The Informer - January 2019

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Member in the spotlight Adrian Wright, CEO of Estafet, connects people and platforms for business insight

Make your meeting matter The simple strategies that can foster postive, effective meetings and boost productivity

T h e

I n f o r m e r Issue 23

January 2019

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EMOTIONAL CAPITAL

Harness your emotional intelligence to maximise your company’s potential

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Meet. Work. Grow.

Gain more time, a professional edge and considerable cost savings.

As someone you know and trust, your Moneypenny Receptionist works exactly as if based in your office. Impress your customers by having their calls transferred through to you (or a colleague) wherever you are, or a message taken and sent immediately by text or email.

Call handling & call forwarding for members

ÂŁ99

pcm*

*Call handling includes the first 100 calls pcm, additional bundles are available. Non-member rates are ÂŁ135 pcm.

Please ask at The Clubhouse front desk for further details, or email meet@theclubhouselondon.com

Alice, Moneypenny Receptionist.

One person to look after calls whenever you need

INTRODUCTION

ADAM BLASKEY FOUNDER & CEO The Clubhouse

W e l come Happy New Year! I hope you are reading this refreshed and recharged, ready to take on 2019. The final quarter of the year is often a challenging time for many as we try our best to close deals before the holiday shut down and tie up loose ends so we can start the year with a clear focus and clarity on our goals and priorities. Few will disagree that planning is vitally important, but in business things don’t always go to plan; we have to remain flexible and agile to deal with curve balls and benefit from opportunities that arise along the way.

Key to this is our Emotional Intelligence (EI), and ahead of our next members’ breakfast on Wednesday 30 January, Dr Martyn Newman writes on page 4 about how mastering this skill is more critical than

perhaps anything else. Today more than ever, we live in a world where perceptions and expectations can have a material impact on everything we do and recent studies have shown how values, culture and purpose, or taken together as Emotional Capital, can have material benefits to business performance.

So read on and please join us on 30 January to learn more about the 10 competencies which make up our emotional intelligence.

As people return to work and our diaries begin to fill up with meetings, on page 7 we share our suggestions and guidelines on how to make your meeting matter, in order to get the best results. If outputs are the results of inputs, then it is key that we spend more time thinking and preparing

for meetings in advance to get the desired results and outcomes.

Our member in the spotlight this month is Adrian Wright, CEO and Founder of Estafet, experts in digital integration, who connect people, platforms and processes to create the insight that businesses need to make informed decisions and an enhanced customer experience. So if January is about focus and clarity to enable us to be more productive for the year ahead, then I hope our insights in The Informer this month are of great benefit.

At The Clubhouse our aim is simply to make our members and their businesses more successful, so if there is anything we can do to help you or your business in 2019, please let us know.

THE CLUBHOUSE P R O D U C T I V I T Y T I P #23

Anxiety only increases if we keep our head down and carry on. Instead reframe a stressful situation as an opportunity to develop a new skill set. By feeling like we are growing, our perceptions change, and stress reduces.

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REDUCE STRESS BY LEARNING SOMETHING N E W

DESIGN & ART DIRECTION

Christian Gilliham_christian@cgcreate.co.uk_07951 722265

To partner with The Clubhouse or promote your business in The Informer please email adam@theclubhouselondon.com Copyright. The Clubhouse London Ltd

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LEADERSHIP

EMOTI ONAL CAPITAL AND LEAD E R SHIP

The most critical asset to bottom line performance has emerged – Emotional Capital.

Dr Martyn Newman explains how this key indicator reveals much about the health of your business at any given moment. Here’s why it matters and how to multiply its positive impact on the bottom line There’s money in emotion Changes in technology, demographics, the workplace and the economy have had a profound impact on how businesses evaluate and create value. In the ‘age of participation’, employees, customers and suppliers have higher expectations of business, their values have changed, and they care about different things than before.

Employees want to work for more than just a pay check; they want their work to matter. Customers expect to buy from organisations they like and who are like them. Feelings shape our behaviour, our relationships, our most important decisions and even our economy.

That’s right, there is money in emotion.

