THE theme of this week's blog is leadership, something which comes in all styles and shades, but which every serious business or organisation needs to make a priority.
One leader whose reputation has been boosted is Manchester City FC manager Sven Goran Eriksson, who as the photo shows, I met at the recent Institute of Directors' North West conference co-sponsored by Hill Dickinson and Alliance & Leicester.
Sven's approach is well known as calm and measured, and he gave some valuable insights into his motivational style to the attendees. I was too polite to mention when we chatted that my team, Everton, had beaten City in their own backyard not long before. Discretion is a valuable trait for a leader, too!
Hill Dickinson has just promoted eight people to partner, giving us a total of 154 partners including 78 in Liverpool. They have been rewarded for their hard work and now we expect them to be managers of both the firm and our people.
The new partners recently enjoyed a drinks reception in Liverpool to celebrate their promotion. Every year the event reminds us what an national and international practice we are, as new partners are made at our offices in Liverpool, London, Chester, Manchester and Piraeus in Greece.
The reception was at the Hard Day's Night Hotel. Cue weak jokes about the new partners having to work Eight Days A Week...
In the next month, they will all be taken to lunch by myself and Managing Partner Peter Jackson for the traditional new partners lunch where the protocol is that they can ask us any question they like. It's a "no holds barred" session and therefore always an interesting event.
Talking of leaders, we are putting the finishing touches to a groundbreaking internal project which will be another first for the city and which is designed to develop the leaders of tomorrow.
Watch this space!
Tony Wilson is a senior partner at Hill Dickinson