GETTING TO KNOW YOU
Getting to Know
Jason Fox
What inspired you to start your
business? What are your goals
and values?
Ah well I was so fed up at hearing
motivational folklore and fluff at
conferences—I wanted businesses
to benefit from the science of
motivation and human behaviour,
and to tap into some of the most
significant cultural and technological
innovations on the planet. And
so, I switched from lecturing at
universities to sharing these insights
with forward-thinking leaders around
the world.
What was the driving force
behind your decision to
specialise in this area of
business?
I live to create a world that’s more
curious and kind. The only way a
business can stay relevant and make
the world a better place, is if we
have the curiosity to explore new
ways of working, and the empathy
for emerging needs in our market
and the planet. This can’t happen if
we’re caught up in mindless busywork, or if leaders keep retreating to
the safety and simplicity of default
thinking and strategy.
What types of customers do
you help? What experience
do you have helping small
business customers?
I work with senior leadership
56 ModernBusiness
July 2016
teams in large and multinational
organisations that are looking to
develop pioneering strategy and
leadership. I’m also a partner at
Thought Leaders Business School,
where I help expert consultants
get their business model right (and
become known for what they know).*
* This was the same approach that
enabled me to grow my business,
largely thanks to the pioneering work
of Matt Church.
Do you service other sectors as
well?
About a third of my work sees me
speaking at conferences and events
around the world.
What are the main reasons that
someone would choose you to
help grow/develop/improve
their business?
Well, from a large organisation’s
perspective it’d be because they’re
looking to unlock new growth to
secure enduring relevance. They’d
know that they can’t achieve this
simply by seeking new efficiencies—
they need to pioneer.
For a small to medium enterprise,
the main reason we’d work together
is if they are looking to differentiate
themselves in a crowded market. I
help such businesses with expertise
become the authorities in their
space. And this is not through
emulating the strategies of others,
but through pioneering thought
leadership.
What process, services and
support do your clients
receive?
The senior executives from large and
multinational organisations benefit
from 3-6 month pioneering strategy
programs, 6-9 month leadership
development programs, and 12-18
month culture change programs.
All of these are undertaken with a
science-based approach, and leverage
the diverse input and expertise of
internal thought leaders, external
thought leaders and customers.
I don’t work with everyone, but if
the leadership team are suitably
pioneering, courageous, and set to
make a difference, we’ll talk.
For medium-sized enterprises, I
run thought leadership programs in
conjunction with other partners at
Thought Leaders Business School. I
also mentor some expert consultants
within this school.
What challenges did you face in
setting up your business?
Ah the usual: self-doubt, lumpy
cashflow, and diluted focus. But
these are necessary hurdles one
must venture through in their hero’s
journey. You don’t get into business
because it’s easy—you do it because
the work inspires you.