Member Article

So, Paris in Spring was followed by New York in Fall (well, the back end of summer!) as our international network, World Services Group, gathered for its annual global conference attended by over 150 delegates from 72 countries. It would be easy to talk about the positive mood and upbeat rhetoric from speakers and delegates alike, about the state of world markets, ambitious corporates, cross-border opportunities and access to finance. But, as the conference coincided with the 14th anniversary of 9/11, I feel somewhat reflective.

Having visited the World Trade Centre site on the anniversary and discussed the emotions now being felt by those who were in attendance 14 years ago as fire crew and policemen, my reflections are about resilience and spirit and above all else the power of positive thinking. The human form at its best – strength in the face of adversity, gaze fixed firmly on the future and a sense of belonging and togetherness.The regeneration project at the World Trade Centre from the Memorial Plaza to One World Trade Centre (and beyond) in terms of vision and execution is extremely impressive, so my reflections turn to business and what factors dictate success in such vast projects and indeed modern businesses. There are a huge number of management theories and tools out there, from Taylor’s Scientific Management to Porter’s Five Forces and Beer’s Management Cybernetics. In our experience, however, the power of collective human spirit and positive thinking outshine any of these theories and are the greatest determinants of success… if a group of people set out with a determination and a passion they will succeed; if they have a relentless positivity they will succeed; if they are never quite happy but strive for that bit extra they will succeed and if they act as one the whole will be greater than the sum of its parts.

It’s what we love doing at Springboard, understanding why our clients run successful businesses and translating this into positive action, be that around buying a competitor, undertaking an MBO, transitioning ownership or raising finance. New York was great, I never thought I would describe it as introspective!