Charles Crawford: How to Inspire Strategic Agility and Successfully Inspire Change

Charles Crawford is an Oxford and Harvard-trained British Diplomat. He is the winner of the equivalent of two Oscars and a former British ambassador to Bosnia and Poland. He has inspired thousands of leaders globally on how to win in a world increasingly shaped by geopolitics and volatility. He will be among the four faculty members delivering the TEXEM. Other faculty members include Prof Rodria Laline (inventor of the first chip used on the first ATM card, former Senior Vice-President of Oracle in Asia Pacific and Harvard, INSEAD and IESE professor, Oxford-trained Roger Delves, board member at Global Firm at the age of 30 and Dr Alim Abubakre, advisory board member of London Business School Africa Society and founder of TEXEM, UK. In this interview, Crawford shares insights on how to inspire change and fuel Sustainable Success as part of this TEXEM, UK programme ‘Strategic Agility and Inspiring Change: Fuelling Sustainable Success’, taking place between August 26 and 29 at Hilton Liverpool.

How can your extensive diplomatic experience in post-communist Europe and your work in post-conflict reconciliation inform leaders on anticipating and adapting to market dynamics in rapidly changing environments?

The Foreign Office library had no handy textbook on ‘How to Abandon Communism’ that we could read. The situation we faced was completely new, almost revolutionary. The drama of the situation compelled new thinking and in the early years after the Soviet Union dissolved, some unusual urgency. We all had to try to think differently. To go back to First Principles, in a sense. The problem was that we had no way of identifying what those principles in fact, were. Our main mistake (and my own main mistake) was to have been too optimistic especially about Russia but then also Serbia. That’s a good lesson for business leaders operating in these increasingly volatile world: don’t think that buoyant market conditions are doomed to last forever.

What unique insights can participants gain from learning about leadership strategies from you, someone with firsthand experience managing complex transitions in volatile regions like the former Yugoslavia, Russia, and South Africa?

Leaders are likely to be as good as their followers. Any major change programmes have winners and losers, and the losers tend to be highly motivated and disruptive. It’s important to be ambitious but also realistic. The Serbia Prime Minister Zoran Djindjić was assassinated because he underestimated his enemies. But then, how do you make concessions to dangerous enemies without demoralising friends? You will glean fresh insights and challenge assumptions around this through this forthcoming TEXEM programme, ‘Strategic Agility and Inspiring Change: Fuelling Sustainable Success’.

How does the concept of ‘Strategic Agility’ in business align with the diplomatic agility demonstrated by you during your service in regions undergoing significant political and social transformation?

Diplomacy is typically not ‘agile’ and does not aim to be. Rather, the emphasis is on patience and method, albeit with appropriate energy and ambition. Plus, it’s fine to be agile. But what if your agility makes you jump into a deep, dark hole? Maybe it all comes down to the willingness to take smart risks – and being good at taking smart risks! During this TEXEM programme , Strategic Agility and Inspiring Change: Fuelling Sustainable Success we will discuss actionable insights that will help them win.

What lessons can be drawn from your role as a speechwriter and communicator in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and for world leaders that apply to leading change and inspiring others in a corporate setting?

Leaders have to mobilise and motivate followers. That normally comes through words that explain actions. Far too many speeches focus on sharing ‘information’ and ignore the importance of motivation. Speeches don’t need to give watertight answers. It’s often enough to pose new questions or challenge old thinking without giving answers – get the audience thinking for themselves! That said, no speechwriter gets far if the senior speaker does not want to take any risks or say something new and challenging. ‘Let’s play it safe today’ is always a tempting way to avoid responsibility.

In what ways can the case studies of leaders who successfully led through chaos, presented in this programme, benefit from your experience dealing with the fall of communism and apartheid?

Inside stories from these great political or diplomatic dramas are always interesting. They show how hard choices were there to be made and what happened if those choices were embraced or avoided. One interesting problem is Trust – how to focus on delivering ambitious goals while not being naive about the intentions of the people you’re now unexpectedly working with? Lots of examples of these and many more will be shared leveraging TEXEM’s proven and tested methodology that makes learning insightful, practicable, engaging, stimulating and fun.

How does networking with a former senior diplomat like you and other illustrious faculty such as Professor Rodria Laline and Professor Roger Delves on this programme provide participants with unique perspectives on international market trends and leadership strategies?

I want programme participants to go away with some new big ideas but also some practical skills they can apply the next day in a tough work context. Great programmes combine theory and practice in a lively, thought-provoking package. This TEXEM programme will entail a methodology that encourages peer-to-peer learning, networking, improved self-awareness and stronger sense of purpose for leaders to achieve their goals more effectively and efficiently. For more information, please visit Strategic Agility and Change Mastery: Fueling Sustainable Success TEXEM