Andy Bass speaker
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Andy Bass

Drive growth in a world of accelerating technology by getting your commercial and technical people to work with you, not against each other
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About

Gender: Male
Nationality: United Kingdom
Languages: English
Travels from: United Kingdom

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Biography Highlights

  • Dr. Andy Bass is a leadership advisor specializing in organizational learning and innovation. He has helped leaders across 30 industries drive growth by aligning technical and commercial teams. His books, including "Start With What Works" and "The Suits & Geeks Trap", guide companies in uncovering hidden assets and fostering collaboration. In addition to his consulting and advisory work, Andy has also taught at Oxford, Warwick, and Aston Business Schools. Praised for his engaging speaking style, he tailors presentations to connect with corporate and association audiences on strategic growth and culture.

Biography

About Andy Bass

Andy started his career at BT Research Labs in the Human Factors Division. He gained a PhD in computer science at Aston University before becoming a lecturer at Aston Business School, teaching systems thinking, organizational learning and early AI. He co-founded BassClusker Consulting in 2004, growing the practice while continuing to deliver executive education programmes on behalf of Aston, as well as for Strathclyde and Oxford Saïd Business Schools.

Andy has advised leaders on three continents and thirty industries. He has worked across a wide range of industries and sectors including professional services, technology, media, health, financial services, packaging, automotive and education. The organizations he has worked with include Aon Risk Solutions, Collins Aerospace, KPMG, DLA Piper, Deutsche Bank, AAH Pharmaceuticals, Rieke Packaging and The Advanced Propulsion Centre. While based in the UK, Andy has worked on projects in the US, France, Germany, Finland, Mexico, India and China.

Andy has written five books on his approaches, including “Start With What Works: a faster way to grow your business”, and “Committed Action: the three-step method to inspire your people to take ownership and get results” and his most recent, “The Suits & Geeks Trap: get your commercial and technical people to work with you rather than against each other”.

Andy has spoken for dozens of corporate and association audiences including L’Oreal, Barclays, Al Ghurair and Bupa International. He has also acted as a TEDx MC. As a speaker, Andy always matches his presentation to audience seniority and preferred levels of interaction. As well as delivering traditional keynotes in person and virtually, he draws on his rich background in facilitation and executive education, and as a leader of CEO Peer Groups.

Andy served on the ‘Big Thinkers’ panel of experts for #oglivychange, the innovative behavioural change practice of Ogilvy. He has served as an advisory board member for companies in the Silverstone Technology Cluster and as a Board Director of the business lobbying and networking group Birmingham Forward. He is former advisor to the Birmingham Future Mentoring Scheme and a director of Upcycle, a charity that reconditions furniture and prevents it ending up in landfill.

Andy is a Visiting Professor in Consulting Practice at Birmingham City University where he is currently helping in the establishment of a Venture Capital fund for students.

Outside of work, Andy has dabbled in the dangerous world of stand-up comedy (with decidedly mixed results!), and played lead guitar in a tribute band dedicated to the music of Canadian progressive rock band Rush.

Videos

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Speaking videos

Popular Talks

Create a dramatic synergy between your commercial and technical talent

Now more than ever, business success depends on your commercial and technical talent working together. But the potential for friction is never very far away. It’s easy to fall into The Suits & Geeks Trap – where stereotyping and blaming take focus away from the customer and the marketplace, forcing leaders to referee internal politics rather than drive the business forward. Learn how to escape the trap and release your potential for growth.

Based on Andy’s consulting with technology and commercial leaders around the world – and his book The Suits & Geeks Trap – this talk will:

  • Identify the common causes of tension between technical and commercial teams
  • Offer practical strategies to improve communication and cooperation
  • Share real-world examples of organizations that have successfully united these groups
  • Provide actionable steps to keep everyone focused on customers and market success
Available: In person, Virtually

Discover your business’s Hidden Gold

Your business has Hidden Gold – resources that are overlooked, under-appreciated and untapped. You can find them and use them to grow faster and with less risk.

In this presentation, Andy Bass show you:

  • How we miss hidden resources – biases and thinking traps
  • Three lenses for identifying your Hidden Gold
  • How to create new value by recombining what you’ve got already
  • Ways to tap into the insights of your employees and your customers
  • How to discover and spread ‘internal best practices.’
Available: In person, Virtually

You’re playing to win, but sometimes it feels like your people are just playing ‘not to lose’…

As a leader, do you ever ask yourself, “Why don’t my people seem to ‘get it’? Why aren’t they more excited? Why don’t they see the possibilities, not just for the business, but for themselves too?”

In this session, Andy presents the answer introduced in his book Committed Action.

