I met the co-founders of a business I used to advise recently. When we worked together, I had prepared and trained them to build a contractor division.

Whether you’re a first-time billing manager, a business owner or in business support, the chances are that you’ve become confused – even conflicted – about your role.

If you run a small or even micro-recruitment business, maybe you’ve been thinking this isn’t for you. NEDs are for the big boys, right? 

Five years ago, I watched a programme – something like Tomorrow’s World. It showcased incredible innovations that could transform the way we live in the future.

Now, we can access far more information on our phones. But every week I see examples of where recruiters have lost sight of the great principles of time management.

I was off sick recently (vanishingly rare for the self-employed) and found myself watching repeated episodes of “The Hotel Inspector”, presented by the excellent Alex Polizzi.

It’s an interesting fact that, in recruitment at least, some owner/managers regard a NED or board advisor as their last luxury, a sign that their business has “arrived”.

In common with many, I have spent hours at conferences listening to elite athletes talk about the secrets of their success. And I’ve listened to a fair few audiobooks and podcasts as well.

Award-winning ‘recruitment industry lifer’, NED and Strategic Coach, Alison Humphries is imparting her knowledge from a 30-year recruitment career into her brand new book, ‘Seven Habits of Successful Recruitment Leaders’.

A couple of months ago, I started to work with a new client. This business owner was recruiting in a buoyant sector but his sales revenue had dipped a little over the last two years, due to difficulties retaining staff.