Weekly Blog by Philip King, CEO of the ICM - 'The value of true leadership'

The Financial Times reported this week that "if the International Monetary Fund's latest forecasts are right, then meaningful growth looks set to elude Britain for another two years." So stagflation is here to stay.

 

I've been listening to Jim Collins' 2011 book 'Great by Choice' and the results of this research are fascinating. The sub-title is 'Uncertainty, chaos and luck – why some thrive despite them all' and, following his standard research approach, Jim (together with his colleague Morten Hansen) looks at truly successful businesses and compares and contrasts them with a direct competitor which they have out-performed by a factor of at least ten times over a defined period. I'm only half-way through the book but what is already apparent is that the successful examples are, to a great extent, the result of having a great or enlightened leader. He talks about three common elements: Fanatic Discipline, Empirical Creativity, and Productive Paranoia but comes back to an individual that led the business' approach and made a real difference.

 

The early part of the book is a captivating comparison of the attempts by Captain Scott and Roald Amundsen to reach the South Pole. He argues and demonstrates that they were both operating in similar environments but that the difference was their approach both before and during their expeditions. For Amundsen it was a race to victory and a safe return home while, for Captain Scott, it was a devastating and tragic defeat. Events that date back to 1911 have some strong and powerful lessons for today.

If we're in a prolonged period without growth then the approach we take to our roles and to our businesses will determine the outcome and – wherever we sit within an organisation – we can have an impact and have to choose whether it will be positive or negative. I know I'm currently looking closely at what I need to do differently in the months ahead.

 

When it comes to great leaders, there's been a huge amount written following the recent death of Margaret Thatcher. It's been interesting to listen to commentators and contemporaries, some of whom are great supporters and others vociferous detractors, all share one view. She was passionate in her beliefs, she was fiercely loyal to her country, and she has left a lasting legacy on British politics. In an era when bland sound-bytes and immediate short-term company results are too often the focus, real leaders are few and far between and we need more of them driving us back to growth.

Weekly Blog by Philip King, CEO of the ICM - 'Be careful what you wish for'

In a Financial Times survey of 83 economists (including 11 former members of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee) earlier this week there was a consensus, by a majority of three to one, that the economic outlook in 2012 would deteriorate. It also showed that almost all of those expressing an opinion said the UK outlook would be much worse if the Euro collapsed. I can't say I'm surprised by the findings - I think we've all known for a while that this year is going to be tough and little better - if at all - than 2011.

I quoted Richard Tyler of the Telegraph in my blog on 1 December saying that we should all commit not to say Britain would have another recession on the basis that these things can become self-fulfilling. I'm not sure what impact our words have but I do know something of the positive impact credit professionals can have on their businesses and that is something we certainly should be talking about.

2012 is the year when we, as credit professionals, need to stand up and be counted. We need to make sure that our peers, colleagues, and Boards know and understand the contribution we can - and do - make. When a potential order is difficult to accept, we can engineer payment terms and security to make the unacceptable acceptable. When a coveted order is almost out of reach, payment terms used cleverly can make the unattainable attainable. When a situation with a debtor is looking like it could go horribly wrong, careful management and close contact can make the potentially irrecoverable recoverable.

Whatever sector and industry we work in, and whatever our role, we need to show our professionalism, be proud of our profession, and raise awareness of the significance of our contribution. Two practical steps we might take: firstly, calculate the cash-flow value of one day's sales to our businesses so we can talk about our contribution in terms of hard cash rather than the reduction of one day in DSO (the former is much more meaningful to the rest of the business). Secondly, we can show we are professionals and belong to an organisation representing our profession by wearing the new ICM badge. If you haven't got yours yet, simply send an email to members@icm.org.uk quoting your correct email address and saying how many people currently work in your credit department.

I'm not a great believer in New Year's resolutions but I do passionately believe in setting goals, and showing commitment to them by monitoring progress. For 2012, be proud of your professionalism, stand up and be counted, and don't be afraid to demonstrate your value.