Dr Mike Clayton
Hi, I'm Mike Clayton. Thank you for visiting my website.
I am a business speaker, and I write books about the kind of personal and business skills I have needed throughout my career. I have spent the last twenty years studying and learning this stuff and nothing gives me more pleasure than sharing it.
You will find a lot of my writing on this website too - in my blog and in some of the materials you can download from the Resources pages. I hope you enjoy it and will want to contact me.
Best regards
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The Apprentice Blog
The Apprentice 2012, Episode 9: Missing the Point
Last night’s episode of the Apprentice focused our attention on one key point; and I hope you didn’t miss it. Sadly, the two teams did, in their different ways, miss the point. And the candidate who did so most spectacularly, … Continue reading
The Apprentice 2012, Episode 8: Risky Decisions
Tonight’s episode gave us a litany of business lessons, a further reminder of the importance of demeanour but, ultimately for me, one really important principle to focus on: decision making. The teams’ task was to select two urban artists to … Continue reading
Posted in Brilliant Project Leader, Decision Making, The Apprentice
Tagged Adam Corbally, copyright, Gabrielle Omar, Jade Nash, James Jessop, Jenna Whittingham, Laura Hogg, Lord Sugar, Nathan Bowen, Nick Holzherr, Phoenix, Pure Evil, Ricky Martin, Stephen Brady, Sterling, Tom Gearing
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The Apprentice 2012, Episode 7: Task versus Relationship
Nearly a week late in publication, I know, but Episode seven was instructive about one of the biggest principles in business – and one of my hobby-horses. It also provided a deja-vu moment as we flashed back to the theme … Continue reading
The Apprentice 2012: Humour
I am working in France this week and unsure when I will get to see and comment on Episode 7. So, to tide you over, some humour… This is an official BBC video made by … Continue reading
Posted in The Apprentice
Tagged BBC, Humour, Lord Sugar, Matt Edmonson, The Apprentice
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The Apprentice 2012, Episode 6: What do you have to say for yourself?
That’s two weeks in a row I think Lord Sugar fired a strong candidate. Today’s show taught us the importance of what you have to say for yourself. But before I get into my analysis of what I took away … Continue reading
The Apprentice 2012, Episode 5: Losing the Vision
Well, I said creativity would be central to this year’s Apprentice (in my 3 April blog post) and what could be more creative than this week’s task? That task was to: Come up with a new fitness programme that will … Continue reading
Posted in The Apprentice
Tagged Adam Corbally, Azhar Siddique, Beat Battle, Creativity, Dressagercise, Duane Bryan, Gabrielle Omar, Groove Train, Jade Nash, Jenna Whittingham, Jim Eastwood, Karren Brady, Katie Wright, Laura Hogg, Lord Sugar, Nick Hewer, Nick Holzherr, Phoenix, Ricky Martin, Rule 4, Stephen Brady, Sterling, The Apprentice, Tom Gearing
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Creativity in The Apprentice: Evaluating Creative Ideas
Over the last two weeks, I have been considering the role and nature of creativity in The Apprentice: – Why it is important and how the 2012 candidates appear to stack up in their current business activities – How a … Continue reading
Posted in Decision Making, The Apprentice
Tagged evaluating ideas, focus group, judgement, Lord Sugar, Nietzsche, The Apprentice, will to power
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The Apprentice 2012, Episode 4: The Dangers of Perspective
There is plenty to argue about in tonight’s episode and it would be easy to find clear and simple business lessons, whichever team had one, that would account for their victory and the other team’s loss. But I don’t think … Continue reading
Posted in The Apprentice
Tagged Gabrielle Omar, gift horse, Jane McEvoy, Karren Brady, more shabby than chic, Nick Hewer, perception, Phoenix, Sterling, Tom Gearing, up-cycle, up-cycling, Vinatge Gold, Wisdom, You're Fired
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Creativity in The Apprentice: Getting Creative Ideas
Last week, I made the assertion that creativity is going to be an essential skill for this year’s candidates. This week I want to give some hints and tips about how to get creative ideas, and next week, I’ll examine … Continue reading
Posted in The Apprentice
Tagged abundance of ideas, association, brainstorming, Creativity, Dara O'Briain, Lord Sugar, SCREAMER, Sterling, Story telling, toolbox
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The Apprentice 2012, Episode 3: Attention to Detail
Two Roads Diverged… Once again, the cause of the losing team’s failure is absolutely clear … and once again, the same problem plagued both teams … and also, once again, Lord Sugar’s opening remarks presaged the key problem: it’s almost … Continue reading
Posted in The Apprentice
Tagged Adam Corbally, Azhar Siddique, Belissimo, Duane Bryan, Gabrielle Omar, Infusion, Jade Nash, Jane McEvoy, Jenna Whittingham, Katie Wright, Laura Hogg, Lord Sugar, Michael Copp, Nick Hewer, Nick Holzherr, Phoenix, Ricky Martin, Stephen Brady, Sterling, The Apprentice, Tom Gearing
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