Paul Doherty, Director of Strategy Management Consultants Ltd
During his career, Paul Doherty has set up two language service companies: The Language Technology Centre, which became a $25M business merged into Xerox Language Services, and Multilingual Technology Ltd, which he sold to Berlitz during the .com era.
Since then, Paul has been Managing Director of UK, German, Polish and Slovakian B2B services companies. He has led several European sales teams and has worked as a strategic consultant.
Paul is Director of Strategy Management Consultants Ltd, helping companies to implement transformative change. Check out www.strategy-management-consultants.co.uk
“A failure is an event, not a person. When things go wrong, it is so tempting to find someone to blame, either yourself or other people. However, failure is almost always a process error, not a human error. Learn from the mistake and improve the process.”
Paul Doherty
Who do you most admire in business?
All the colleagues and customers I have worked with over the years for their dedication, honesty and good humour. My first boss at Xerox, Mike Scott, for having the faith in his own instincts to hire someone as unqualified as me for the advertised job.
What companies or brands do you like or do you think are getting it right?
In the language services sector – Moravia, for their customer-focus strategy. In language technology – Smartling, for their wonderful marketing. Apple – great products, great customer experience. Mercedes – the best cars in the world.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
"You are the sum of your habits." So choose your habits wisely. "Work hard and expect success." Hard work delivers results and optimism allows you to enjoy the process.
What drives or motivates you each day?
My customers. I have great customers.
What are your thoughts on the future of social media?
Well, it is here to stay, of course. I can't imagine having to be without it, but I am old enough to remember that lovely feeling of being abroad on a business trip and being totally off the radar. Such freedom!
One of my 2020 resolutions is leaving the iPhone and iPad downstairs when I go to bed. That way I can read or (heaven help us) sleep when I go to bed. It also means I avoid looking at email, twitter and other news feed first thing in the morning. Get yourself a digital clock to wake you up and have a social media-free zone before bed and when you get up.
Do you have a mentor or do you mentor anyone?
My current role is as a trusted advisor or mentor to my customers. I also have colleagues I can ask for advice. We all need that every now and then.
How do you network?
One of the (few) advantages of getting older is that you have a well-established and broad network. Networking and referrals is how I get contracts. I make a habit of keeping in touch with my contacts, online or at events.
How did you get into this line of work and what advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same line of work?
When I graduated, all I knew was that I wanted to travel, meet and work with interesting foreign people and be able to learn languages. I didn't know it at the time, but that is exactly what the localization industry has allowed me to do. In my sales roles, I have had access to the workings of hundreds of companies in different industry sectors.
There is always something interesting to learn about company culture, strategy, strengths and weaknesses by visiting customers. Everybody should get out and meet customers at some time. They are the people who pay our wages and keep us in business.
The most important advice I would give to anyone looking to get into the same line of work as me (or any other line for that matter) is to be nice to the people you work with and treat them with respect, especially when you disagree with them. It never fails to amaze me how many people choose not to do this.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
I left Glasgow in 1980 with a degree, an inter-rail card and £60 in my pocket. I had no-where to go and no work to go to. What drove me was a need to get out and see the world and a lack of money was not going to hinder me.
After six years of living in Germany, France and Sweden, I returned to the UK, and I thought that my experience abroad would be regarded negatively by prospective employers. I know now that those six years abroad, the way they forced me to be resilient and to get on with people from different cultures, were the groundwork for what I would do later in life. Whatever you are currently doing, it is preparing you for your future.
What's the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
In my experience, most people give up because they are not listened to and supported. Or, more accurately, they give up because there is not a proper system in place for them to have their ideas heard, evaluated and acted on.
I am not talking about a simple "suggestion scheme" (although that is better than nothing). I am talking about a proper system of continual improvement, which allows people to make change happen.
What are you most proud of in your life?
You may wish to slap me for saying this, but I am most proud of my three children that they have grown up to be such lovely, balanced, compassionate people. Any day spent with them is a day well spent.
How do you define success?
Too many people think success is all about results. Results are important, of course, but they are not always in your control. What is in your control is what you do on a daily basis. Make your decisions based on the available evidence, take consistent action and evaluate the results. Make changes as appropriate. That is a recipe for success.
What do you think your unique skill(s) is that has helped you become successful?
I don't have any unique skills, but I do have a good package of skills which, in combination and when applied consistently (habits) within the proper framework (process), deliver results.
What valuable lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience?
A failure is an event, not a person. When things go wrong, it is so tempting to find someone to blame, either yourself or other people. However, failure is almost always a process error, not a human error. Learn from the mistake and improve the process.
Is there anything new you are working on that you would like to share?
I am currently working on a package of "customer care" to capture what your customers say and to turn that into effective action to improve your products and services.
Where's your favourite place?
I have been lucky enough to live in three of the best places in the world: Stockholm, Munich and Harpenden. These are my favourite places.
What is your hobby?
I am a very good Classical Guitarist. You can see some of my recordings on Fandalism.com. I also do Crossfit and Krav Maga.
Best holiday of choice?
Long cycling tours with my wife. We have cycled all over Germany, Austria and Poland. It is a great way to see a country; you can get off the beaten track and go at your own pace. Besides, being on a bike makes you feel like a kid again.
What are you not very good at and what are you good at?
I think the path you take should be based on what you are good at. I am good at working with people, particularly customers, and getting people to pull together to deliver a common goal. On the other hand, constant, repetitive tasks, elaborate protocol and hierarchy bore me stiff. So, I wouldn't be suited for a role in auditing or the civil service or local politics.
Which words do you overuse?
It's your round!
Your social media platform of choice?
WhatsApp for keeping in touch with family and friends. LinkedIn for my extended professional network.
When are you happiest?
At work, helping to develop strategic plans and then making the plans happen. On-time off, cycling with my wife and at home, playing the guitar.
Your favourite books and movies?
Books:
The Innocent – By Ian McEwan. A beautiful love story, a spy thriller and a coming-of-age novel. The best fiction I have ever read and the best book McEwan has written.
The first 90 days by Michael Watkins, for anybody starting any new job.
Leadership is an Art by Max Depree, is a beautiful little book.
Films:
Amadeus – Milos Forman
Fanny & Alexander – Ingmar Bergman
The act of killing – Joshua Oppenheimer
What living person do you most admire?
Noam Chomsky for his ground-breaking work in linguistics and also his honest critique of western political power.
Angela Merkel for her pragmatic, non-ideological leadership and also for her humility. I have never seen a politician who makes it clearer that it is not all about her.
The guitarist, John Williams – still the best in the world. Flawless technique and a fearless live performer.
My wife, Diemut, for being there with me, through the good and the bad.
A positive quote you like to share with people.
"In space, no one car hear you scream. In most companies, no one can hear the customer scream". The first part is from "Alien". I have built on that to highlight the lack of customer care in most service companies. I have a whole program on how to listen effectively to your customers.
"When you wing it, drop the "g" to win it!" This was said to me by the trainer at a Solutions Selling workshop a long time ago. He was talking about the importance of preparation in every stage of the sales process. The alternative to hard work is to wing it. Don't forget to drop that "g"!