In 2012, themybigtoecompany will carry on doing what it has done for the last six years. But every now and then, a refresh is a welcome distraction, so that is our simple plan.

A refresh.

We’ll be tweaking our logo. Something simple. Nothing majorly different. Just stripping back to basics and recognising the fact that we’re more grown up now. And we’ll be talking to people in our network about what they do brilliantly well.

Toe Hold.

Our new magazine, once every three months, will share their insights on what we do – communication, coaching, development and engagement. Without giving away too much, we talk to someone who was the youngest person to complete the Royal Navy Field Gun event when they competed in 1993. And we also welcome the Coach of the Year! Now there’s a clue!

Toe Hold hits the web in January. Until then, we plan to carry on doing what we do. Love you too.

What Makes 100%? What does it mean to give more than 100%? Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%? We have all been to those meetings where someone wants you to give 101%.

But what makes up 100% in life?

Mathematicians have worked out a formula that helps answer these questions for us – and in consultancy world, we love it when we know ‘How’ and ‘Why’ something works.

So, if:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

is represented as:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then:

H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

But, disappointingly, K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

Just when you think “Oh no!”, the good news is that;

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

Eureka! We have ‘the’ answer! Success equals Attitude? And having the right attitude delivers success, right? Well… sorry to deflate you but that ‘Tool of the Mediocre’, the ‘Get out of Jail’ card for the Average – bullsh!t – well, take a look;

B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T
2+21+12+12+19+8+9+20 = 103%

AND, to compound matters, just look how far ass-kissing takes you!

A-S-S-K-!-S-S-!-N-G
1+19+19+11+9+19+19+9+14+7 = 118%

So, now, one can conclude – with mathematical certainty – that while hard-work and knowledge will get you close, and attitude will get you there, it’s the bullshit and ass-kissing that takes you over the top.

Ever wondered why some people are where they are…?

The tragic, unfathomable and premature death of Wales national Manager, Gary Speed is still very much in the public consciousness. Last night, football supporters across the country showed what affection he was held in. Everyone with the same question “why, why, why…”

The overwhelming reaction to his tragic death has sadly, tragically, answered one question. “What makes a Man?”

From the outside, it appears that Gary Speed really did have ‘it all’. Career-wise, financially, he had a beautiful family, beautiful life, he was a beautiful man, inside and out. He had ‘it all’. In abundance. Yet, the tributes paid to him in the short time since the devastating news broke tells you what makes a man. For those of us peddling our wares in business, as consultants, or as leaders in companies, we now know what this struggle called ‘Life’ and ‘Career’ is all about.

The tributes say he was a nice man, Gary Speed was popular. Some say that within football, he was ‘normal’, an ‘ordinary guy’, one that took time to talk to anyone, everyone, regardless. Gary Speed was ‘honest’, ‘hardworking’, he was a true ‘gent’. That’s what the tributes say, loud and clear.

So many people we know think life is about ‘winning’. Being better than someone else. Having more than the next person. Some believe it is about having huge piles of money, let’s be blunt, some really do. Some believe the more cash you have, the more ‘beautiful’ you become, the more attractive you are to others, you are somehow ‘nicer’ to be around. At work, some care about ‘important’ job titles, status, being the Jones’ that all the neighbours try to keep up with. We personally know owners of companies, millionaires, with egos that would fill any of the football stadia Gary Speed adorned.

But what makes a man (and of course, we refer to this in the abstract, as this includes women and children too…), what really makes a man is not what he gains or what he has, but what he gives away. What he leaves behind in his wake. Gary Speed gave his time. His interest. His word.

And in return, what he may never have witnessed, sadly, is that in return, what he gave away made him a far ‘richer’ man than any of the self-centered CEOs, 50p Millionaires, bankers, self-serving, sometimes corrupt politicians and generally unpleasant individuals who fail to understand what makes a man. Gary Speed knew. And that is why he will be so missed.

Nos da cariad.