I have to say, I was a little hurt when I read it. The analysis of my characteristics and personality was there in print, had been passed on to my boss and also the car manufacturer who had been studying me for the last two days. “Not A Team Player.” Well that sucks. It was the early days of the Lexus franchise in the UK. Already successful in the USA, the car brand was still tiny and the team at Lexus UK were working hard to find people with the skills to go out and do the hard work of … [Read more...] about Why Being Labeled ‘Not A Team Player’ is a Strength to Your Team
Orchard at Dawn
The camera EXIF data recorded the time at 05:55. Then I recalled that my camera was still living on UK time, so that makes it 04:55. I don't always rise at that time of the morning, especially after a few glasses of red wine the previous evening. However I awoke and the sheer stillness outside seemed to make me open the curtains. Damn, should have been awake a half hour earlier, as the morning mist was disappearing fast. There was just time to shoot a few frames before the sun lit the … [Read more...] about Orchard at Dawn
Why We Should be Listening to Astronauts and Not Politicians
I’m writing this as the week of the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 comes around. I feel the need to talk about Astronauts and their views and opinions. On life, on the world and above all on what we’re doing with our home right now. We can learn a lot from taking a high level perspective on the world today, try to adopt their elevated viewpoint and take note. However, we’re not. You see, I was kind of hoping that as a species we were beginning to get it. We understood that we need to … [Read more...] about Why We Should be Listening to Astronauts and Not Politicians
Fabian and Lucy
I could feel the heat radiating from the wall behind me. It had been baking all day in the direct sunlight and now, as the sun was setting, it was releasing that stored energy, gently warming my back and ensuring that, even though it would soon be dark, the residual heat meant that there would not be a chill in the air this evening. The glass of Rioja in my hand was gently warm and very smooth, the iron railing dividing us from the street below, where tapas bars were beginning the evening’s … [Read more...] about Fabian and Lucy
“With All Due Respect” – Yeah Whatever Dude.
We all have a phrase that makes us rear up onto our hind legs. That utterance from others that probably means nothing to them, however it flicks a switch inside of you and lights a fuse that burns with passion. You already have yours bounding into your head as you read this. I can almost see the corners of your mouth moving to a smile. Yes, that’s the one. Here’s mine. With All Due Respect. “With all due respect” is that phrase for me. Whenever I hear it, like chalk squeaking on a … [Read more...] about “With All Due Respect” – Yeah Whatever Dude.
About Olives
I love them. And right now, you are probably doing one of two things. Either nodding in agreement, your mind bringing forth a vision of a warm Mediterranean evening, the paving under foot still warm from the heat of the day, the final rays of sunshine slipping below the horizon and cicadas beginning to chirp. A glass of lovely red, a small bowl of olives and tearing some crisp bread to go with them. Olives invoke that feeling in me. Or alternatively, your’re screwing up your … [Read more...] about About Olives
Chasing the Mirage – 2 Years On
It’s March 28th 2017, northern France. The Citroen rental car is giving it’s best possible performance, but we don’t seem to be catching them up. For more than an hour now, we’ve been heading across country, no Peage, simply those lovely French D Roads, often tree lined, always well surfaced, a driver’s heaven. Or at least it would be if we were driving something a tad more sporty. And if we could only get those French truck drivers to slow down a little so that would could catch them up. … [Read more...] about Chasing the Mirage – 2 Years On
A Blind Man Driver – Aston Martin Track Instruction That Taught Me Some Lessons
This is a true story and probably one of my most inspiration days of work ever. It made me realise that disability is what you make of it and that humans are actually really complicated things. It was also truly humbling. A day spent on track coaching blind drivers in supercars. I learned an awful lot that day. Working for a supercar experience company few years ago now, I was booked to instruct for what I'd initially thought was a junior driving day. Letting kids drive supercars is perfectly … [Read more...] about A Blind Man Driver – Aston Martin Track Instruction That Taught Me Some Lessons
I want to hear your stories about fear and failure
Some people who are friends of mine simply love to analyse the shit out of pretty much everything. They’re scared of failure of course, who isn’t? They love to be organised and planned out. And indeed, nobody wants to fail. None of us set out to fail. You can analyse things forever and worry until you’re almost sick whether you’re doing the right thing. However, at some point in your life, you need to pull the trigger and move. And failure is a possibility. Here’s why it’s OK to fail and why I … [Read more...] about I want to hear your stories about fear and failure
How to Sell Cars as a Salesman In Today’s Digital Marketplace
A lot has changed since I left behind the retail car sales industry. And yet so many things are still the same. I consider myself to have been truly fortunate to have been mentored by people who valued long term customer relationships over a fast buck, single sale. You may well imagine that in these days of fleeting attention, endless social media scroll and online price comparison websites that the value of that long term relationship is dead and buried. That the next click bait, the next ‘deal … [Read more...] about How to Sell Cars as a Salesman In Today’s Digital Marketplace
What can you learn from Sebastian Loeb, even if you’re not interested in driving?
