Forward Agenda Disruption

It’s incredible how many sales tips I pick up from people on Newsnight.  I am one of the almost two million Brits that apparently hold this single beacon of quality news analysis (as opposed to the diet of rubbish served by the rolling news obsession, this century’s new chewing-gum for the mind) in esteem.

A man I’d never normally consider citing with reverence is Peter Hyman.  He was a Blair spin-doctor from 97 to 03.  He currently worries that his beloved New Labour project is floundering to the point of possible destruction of the UK Left.

PM Gordon Brown might be many things, but a natural leader is not one of them.  He is bereft of vision and cannot communicate.  Peter Hyman’s advice has such strong resonance to sales teams battling to survive during these credit crunch recession times it’s startling.   Whether you manage a team or a single territory, framing how you perform by his two main strategic points could well be a winner:

Be Disruptive – He opined that the forthcoming cabinet reshuffle was mere window-dressing and not capable of addressing the underlying trouble.  He confided his belief that when things get tough for corporations, they pull out of the trough by being disruptive.  They shake things up, force through change, look for different things to do.

Forward Agenda – You absolutely must have one of these.  Ol’ Gord doesn’t have one.  There’s no plan for public services, schools, health, political reform.  He believes you must have a Forward Agenda.  It’s what people can rally around and shape where you’re headed.