What inspires you?

The phrase ‘It doesn’t need to be like this’.

How do you relax?

In my garden, watching movies, surfing the internet, reading books, doing the Guardian crossword, mending things, playing Ladies Poker with friends or scrabble.

What single thing would improve the quality of your work-life?

A virtual assistant who looks after all those time munching bits around work – booking trains and planes, arranging meets, responding to emails, doing the accounts, filing things.

What is your greatest fear?

I met it when my niece died at the age of four.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

I don’t think I feel guilty about any of my ‘pleasures’ in life.

What words or phases do you most overuse?

‘OK’ or ‘top banana’.

What has been your most challenging situation as a leader?

Taking a dancer who had torn her calf muscle, to a hospital in Guangzhou, China and trying to negotiate treatment.

What did you learn from that experience?

It confirmed the Albert Mehrabian principle that communication is 7% words, 38% tone and 55% body language.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Thinking on a beach.

Which book(s) are you reading at the moment?

Clean Language: Metaphors & Open Minds – Wendy Sullivan & Judy Rees. Staring at the Sun – Irvin D Yalom.

Which 'leader' from the past or present day do you most admire and why?

Mary Parker Follett. She wrote in the late 1800’s; a relatively unknown pioneer of modern management theory with an emphasis on relational dynamics over structure and systems. Her first paper was published in 1896 (not a typo). She argued that the prevailing strongly hierarchical forms of leadership engendered neither cohesion nor responsibility and authored the phrases “power with” and “power over”. She preceded and influenced many of the early (and recognised) thinkers in the behaviourist movement e.g. Maslow, Kurt Lewin etc and many of her principles form the basis of conflict-resolution theory.

Where would you like to live?

At the moment – where I am. I have an office room with a small walk out balcony. The view is panoramic over Lancaster to the lake district

What is your favourite smell?

Sweet wood smoke.

If you were a super hero, what would your power be?

Time travel. More curiosity and practical (to get from A to B) than Dr. Who.

For what cause would you die?

Life.

What do you consider to be your greatest (professional or personal) achievement?

Growing my own vegetables – for the first time this year.

What has been your most embarrassing moment?

‘Freezing’, after only a few bounces in a trampoline competition when I was little.

If you were stranded on a desert island what 5 things would you want with you?

My house and garden (to include contents) Internet Access My time travellers port hole