17

July

Influencing others and handling challenging people

Leading innovation

Making an impact for business presentations

Influencing skills are essential for good leadership. Learn about the latest research which reveals the persuasion techniques that really work.

The skills to handle even the most challenging people will be outlined and practised in this workshop.

• Working out who are your priorities to influence • The 8 skills of influencing • The 5 Step Process for handling a difficult person • Behavioural analysis using the Interpersonal Influence Inventory

‘Creativity will be the biggest determinant of company success this century’. So why leave creativity to artists? We are all creative! Doing things differently to gain edge, to gain business advantage is in the grasp of all of us. But how to go about it is the challenge. This workshop addresses the following: • The ability to come up with new ideas to move your business forward • Understanding what happens when you have an ‘aha’ moment so that you can have more of them • Creating a work environment that helps ideas flow

This workshop will help participants to present to any size of group and have a rewarding, enjoyable experience, showing you how to put a presentation together speedily without jeopardising quality, and how to be relaxed enough to focus on the audience.

It will also look at what makes a good business presentation, the nature of body language, the magic process for speedily constructing effective business presentations, how to involve an audience and an introduction to mind mapping.

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WWW.IOD.COM

IoD Scotland Awards

We’re open for Nominations – who will you nominate?

The IoD Scotland Awards are open for nominations!

Visit www.iodawards.com/scotland n Once registered, you can keep revising your submission until the 28 February 2019 closing date. n Rather than a two-step process, the nomination is now just a one-stage submission. n The Awards are free to enter and are open to all Directors or equivalent level, whether or not IoD members. n Winners will automatically go forward to the UK Awards. n Nominations can be made for any of the Awards in the relevant Director and/or Regional category. n You will be entered into the relevant Regional category based on your business address. n If you wish to apply for a Regional Award only and not a Director Award, please email awards@firstcityevents.co.uk.

Director Award categories:

Director of the Year, Family Business Director of the Year, Public Sector Director of the Year, Inclusivity Director of the Year, Small/Medium Business Director of the Year, Innovation Director of the Year, Start-Up Director of the Year, International Director of the Year, Third Sector Director of the Year, Large Business Director of the Year, Young Director of the Year, Non-Executive

Our winners from earlier this year

Awards Gala Dinner

Winners will be announced at the IoD Scotland Director of the Year Awards & Gala Dinner at the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central on Thursday, 23 May 2019.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact awards@firstcityevents.co.uk or call 01577 865498, or Joyce on 07711 432745 or Alice on 07483 812596 WWW.IOD.COM

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