10QUESTIONS with Martyn Jones

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 Martyn Jones, managing director of business consultancy Martyn Jones and strategic adviser to Freshfield. Martyn acts as a mentor, board adviser, non-executive director and consultant to various businesses and organisations. He’s also the Lancashire chair for the Institute of Directors.

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

Reading at least ten pages of a development book.

I don’t book any meetings before 9am to give myself time to read, I would not find the time otherwise, and I always learn something new that I can apply and share with others.

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

It used to be when driving but now it’s either when I’m gardening or if I wake up at 3am, in which case I get up, write it down and then I can get back to sleep.

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

My parents taught me to treat people as I would want them to treat me. It works. Period.

4. What does leadership mean to you?

Everything I’ve ever achieved has come through my relationships with other people. Choose them well, look after them, understand their ‘why’ and help them get what they want from life.

If you do that, you’ll be amazed at what they will achieve for you.

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

Family comes first.

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

Edwin Henry Booth. He started a business in 1847 which is still thriving over 175 years later.

His company knows, understands and values its customers. It has woven into the very fabric of the business the values of loyalty, sustainability, fairness and accountability. There’s a lesson in that for all of us.

7. What is your most trusted source of news?

Not the news media! Clients, contacts and The Institute of Directors keep me informed professionally, and my family updates me with any national and local news that I need to be aware of.

Local radio is okay for news and sports too.

8. What is your favourite brand and why?

I’m not brand-obsessed, but if I had to choose one it would be Jaguar. I’ve liked them ever since I was a child.

They look good, drive well, are comfortable, classy and different from the usual suspects.

I’ve been lucky enough to own two. Having said that, I sold my last one and bought a Volvo, but that’s a story for another day.

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

Not so much a new skill but re-learning an old one.

I love walking in the Lake District, but phone or GPS signals often don’t work well there so I’m re-learning how to read OS maps.

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

Having had a long over-exposure to this stuff, I actively try to avoid management jargon as much as I can, but despite my best efforts I do still hear myself saying ‘moving forward’.