Breaking free from a lack of ambition

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Dave Thornton is the founder and managing director of the Thornton and Lowe group of companies. Offering bid writing, bid resources and bid writing training courses.

Biggest fuck up?

Lack of ambition. My ambition has grown as I have progressed in my career, which is fine, but it does mean things can take a little longer. I feel like a good 5 years have been lost due to not having high enough targets or realising what could be achieved by having higher aspirations.

To fix this, I regularly force myself to look at the big picture and reassess the market and opportunity in the broadest sense I can. This means I can actually see if there is a better solution, a bigger solution to what we are trying to achieve.

Lightbulb moment

Giving your team the freedom to make a success. Realising that with a good team, you can set them a clear target, give them the responsibility to hit it and report back. That is what they are paid to do; I am not needed for every element of the business. Handholding micromanagement does not always help, and it can often hinder.

Useful advice

Make a specific time each month, one day, half a day, to look at your company, its place in the market against competitors and if there is an opportunity for innovation and improvement.

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