Start by rooting out any Commitment Killers. Then, follow the three-part C.E.O. Roadmap to bring out your people’s best contribution:

  • Invite CURIOSITY.
  • Encourage EXPLORATION.
  • Transfer OWNERSHIP.

Andy presents questions and frameworks that members of the group can use to evaluate how they are doing in each area and to generate new actions they can apply quickly.

Available: In person, Virtually
Andy'S

Testimonials

Value resides in the mind of the customer. You won’t understand it if you spend all your time in the office. You need a different perspective. Andy’s ideas will encourage you to get out and find one.

Rory Sutherland

Vice-Chairman,

Ogilvy

IAC people benefitted hugely from Andy’s expert guidance in aligning our people with our objectives and turning strategy into action.

Jens R. Höhnel

Global Co-CEO & President Europe,

International Automotive Components Group (IAC)

Andy teaches you to translate your leadership message from terms that make you want to act into terms that make them want to act.

Jurga Žilinskienė MBE

Founder and CEO,

Guildhawk

Andy's idea of ‘the leader as educator’ is spot on in a world where organisations have to learn, and re-learn, faster than ever.

Rooney Anand

Former CEO,

Greene King

The commitment of your people is vital for business growth. Andy's C.E.O. formula will show you how to get it.

Ringo Francis

Chairman Emeritus,

Diversey & Zenith Hygiene, UK & Ireland

Andy offers clear, actionable advice for any organisation seeking to grow or innovate. Before you start throwing money at the problem, unlock your hidden potential.

Michael Smets

Professor of Management,

Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Andy Bass is exactly the guy that every president or CEO needs. He’ll call you on gaps in your thinking and when required, steer you towards something better.

David J. Pritchett

President,

Rieke Packaging Systems (A TriMas Company)

Launch your leadership into a higher orbit with Andy Bass's C.E.O. roadmap.

Hanifa Shah

Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean,

Birmingham City University

Andy's insightful approach and focus on achieving results are impressive.

Paul Heldens

Managing Director,

Dornbracht International GmbH

Andy was challenging, engaging and full of innovative ideas. He adds a genuinely new approach and engages with his clients with real empathy. Seriously impressive!

Craig Preston

Midlands Area Director, Corporate,

Aon Risk Solutions

Andy helped make our strategic objectives meaningful to people at all levels.

Cliff Allan

Vice-Chancellor,

Birmingham City University

Andy has a gift for offering unusual ways to look at issues that make the right decision suddenly seem clear.

James Stevenson

Director of Risk Management,

Burberry

Andy shows leaders how they can release the potential of their existing people and encourage them to flourish. Recommended!

Tim Hall

Senior Finance Recruiter and Director,

Hays plc

Thanks for a terrific session for my CFO group. You really delivered on what I envisioned happening.

Larry Cooper

Group Chair,

MacKay CEO Forums

Andy Bass is that rare consulting talent who appreciates the synergy between strategic direction and committed support. He sees the job through until the client sees the practical results.

Alan Weiss

Best-selling Author,

Million Dollar Consulting

Books

Andy Bass book

The Suits & Geeks Trap: Get Your Commercial and Technical People to Work with You, Not Against Each Other

Create a business breakthrough by getting beyond the “Us & Them” Getting commercial and technical talent to work together can be tough. This book, built on Andy’s years of experience with top multi-nationals and dynamic SMEs, shows you how to unlock the growth engine behind every major breakthrough. Read this book to: Get past tribal thinking and create a shared purpose to drive the business forward. Break free from stereotypes that breed miscommunication and tension. Implement practical strategies instead of gimmicky workshops. Harness diverse strengths for a thriving, cooperative environment where individual talents can shine. Develop a culture that turns conflicts into opportunities for innovation and growth.

Read more..

The Suits & Geeks Trap: Get Your Commercial and Technical People to Work with You, Not Against Each Other

Create a business breakthrough by getting beyond the "Us & Them" Getting commercial and technical talent to work together can be tough. This book, built on Andy's years of experience with top multi-nationals and dynamic SMEs, shows you how to unlock the growth engine behind every major breakthrough. Read this book to: Get past tribal thinking and create a shared purpose to drive the business forward. Break free from stereotypes that breed miscommunication and tension. Implement practical strategies instead of gimmicky workshops. Harness diverse strengths for a thriving, cooperative environment where individual talents can shine. Develop a culture that turns conflicts into opportunities for innovation and growth.
Buy the book
Buy the book
Start with What Works

Start with What Works

Start with What Works helps you to create new growth opportunities using the resources you already have at hand. It sounds obvious but frequently, managers discount the value of their familiar resources, and instead, they look outside for something new. This can demotivate employees and be costly in terms of money and time. It’s often a lot quicker, cheaper and safer to see your existing resources with fresh eyes. This book shows you how to recognise overlooked potential in existing resources, and how to flip the right switches to activate that potential. Covering ten lessons you can use for a variety of situations, each will feature a case study and a new mindset to adopt. With practical tools and templates, each will trigger fruitful discussions and insights for your organisation. You’ll learn how to apply them to the situations you face, so that you can identify new opportunities, and turn those opportunities into action.

