By Alec Hogg
A few months back I made myself a fresh resolution: in future, my time will only be invested in relationships with positive people. It has been a lot easier to enforce than I expected, with uplifting consequences. Try it.
All of my engagements begin from Benjamin Zander’s approach of “giving everyone an A.” That gets the conversation off on the right footing. But when it starts slipping into darkness – as it invariably does – I now make a conscious effort to change the subject. If that doesn’t work, well, it’s time to simply excuse yourself.
Those tactics were not required yesterday when I spent an hour with my old pal Alan Knott-Craig (Jnr) as he passed through London. Alan is naturally “glass half full”, a vital ingredient for one who has chosen the difficult path of entrepreneurship. Despite his well publicised bruises, Alan remains as excited as ever about the future – of his business and his country.
Watch out for the interview with Alan which will be up on the site later this week. But before the mic was switched on, the man building low cost telecoms disrupter Herotel shared one of his secrets. He is using the playbook of Brazil’s 3G Capital – gleaned from Dream Big, a book recommended by Warren Buffett at a Berkshire AGM a few years back. A book long overdue on my list. And one that should be on yours.
