In this episode, Jeannette talks to John McEwan who has had an illustrious career across Thomas Cook, TUI, the Advantage Leisure Group. As well as working with the banking sector and being the chairman of ABTA and trustee of ABTA Lifeline. An organisation that was set up to help travel industry workers who are in need of help. He now does a huge amount of non-exec director work, as a portfolio executive.
He and Jeannette talk about his extremely varied career and the lessons he learned along the way. In particular, the ones that can be applied across all industries and at every level. As well as, how events in his early life, for example, his father going blind overnight, impacted his approach to his career. As well as how he navigated difficult events like 9/11 and managing taking millions out of a company to set it back on its financial feet.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
People rarely understand the level of skills they have.
Understand the value of consensus.
Don’t let not having a degree hold you back.
Block out time in your diary to spend time with your customers and frontline workers, even when you reach board level.
Good communication is the most important aspect of leadership.
No matter how big a business is you can always innovate, do better and offer something special.
As a non-exec, a lot of what you are doing is about influencing people, rather than telling them what to do.
Influencing starts with getting the other party to open their mind to the possibilities. Most of the time they almost lead themselves to the same conclusion as you.
Unleashing the potential of your team, automatically unleashes the potential of your business.
Find someone that can act as a mentor for you, even on an informal basis.
Be brave. Be prepared to take some risks.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I made mistakes along the way, but I learnt from them. ´
‘If you’re not communicating well, then, it’s incredibly difficult to take the organisation with you.’
‘In order to unleash the potential in your business, you’ve got to unleash the potential in the team.’
This is the perfect time to get focused on what YOU want to really achieve in your business, career, and life. It’s never too late to be BRAVE and BOLD and unlock your inner BRILLIANCE.
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Brave, Bold, Brilliant podcast series - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/brave-bold-brilliant-podcast/id1524278970
Free Business Seminar - https://mailchi.mp/jeannettelinfootassociates/impact-sem-sept
ABOUT THE GUEST
John has had a lifetime career in travel. He started as a trainee with Thomas Cook, He was then selected to transfer to the USA, where he spent 5 years in a senior role before becoming managing director, UK at the age of 34. He then went on to become MD of the international business, comprising 54 countries. During his time at Thomas Cook, he introduced the famous strapline “Don’t just book it, Thomas Cook it”
In 2000, John moved to become the MD of Lunn Poly and subsequently Retail Director TUI UK.
In 2004, John was appointed as CEO, Advantage Travel Centres, the largest independent travel consortium. He retired from this role in April 2013.
John was elected as the 1st chairman of ABTA in 2009 and served a 4-year term.
He was presented with a lifetime achievement award in 2009. He was inducted into the Travel & Hospitality Industry Hall of Fame in 2010 and received an industry outstanding achievement award in 2012.
He is chairman of Holidaysplease Ltd, EFR Travel Limited, Ski Lifts Ltd and Latin Routes Ltd. He is also chairman of the advisory board of Travel Ledger. He was previously chairman of Ski Solutions Limited and Amber Road Travel Limited. John is also a trustee of ABTA LifeLine.
ABOUT THE HOST
Jeannette Linfoot is a highly regarded senior executive, property investor, board advisor, and business mentor with over 25 years of global professional business experience across the travel, leisure, hospitality, and property sectors. Having bought, ran, and sold businesses all over the world, Jeannette now has a portfolio of her own businesses and also advises and mentors other business leaders to drive forward their strategies as well as their own personal development.
Jeannette is a down-to-earth leader, a passionate champion for diversity & inclusion, and a huge advocate of nurturing talent so every person can unleash their full potential and live their dreams.
CONTACT THE HOST
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https://www.jeannettelinfootassociates.com/
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Email - info@jeannettelinfootassociates.com
Podcast Description
Jeannette Linfoot talks to incredible people about their experiences of being Brave, Bold & Brilliant, which have allowed them to unleash their full potential in business, their careers, and life in general. From the boardroom tables of ‘big’ international business to the dining room tables of entrepreneurial start-ups, how to overcome challenges, embrace opportunities and take risks, whilst staying ‘true’ to yourself is the order of the day.
Travel, Bold, Brilliant, business, growth, scale, marketing, investment, investing, entrepreneurship, coach, consultant, mindset, six figures, seven figures, travel, industry, ROI, B2B, inspirational: https://linktr.ee/JLinfoot
