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Simple Learnings From Sir Richard Branson
Many of you have been working with clients and staff for years and have great communication skills and an excellent understanding of what it takes to build strong relationships.
‘Keeping it simple’ is one of the key messages that New Zealand entrepreneur Derek Handley, learned from Sir Richard Branson.
In December 2011, Handley, co-founder of mobile advertising network Snakk Media and former New Zealand Herald Business Leader of the Year donated a year of his life to help Branson create what is now The B Team. At the end of what turned out to be a two year stint, Handley said these simple learnings are what he would choose to share:
Just speak English. I have learned to strip all jargon from my life - if a school kid can't understand it, then you're just saying it wrong. And that goes for all the acronyms we drown in, to overused phrases and words that just shouldn't be used in the first place - like "resources" when we mean people. There is a constant drive now within me to crush all language out of my mind that can't be relayed to the common person.
Have conversations not presentations. No matter what the idea or proposal that you are trying to get across, eliminate as much supporting paraphernalia as humanly possible - minimise the Powerpoints and hand outs (just because it looks better doesn't mean it works better).
Always be positive. I used to find occasionally being negative or 'challenging' was a way to get attention on an issue, or to 'raise a flag' - but I've learned that really it's just your own inability to see the positive, and the solutions, and it's always a less desirable tone-setter. That's not to say that if there is something negative going on that you shouldn't attack it in some way - but there always needs to be a solution to what you're reacting to.
Don't show anger. Never be rude. In many cities around the world in all sorts of situations I've seen Richard tired, frustrated, elated, mischievous - but never angry or rude to anybody. Anger seems to be a wasted emotion on him, and impoliteness seems impossible. I've tried to embody this inspiration as much as I can train myself to, to tread more gently among my fellow man and woman; to constantly be mindful of turning anger into answers, and responding to rudeness with empathy.
Care about everything that matters. Despite what we may think and how busy we believe we are, we as human beings actually do have the capacity to care about many different things, even if we initially don't.
There would have to be very few people in the world busier than Richard Branson, but somehow he manages to care about a large number of very important issues for our generation.
- This is an adaptation from an article which appeared in the NZ Herald on 28 April 2014.
