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We have a great selection of gifting items available, from stocking fillers to more extravagant gifts. Explore our top picks for kids of all ages featuring some exciting new brands alongside our best sellers.

We have a great selection of gifting items available, from stocking fillers to more extravagant gifts. Explore our top picks for grandparents below featuring some exciting new brands alongside our best sellers.

We have a great selection of gifting items available, from stocking fillers to more extravagant gifts. Explore our top picks for him below featuring some exciting new brands alongside our best sellers.

We have a great selection of gifting items available, from stocking fillers to more extravagant gifts. Explore our top picks for her below featuring some exciting new brands alongside our best sellers.

This week, Paul talks about the joys of being joyful.

Our financial year end is March, so when we were putting together this current year’s business plan, we had no idea what to expect, as, of course, the first lockdown started last March. Could we expect sales figures to still be up bearing in mind a 50% uplift throughout 2020? Probably not. Some thought that as we came out of lockdown, sales might be down on last year and we should be prepared to make adjustments as necessary. 

We are, of course, only a few weeks into our current financial year, but so far, the increases are continuing along the same lines as last year. What are the reasons for that? Well, all retailers are now open and tourist attractions are just opening this week, whereas there were very few weeks last year when that was the case. The many businesses that have started or increased on-line sales have continued to do well. And most encouragingly, those shoppers who changed their shopping habits during 2020 are continuing to support independent retailers. In fact, in surveys on this, over half of those who changed shopping habits during Covid plan to keep those changes.

I think they have realised that the quality and service they receive from independent retail is better than from other places. People in the UK are appreciating better food and better service, which is good news for all of us, especially as we are now only 5 weeks away from opening our own food hall and restaurant. 

In the weekend when there was another nail in the coffin of the high street with the last Debenhams closing its doors for the last time, in the world of food and drink retail, things have never been better, and look to stay the same for the foreseeable future.

Enjoy your week.

I start off the introduction to my new book, The Fourth Bottom Line, by asking why we do not have more inspirational leaders in our lives. I have asked the question at least 100 times in interviews over the year and very few people can give a good answer. Some are completely flummoxed by the question and others give well known celebrity businesspeople, whom they don’t know. Very few give the answer I would like and that is some who has directly influenced and been a very positive role model in their lives. 

Why? Why are we so bereft of such people in our culture who can inspire and influence us? Just think of the impact of the next generation if they had those within the workplace or elsewhere who had a profound influence on their lives. This may well bring about the systemic change we so desperately need.

Here are a few reasons why I think that in The West that we are blocked from producing these inspirational leaders:

1. The Western myth that success and happiness come from an ever-increasing salary, larger house, and more possessions. If we knew more of the joy of self-sacrifice and generosity of both time and money, then others would receive more and see a better leader and be inspired. Servant leadership is what inspires others.
2. Connected to the above means that ‘successful’ people tend not to be embedded in their communities in The West and cut themselves off from others behind large cast iron gates, either physical or metaphorical. We have lost the sense of community and hospitality in our culture. When is the last time you as a leader showed true hospitality to those you lead? Others learn from us around the meal table and we deprive them of that opportunity.
3. In the West we pride ourselves on activity. Success equals cramming as much into our days as possible. We are lauded for having appointments from 8pm to 7pm as if that were a merit badge. We are doing leaders rather than being leaders. If we focussed more on being, others would not only have more opportunity to learn from us, but our leadership would be more inspiring to others as they would see the woman or man and not just the whirlwind of activity.
4. Due to the above, we emphasize too much the cerebral, strategic, and mental and not enough the leadership that comes from the heart. We demote playfulness, creativity, and intuition below what can be put on a spreadsheet. We must learn to lead from the heart and not just the heart.

If any of the above rings true, do let me know, and you may be interested to know that I have written about all the positive characteristics described above in The Fourth Bottom Line. If you buy the book, for 50 days you will look at one of 50 different characteristics of leadership and be challenged to start putting it into practice that day. Links to buy below the hashtags.

#leadership #leadershipdevelopment #compassion #Fourthbottomline #Bcorps

Bookshop.Org 

Returning to a familiar theme again this week and how could I not with my new book about good leadership being published this week – on Thursday 6^th. More on that later.

We have been conducting many interviews recently for positions at Flourish – our new Food Hall and Restaurant opening in late June. Most positions are more in the food service area as this will be the main feature of Flourish and I have been absolutely gobsmacked by the stories from the interviewees from their previous or current places of work. Stories of redundancies by text, people being put on furlough and then zero communication from those in the business not on furlough. Stories of responsibility being taken away and disempowerment rather than delegation and empowerment. Stories of the owners of businesses clearly only interested in profit at all costs with no care for the people who help make that profit….. and the list goes on. 

I did wonder last year after I had written the text for The Fourth Bottom Line, but before the editing process, whether I had missed the moment as in 2020 there genuinely seemed to be more compassion and care around in the world at the peak of Covid, but it seems I was only seeing the world from the bubble that is the B Corp community and my close friends who are also CEOs. I now believe this book is timed perfectly as we come out of lockdown. Many people have left their jobs within the last year due to being sick of the toxic culture there. People are desperate to work for places with better leadership. Good-hearted workers have had enough of the self-serving leadership of the past and are looking for something new.

The Fourth Bottom Line is a 50-day course to help us become more compassionate leaders. Each day takes a different characteristic of good leadership e.g. servant-like, humble, loving, empathetic, and 46 more. There are quotes for reflection, stories and then 3 action points each day to help us become a little better in our leadership or indeed humanity that day. The Fourth Bottom Line is available from all on-line booksellers in paperback and e-book format – here is a link: https://amzn.to/2QwVDk1 and a few tickets left for the launch on Wednesday evening at 6pm https://bit.ly/2RkULzf

This week, Paul talks about slowing down and stopping to reflect on today.

This week, Paul talks about Cotswold Fayre being a part of the Better Business Act.