Simon Haigh, CEO of GCM Consulting Limited & simonhaigh.com
Through his Ireland, UK and Australia based company GCM Advisory, and operating as simonhaigh.com, Simon helps organizations and leaders unlock, build and sustain business, leadership, brand and mindset growth through his coaching, consulting, training, publications, speaking and e-learning programs.
Simon's clients include high performing leaders, companies, business schools such as Trinity College - Ireland, Smurfit, Ireland, Queens & Southampton - the UK, professional organizations & Government bodies globally.
His work is endorsed by world number 1 leadership thinker, Marshall Goldsmith and featured in the LeaderHum Top 100 Thought Leader series for Mindful Negotiation.
He has also been featured on the BBC, Australia's ABC television and numerous radio and podcast channels, including with his own radio show on UK's first wellbeing channel, Serenity Radio.
Simon Haigh started out as a tri-qualified (England & Wales, Australia, Ireland) commercial lawyer who, also as an entrepreneur, has built and sold out of technology, luxury items and travel companies.
He has also been a C-suite (NANA Development Corporation, Dell, BHP, Xilinx) executive and has sat on five boards, across different industries, four continents over 27 years.
Simon's work and two of his three Amazon 5 Star books – 'How to be a Better Dealcloser and Dealmaking for Corporate Growth' are endorsed by Marshall Goldsmith, and he is an associate member of the Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coaching Organisation.
Simon is an acclaimed Keynote Speaker, including in Australia, US, UK/Ireland, Canada & China: including World Forums; Ireland TechConnect 2019; Northern Ireland Small Business Conference 2019; Brand Forum London 2019; Start-Up, Scale-up Summit - UK 2020; Bogu Investment Summit - China, 2021.
Tell us about your current role and what you like about your career/role or areas of focus.
I am The Growth Strategist – what I like is that I help build personal and business confidence through my work in business, leadership, mindset and brand growth.
What inspires you, motivates you, helps you to make each day count?
The knowledge that my work is being increasingly recognized globally.
Outside of your professional work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
My family. Also reading, writing books and going to the gym.
When it comes to your life chosen career, is there a phrase, quote or saying that you really like?
I am known as The Growth Strategist.
What are you most proud of in your life?
Having a family – a wife and two wonderful daughters.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
That everything passes – good and bad.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles?
Marshall Goldsmith
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
BBC – a solid, enduring brand.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
"Don't worry about what others think of you – it’s what you think of yourself that matters."
What drives or motivates you each day in a work environment?
The knowledge that I am making a difference to the people I work with.
What are your thoughts on the future of social media?
It will be a key part of networking but in limitation.
What is your favourite social media platform, and why?
LinkedIn – I do a lot of business through it – business generation, networking and influencing.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever been a mentor to anyone?
Yes, world number 1 leadership thinker Marshall Goldsmith is a mentor to me and has written the foreword to 2 of my books in the process.
I currently mentor a number of executives in Ireland, Australia, India and France.
How do you network? What is your prefered way to network?
Mainly through LinkedIn and Twitter.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work?
Be aware, hardworking, resilient and work on your connections.
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
Lack of resilience and informed hope.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience?
Success is inner calm, trusting, liking and respecting yourself and being trusted, liked and respected by others.
What skills do you feel have helped you become successful?
Resilience, motivation and grit.
Is there anything new that you are working on or involved in that you would like to share?
InclusionInLeadership.com – a collaboration with three amazing US thought leaders.
InclusionInLeadership.com is a collaboration of four global business and leadership experts - Nigel Sonariwo, Elizabeth Suarez and Wai Eng from the US and Simon Haigh from Ireland. Moving the business world towards a more inclusive and balanced relationship-based approach to drive ROI is at the core of what drives InclusionInLeadership.com.