10QUESTIONS with Danny Massaro

Our 10QUESTIONS feature asks members of the Freshfield community ten questions about their working life. Featuring client partners, colleagues and FF friends, our guests share some personal stories, views and fresh words of wisdom.

Our latest guest is Danny Massaro, friend of Freshfield and esteemed squash coach, author, academic and podcast host who lives in Lancashire with his wife, former squash world champion Laura Massaro.

1. How do you like to start your working day?

Positive predictions. I do lots of different things for work but regardless of what it is I feel it’s important I find some excitement by linking it to the bigger picture and things that matter to me.

2. Where and how do you come up with your best ideas?

When I am contemplating, I read lots of philosophy and psychological theories, so I have always plenty to think about. I find these thoughts apply to the simplest of things and from there I put things into practice.

3. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

To keep playing sport.

4. What does leadership mean to you?

Leadership is complex in many ways yet simple in others. There must be compassion and an ability to meet somebody where they are at, particularly their life situation and values.

A good leader is an appropriate leader not necessarily the best!

5. What’s your top tip for achieving a work-life balance?

Actively take part through all the different phases of your life. You have to ask “what makes me tick at the moment” and steer towards that.

Obviously, it helps if you can plan your finances so you can have options and also question how much personal ‘status’ you need to survive from your job title and role. I think once you work this out, work life balance is a natural process.

6. Which current or historical business figure do you most admire and why?

Nobody specific but I do admire those people who create something from nothing, have success and then can let it go. They can stick to things but not get stuck.

7. What is your most trusted source of news?

I rarely watch news apart from sports news. I still trust the BBC so it would be that.

8. What is your favourite brand and why?

Spotify – the best thing since sliced bread! Reliable, innovative, cheap, leading edge of music delivery.

9. What’s the most recent new skill you have learnt?

Parenting!

10. We all use them… what management jargon phrase do you use the most?

I have a podcast called ‘Talk doesn’t cook rice’. It reflects my pragmatic nature.

To balance this strongly behaviourist and action approach, I also remind a lot of my players that “wasted time isn’t time wasted.” The pace of the working world seems quicker than ever so both seem relevant to keep in mind to me.