Simon Gray's Blog

Fear is something that impacts all of our lives. By definition it is a feeling induced by perceived danger or threat, which causes a change in our physical state and ability to think or act.

It crops up time and time again and what’s interesting is that it manifests itself not only in response to a present threat, but also in anticipation of something that may occur in the future.

A fear of public speaking:

For many years I had a deep-rooted fear of public speaking. I didn’t need to be on s...

This morning I had the privilege to join the panel at an ICAEW breakfast event to discuss the ‘business of skills’ and amongst other things, what makes a great leader?

Skills and specifically the skills gap is a much debated topic around boardroom tables, within educational establishments and also in the national press.

Questions for consideration include:

Are the skills we’re prioritising and developing today fit for the future?Are our educational establishments creating the skills that busi...

The time between Christmas and New Year is often a time for reflection, and as 2019 fast approaches I’m today considering: What’s in a year…?

To get specific, a year comprises 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes, or if you prefer, 31,536,000 seconds…and the clock is ALWAYS ticking!

Once you consider the time that comprises an average lifetime, my own sense of urgency to take action, make things happen, and what’s more, do it NOW, begins to take hold.

What will your ‘dash’ mean?

The dash on...

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is one of my favourite books. Written in 1843 and completed in just a matter of weeks it is much more than an entertaining story, it was a cry for social change and inspired the rebirth of Christmas in Britain.

Having read the 1843 parliamentary report on child labour, Dickens was inspired to write A Christmas Carol to strike ‘a sledgehammer blow’ on behalf of poor children. More powerful than a letter, what better way to convey his message than in story f...

In this blog post I’m discussing the four principles of successful executive job search and the phrase that rarely pays.

This phrase is one of the most overused and in my opinion, extremely misleading.

It’s uttered by parents to children.

Teachers to pupils.

Employers to employees.

It’s also the phrase that we regularly play out in our subconscious minds.

If left unchecked and with a task in hand it often guides our activity (or lack of it) and can stop us reaching the finish line and seeing...

Gambling is a word that in many cases comes with negative connotations, including addiction and lack of control, not to mention a quick way to lose money. It’s something many people distance themselves from and wouldn’t want to be associated with, indeed back in my recruitment days the gambling industry (or anything associated with it) was on the ‘not interested’ list for a number of candidates I represented.

Most executive jobseekers would probably prefer not to be considered a gambler when...

Last week I was privileged to speak at Accountex, the largest UK conference for accountancy and finance professionals, held at ExCeL London.

I presented in the FD Forum on: LinkedIn for finance professionals – what you need to know and why it matters. I discussed how LinkedIn can be used to win more business and to advance careers, and that it’s no longer an option, but an absolute must.

My Speaker Q&A as featured on page 3 of the Accountex 2018 Show Guide.

Rather that getting too technical...

When it comes to executive job search the choice is to follow the crowd and react to opportunities you’re given, or to proactively pursue what you really want whether it’s currently advertised or not.

While the majority obsess over their CV / resume and then position it on executive job boards and in front of professional recruiters, the minority explore opportunities in the ‘hidden market’. The hidden market is the place where high-probability career opportunities always exist before ever be...

The Career Codex Mini Course explains what it takes to stand out in the executive job market to get hired!

I’m often asked what makes Career Codex different and in particular the ‘Executive Edge’ Programme. In a nutshell, it’s based on real-life experience, and the strategies and concepts have proved their worth time and time again in helping executives from across the world define, find and secure the executive position they really want, not just the one they’ve seen advertised or had presen...

…and what you need to know as part of any successful executive job search strategy.

On this week’s ‘Executive Edge’ online group-coaching call I reviewed LinkedIn’s recent publication: 10 STEPS FOR LEADING IN THE DIGITAL AGE, which they also describe as the Executive Playbook.

In recent years LinkedIn has changed the executive job search landscape. In the past employers were reliant on executive job boards or executive search firms to source talent, but now they have the world’s best recruitm...