Leadership and extra effort In one recent wide-ranging study, Mary Sully de Luque and her colleagues examined leadership data and financial performance from 520 companies in 17 countries. The question they wanted an answer to was: what is the financial impact of visionary leaders who inspire performance through articulating broad stakeholder values, compared to leaders perceived as more autocratic with a narrow focus on financial targets? The study revealed that leaders described by their people as “visionary”, who emphasised values such as meaning and purpose, inspired “extra effort” to achieve the goals of the organisation.

Furthermore, employees in these organisations reported increased collaboration, higher levels of innovation, and heightened resilience — in other words, higher levels of emotional capital.

Yes, but hang on a minute…

Of course, to all but the most cynical, this makes intuitive sense anyway. But as compelling as these findings are, they remain of limited value unless the specific components that

comprise Emotional Capital can be carefully defined, rigorously measured and systematically developed to create value in the organisation. Over the last ten years, most frameworks for understanding these specific skills have been associated with Emotional Intelligence (EI), but few models have been developed specifically to measure how these competencies work to predict performance in business.

EI and leadership – ten years of discovery Following an extensive review of the research on the relationship between several models of EI over a 10-year period, we identified 10 social and emotional competencies linked to workplace performance. We described this model as Emotional Capital because it focussed sharply on the value that these competencies add to driving success in business. Research in applied business settings using the model culminated in the publication of a psychometric scale specifically designed to measure these competencies — the Emotional Capital Report (ECR). Understanding and developing such competencies such as Empathy, Self-Knowing, and Adaptability are the biggest predictor of future leadership success.

Wrapping up Emotions are involved with everything a company does and emotions determine whether or not people will work well with you, buy from you, hire you, or enter into business with you.

Importantly, emotional capital eventually shows up in financial performance. ● Dr Martyn Newman, PhD is a clinical psychologist specialising in Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Mindfulness. He is author of the best-selling book Emotional Capitalists and newly released The Mindfulness Book.

L EAD E R S D E S C R I B E D B Y T H E I R P E O P L E AS “ V I S I O N A R Y ”, W H O E M P HAS I S E D VALU E S S U C H AS M EAN I N G AN D P U R P O S E , I N S P I R E D “ E X T R A E F F O R T ” TO AC H I E VE T H E G O ALS O F T H E O R GAN I S AT I O N 4

Meet. Work. Grow.

MEMBER STRAPLINE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

ADRIAN WRIGHT CEO & FOUNDER ESTAFET

The te ch tra n sf orme rs Tell us about your company.

We help digitally transform companies so that they can harness the full power of digital technology to rethink every aspect of what they do. Most companies now have digital transformation programmes and Estafet helps accelerate them through this journey.

We connect internal and partner-facing applications, data and devices so that information and business value can flow across the enterprise; we help break down silos so that everyone has a consistent view of the business; we enable automation at touch-points so that they can grow without increasing headcount. The customers we work with include Arqiva, Deutsche Bank, WorldPay, HSBC, Capita Life and Pensions, Centrica Homes (“Hive”), John Lewis, Yorkshire Bank, and Elsevier. Estafet was formed in 2002 and now we have offices in the UK and Bulgaria.

What has been your biggest success?

Smart meters will help us get Gaz & Leccy under control. You have seen the adverts but behind the scenes each smart meter needs management, updating, monitoring and the data correctly gathered, transformed, understood and integrated into existing systems. Estafet won the contract to develop and deliver the software that does a lot of this.

On the back of this project we also developed the smart meter software for Thames Water.

They should now know if you have a water leak before you do.

What projects excite you right now?

There are a couple I find deeply motivating at the moment. The average cost of bringing a new drug to market is about $4 billion. We are working to bring all of the published medical research data together, to be searchable, to be merged with pharmaceutical company information, to apply AI and Machine Learning techniques, and to discover new drug solutions to enhance human health. Secondly, disrupting retail banking through innovative IT is at the heart of most new Fintechs. We’re turning our attention to real-time fraud detection aimed at stopping the suspect transaction before it settles.

How has being a member of The Clubhouse contributed to the success of your business?

Estafet transformed its view on offices four years ago. After 13 years of sitting in a traditional office, we let the space we had and joined The Clubhouse. We come together as a management team once a week and hire the meeting rooms in The Clubhouse, St James’s.

We cut our costs by 50% and gained a flexible workplace. Our customers love it too and we now have more customer and partner meetings than we did when we owned our own office.

Where can members find you?