In my view, Sebastien Loeb is probably the world’s greatest competition driver. Certainly of the last three decades, quite possibly ever. So what? You’re not really into cars and driving and you’re about to stop reading? Give this one a little more time and read a little further. What can you learn from Loeb? After 9 World Rally Championship titles, Sebastien Loeb retired from the WRC circuit. Many of us who enjoyed watching his artistry wished he would have continued for 10 world titles, … [Read more...] about What can you learn from Sebastian Loeb, even if you’re not interested in driving?
Build Your Tribe and Become Invincible and Impervious – Just Like Radiohead
In 2007, Radiohead had a problem. Like many bands, they were facing the global issue of music piracy. The traditional model of music creation, distribution and monetisation was broken. So they decided to fix it by giving away their new album, In Rainbows, for free. That was more than ten years ago now. And Radiohead made more money from giving the album away for free than they had made from all previous albums combined. So how did offering something for free become such a great business … [Read more...] about Build Your Tribe and Become Invincible and Impervious – Just Like Radiohead
On Track As An Instructor – The Biggest Save Of My Life
In track instructing on public days, there are several mantras that any track instructor has to learn very quickly to survive, remain safe and still deliver a worthwhile driving experience to the clients. I won’t go into all of them here, instead I will pick just two elements. The Shit Drivers and The ‘Good' Drivers Who Try and Kill You. People ask me how I was able to sit alongside people in a variety of Ferraris and Lamborghinis as they drove with widely differing ability on track for more … [Read more...] about On Track As An Instructor – The Biggest Save Of My Life
Got a new Tablet as a gift? Here’s Six Ebooks You Should be Reading
Digital Tablets are wonderful devices for consuming content with. And together with YouTube and Vimeo, Ebooks have become one of the favourite uses of my iPad. I still recall the day I saw the iPad for the first time and like the iPhone before it, I knew it was going to change things forever. Both for those who enjoy consuming content and, even more markedly, those who create it. If you have a brand new tablet gifted to you for Christmas, then be thankful. You now have a device that gives … [Read more...] about Got a new Tablet as a gift? Here’s Six Ebooks You Should be Reading
A Real World Guide to Driving the Streets of Paris
If you love motorsport, track driving or those lovely European autoroutes and alpine passes, then you may well think that the centre of Paris is somewhere to avoid like the plague. In fact, driving in Paris is something that everyone should experience at least once in their lives, even if it’s only from the passenger seat. And if you love a little door to door competition and you happen to be driving a car some way down your list of cherished goods, then driving in the absolute centre of Paris … [Read more...] about A Real World Guide to Driving the Streets of Paris
The Police TPAC Driving Skill – Tactical Pursuit And Containment
Traffic Police. Just blokes driving about in the latest kit trying to nab you? Or a branch of the police tasked with looking at and dealing with the carnage of other people's stupidity while trying to catch the nasty little Chavs we all hate hanging around car parks? More than four years ago, I spend some time watching over the shoulders of traffic Police in training in a day alongside Durham Police under training for pursuit and something called Police TPAC Training … [Read more...] about The Police TPAC Driving Skill – Tactical Pursuit And Containment