Read more..

Start with What Works

Start with What Works helps you to create new growth opportunities using the resources you already have at hand. It sounds obvious but frequently, managers discount the value of their familiar resources, and instead, they look outside for something new. This can demotivate employees and be costly in terms of money and time. It’s often a lot quicker, cheaper and safer to see your existing resources with fresh eyes. This book shows you how to recognise overlooked potential in existing resources, and how to flip the right switches to activate that potential. Covering ten lessons you can use for a variety of situations, each will feature a case study and a new mindset to adopt. With practical tools and templates, each will trigger fruitful discussions and insights for your organisation. You’ll learn how to apply them to the situations you face, so that you can identify new opportunities, and turn those opportunities into action.
Buy the book
Buy the book
Andy Bass book

Committed Action: The three-step method to inspire your people to take ownership and get results

As a leader, do you ever ask yourself, “Why don’t my people seem to ‘get it’? Why aren’t they more excited? Why don’t they see the possibilities, not just for the business, but for themselves too?” In a business where people aren’t contributing as much as they could: You have to come up with all the ideas to improve and grow the business You miss out on insights from those closest to the action You’re paying for people who you know could be contributing more You’re more likely to lose people because they’re not as fired up about this business as you are – to them, it’s just a job You’re frustrated because you have all this enthusiasm and it feels like they’re not joining in If any of this is ringing true, it’s a problem. To solve that problem, you need to take a new approach… First, you’ve got to root out any Commitment Killers – behaviours in the culture that can fatally undermine morale. Then, apply the three-part ‘C.E.O’ method to bring out your people’s talents: Curiosity – open the minds of people to be receptive to new possibilities. Different people need different reasons. Exploration – help them discover for themselves exactly what they need to ‘get’ about your business. Ownership – transfer responsibility for results, for their good and the good of your organization. This book will show you the Why and the How.

Read more..

Committed Action: The three-step method to inspire your people to take ownership and get results

As a leader, do you ever ask yourself, “Why don’t my people seem to ‘get it’? Why aren’t they more excited? Why don’t they see the possibilities, not just for the business, but for themselves too?” In a business where people aren't contributing as much as they could: You have to come up with all the ideas to improve and grow the business You miss out on insights from those closest to the action You're paying for people who you know could be contributing more You're more likely to lose people because they're not as fired up about this business as you are – to them, it's just a job You're frustrated because you have all this enthusiasm and it feels like they're not joining in If any of this is ringing true, it's a problem. To solve that problem, you need to take a new approach… First, you’ve got to root out any Commitment Killers – behaviours in the culture that can fatally undermine morale. Then, apply the three-part ‘C.E.O’ method to bring out your people’s talents: Curiosity – open the minds of people to be receptive to new possibilities. Different people need different reasons. Exploration – help them discover for themselves exactly what they need to ‘get’ about your business. Ownership – transfer responsibility for results, for their good and the good of your organization. This book will show you the Why and the How.
Buy the book
Buy the book
Andy Bass book

Networkability: Building Your Business One Relationship at a Time

This book is based on working with thousands of business professionals and entrepreneurs both nationally and internationally. Its step-by-step approach can be taught and developed in a variety of contexts and across a range of experience and settings. Andy Bass of Bass Clusker and Helga Henry of Creative Shift can work with you and your team to bring all the benefits of a highly connected, highly leveraged and focussed network to your business.

Read more..

Networkability: Building Your Business One Relationship at a Time

This book is based on working with thousands of business professionals and entrepreneurs both nationally and internationally. Its step-by-step approach can be taught and developed in a variety of contexts and across a range of experience and settings. Andy Bass of Bass Clusker and Helga Henry of Creative Shift can work with you and your team to bring all the benefits of a highly connected, highly leveraged and focussed network to your business.
Buy the book
Buy the book
Andy Bass book

The Performance Papers: Incisive Briefings for Busy Leaders

Chock-full of know-how and experience, and written in a style that is both rigorous and refreshingly light on jargon, ‘The Performance Papers’ is an invaluable handbook for leaders who practise – or aspire to – the art of general management.

Read more..

The Performance Papers: Incisive Briefings for Busy Leaders

Chock-full of know-how and experience, and written in a style that is both rigorous and refreshingly light on jargon, 'The Performance Papers' is an invaluable handbook for leaders who practise – or aspire to – the art of general management.
Buy the book
Buy the book

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