Every Tuesday we are in St James’s and at lunchtime I am usually sampling the street food served in the church courtyard. estafet.com

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QUICK-FIRE ROUND

Favourite place to go in London?

I’m a big fan of the National Theatre.

Who inspires you and why?

Top of the inspiration list is Bill Gates.

Yes, he’s an IT geek. Yes, software is eating the world, but Bill Gates is estimated to have saved six million people so far through his foundation. Inspirational.

Best bit of advice you’ve been given?

“Take 24 hours to feel sorry for yourself, then get over it and get back out there. Anything more is self-indulgent.” A quote by John Smallbone given to a 26-year-old me after I lost a deal.

If you were on a desert island, what would you bring?

If I had Audible with an unlimited library, I would be happy.

Which super power would you like to have?

I’m mid-way through a book on the Norse gods and I love Frey’s power of healing.

What is the worst business ‘faux-pas’ you’ve committed?

Check your flies are done up before giving a conference presentation.

Don’t stand next to a customer with two cups of coffee in your hands and sneeze.

Limit hand movements near wine glasses at a business dinner.

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FUTURE EVENTS

The Clubhouse

The Clubhouse

BANK

ST JAMES’S

MEMBERS’ BREAKFAST Emotional Capitalists

MEMBERS’ BREAKFAST Intuitive Decision-making

WEDNESDAY 30 JANUARY 8:00 am - 10:00 am £25 FOR MEMBERS AND THEIR GUESTS Dr Martyn Newman, PhD will lead an inspiring and educational seminar to kickstart our events programme for 2019. His key message is simple: to be successful in our personal and professional lives we need to practise the skills of emotional intelligence (EI). To be great sales people and leaders we need the skills to manage our emotions well and influence the emotions of other people toward positive outcomes. Participants will leave with a solid understanding of emotional intelligence and mindfulness, how it drives sales performance and leadership, and how it can be built through focussing on 10 competencies.

SA V E T HE DA TE

Dr Martyn Newman

THURSDAY 28 FEBRUARY 8:00 am - 10:00 am £25 FOR MEMBERS AND THEIR GUESTS Decision-making is one of the most challenging aspects of leading, as we never have all the information we need and yet we still need to act. Research shows that leaders and teams who incorporate their intuition in the decision-making process make better and faster decisions. Based on The Clubhouse member Rick Snyder’s upcoming book, Decisive Intuition, this workshop will demonstrate how to access your own intuition through a proven decisionmaking process, which results in relevant and practical applications for any business dilemma. This practice will help spark innovation and create a more agile, adaptable company culture.

HOW TO BOOK: VISIT THECLUBHOUSELONDON.COM OR ASK AT THE FRONT DESK

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THE SHOP Monday to Saturday: 8am - 8pm THE BAR AND RESTAURANT Monday to Friday: 7am - 11pm Saturday: 8am - 11pm

SHOP & DINE

THEATRE

RESTAURANT

Last month Fortnum & Mason opened its newest outpost in The Royal Exchange London, offering a refined edit of Fortnum’s favourites, including hampers, biscuits, preserves, wine, and a range of famous and rare teas. Visitors will be able to enjoy a cup at The Fortnum’s Bar & Restaurant, a new destination restaurant found in the spectacular central courtyard that serves up a seasonal menu across breakfast, lunch and dinner. While it’s worth taking your time to browse the beautiful shop, Fortnum’s are ardent believers in a leisurely lunch too – and so offer a personal shopping service to diners.

Arguably the best British actresses hit the stage in this classy production of a backstage classic. Margo Channing (Gillian Anderson) is a legend, a true star of the theatre. The spotlight is hers, always has been. But now there’s Eve (Lily James), her biggest fan. Young, beautiful Eve. The golden girl, the girl next door. But you know all about Eve, don’t you? Lifting the curtain on a world of jealousy and ambition, this new production, from one of the world’s most innovative theatre directors, asks why our fascination with celebrity, youth and identity never seems to get old.

Following an eight-month refurbishment project, Mayfair’s first Indian restaurant to be awarded a Michelin star has reopened.

Set over two floors, the lower ground floor revolves around the tandoor ovens in the open-plan kitchen, while the first-floor dining room is a bright space with a striking glass ceiling. Cooking is under the watchful eyes of Karunesh Khanna (former head chef at Michelin-starred Amaya) and Manav Tuli (previously head chef at Michelin-starred Chutney Mary). Even the cocktails have an Indian twist on classic favourites.

