The website’s business philosophy:

Now you may be asking why I am trying to get as much of my intellectual property as I can onto a free website in a format that in house coaches can use. It is a contentious issue. I come down on the side of James Boyle, the chair of creative commons.  He says that younger users in particular expect material on the internet to be free. It makes sense. We pay for offline but the future of online information is free. I have had so much of my own material presented back to me with someone else’s logo on it over the years that I know that whatever I write will be copied and that seems fair since everything I’ve ever written has come in some form from other people; from the sweary bosses who liked a good shout in the boardroom to the hours of wrestling with ‘strategic paradoxes’ on my OU MBA course, it has all taught me something.

The business model for ‘Behind the lines’ training then, sees revenue coming from the real world training work I do on long term contracts. The value of my work is in developing people to think their own way through situations and in the specific competitive advantages I can bring to each client.

The website is here to attract new customers but, more importantly, my big hope is that you, the user will contribute to my work through comments and feedback. You are welcome to write an article or post up a presentation to promote your own work. In this way we can develop a resource that really helps sales and management professionals to develop their skills whilst I develop mine.

The only outstanding question is, ‘What if my real world delegates read all the material online, will they still need me and my coloured pens in the training room.’ I can only say that the experience of using a trainer who knows your objectives and can develop solutions specifically for your company is always going to be a more valuable and intensive way to turn brilliant ideas into profitable reality.

All good trainers dream about having a group of delegates who tear through the material, challenge ideas thoughtfully and make us do our homework, so bring them on!