FORTNUM & MASON

4-7 THE COURTYARD, THE ROYAL EXCHANGE, EC3V 3LR 020 7734 8040

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ALL ABOUT EVE

2 FEBRUARY - 11 MAY NOEL COWARD THEATRE, DELFONTMACKINTOSH.CO.UK

Meet. Work. Grow.

TARAMIND

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20 QUEEN STREET, MAYFAIR, W1J 5PR TAMARINDRESTAURANT.COM

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MEETINGS

Make your meeting matter

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truggling through a day of rambling back-to-back meetings gives you no time to think. Colleagues may often leave a meeting room without the solid decisions and action plans they hoped for. Many turn up unready, unable to contribute, without a clear understanding of the purpose of the meeting. UK employees are spending almost an entire working day every week going to ineffective meetings, according to a survey from meeting technology firm, eShare. The average professional spends 10 hours 42 minutes every week preparing for and attending 4.4 meetings. The average meeting has 6.8 employees present, meaning that productivity will be seriously impacted if the meeting doesn’t have the focus it requires.

Striving to foster a company culture where participants come prepared for a relevant, effective discussion requires the right tool kit and a shift in attitude, which will result in productive conversations and fruitful actions.

Here are some simple guidelines: 1. Invite and prepare the right people It’s about quality, not quantity; few meetings need more than a handful of attendees – consider the economic cost of inviting too many employees to the room. Help others come prepared by giving them time to reflect on the context of the meeting.

Provide documents, research and any other material necessary in advance.

Connection and collaboration are key to postive company culture, so try these strategies to maximise the effectiveness of your next meeting key to executing the meeting, but that doesn’t always mean the boss or leader is the ideal candidate. The main thrust of this role is to drive the meeting and understand its purpose.

3. Start on time It’s estimated that over a third of meetings start late – to avoid an interruption, explain beforehand that the meeting will start on time and if people are held up or delayed, they can expect a summary to be sent after the meeting, as there will be no recaps for late arrivals.

4. Write the code Setting a few ground rules is good practice to avoid distractions such as side conversations, interruptions and deconstructive criticism.

Welcome challenges, of course, but the emphasis should always be on healthy feedback focussed on achieving results.

5. Say goodbye to phones Insist that everyone in your meetings puts their phones away, along with any other devices unrelated to the meeting which could distract them. It’s not unreasonable to demand 100% focus from everyone. Some employees may like to stand up when they contribute to aid their focus, which may also help those listening. See what works for your team.

6. But say hello to technology Technology can make or break a meeting, which is why The Clubhouse meeting rooms are designed to be easy to use yet powerful.

All rooms feature Konftel audio conference phones, Samsung HD screens to which you can connect either wirelessly by using either AppleTV or Windows 10 casting, or alternatively via HDMI and VGA cables. If you need user-friendly and reliable videoconferencing, our boardrooms feature StarLeaf – one of the most flexible solutions around to ensure your teams can collaborate effectively wherever they may be. To take your meeting to the next level, book The Greenhouse, awarded ‘London’s Best Meeting Room’ at the London Venue Awards. It features a fully interactive video wall and is the place to brainstorm ideas, collaborate, present, share and develop your plans. This unique tool is the ideal solution to boost engagement, creativity, collaboration and productivity.

7. Wrap it up Once the final item on the agenda has been covered, end the meeting immediately.

Attendees will leave feeling focussed and that their time hasn’t been wasted. Brief but relevant is the ideal combination. ●

2. Set the agenda A strong agenda with good direction is crucial to a well-structured meeting – too vague or boring and it will kill the cause. A strong facilitator is

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EXCLU SIVE H OSP ITA L ITY PA RTN E R TO THE C HA MPIO N SHIPS, WIMB L E DO N

THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON MONDAY 1 JULY - SUNDAY 14 JULY

GUA RA N T E E YO UR PLACE AT T HE WO R L D’ S OL D E ST T E NNI S TO UR NAME NT WI TH WO RLD-CL ASS HOSPI TALI T Y

SKYV I E W SU I T E S ROSEWAT E R PAV I L I ON T H E L AWN

Visit keithprowse.co.uk/theclubhouse for details on this and many other events