Andy Batty

The TV Licence pays for the BBC through paying a fee for the consumption of Live linearly delivered 'licenced' services - a short cut on the full definition, but sufficient. It is a worthwhile fee, but it is challenged in how the money is collected because it is as difficult to prove you don't need as to prove you need it. The approach taken to extract the fee is the problem caused by that very challenge. This is because the assumption taken by the collectors is that you MUST have a licence and you have to demonstrate you DON'T need one, which is done by sending threatening letters demanding the money with the threat (multiple letters) that you will be taken to court. This is worse now with the expansion to all live linear delivery because every platform pretty much does this now. This is the problem, which needs to be rectified but seemingly is not going to be, which is going to continue to destroy the BBC's reputation in the eyes of those who are sent those threatening letters. The BBC has no future in the eyes of generations of youth who are used to subscription services, and receive those letters.

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Delayed.... Is anyone really surprised at this point? Big Buisness rarely crosses the LD on time, despite the gobs and gobs of money we toss at them. Does anybody know how much of the higher Echelon maintenance is Manufacturer Only? We all know how helpful that always turns out to be. I'm betting its a bunch - calling it now: Historically things that would have been Organizational and Depot maintenance echelons will now be Manufacturer Only. (Don't want to void the one-way warranty.) User maintenance will consist of adding washer fluid, air freshener swap, adding cans of Beep for the horn and vacuuming. I hope all the simulators are fielded already...(said with a straight face) and let's hope the MTTs are robust and knowledgeable enough to get the various jobs done. Why am I concerned? Because, despite what a PPT slide or bright-eyed, confused project officer will tell you, the MTT schedules and fielding plans rarely line up in real life, and many folks are forced to "wing" (and break) things... Ground folks could learn much IRT defining, procuring, and fielding major end-items if we mimicked the ACE and / or Army Aviation a tad bit more. If you know, you know. https://lnkd.in/eJ5aFnuz

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These are the horrifying consequences when a culture of fear/psychological danger based on maximising short-term profit and shareholder value metastasises such that a) it cannibalises the purpose of the business; b) it endangers lives; c) it destroys employees’ lives; d) ironically but predictably shareholder value collapses and it jeopardises the long-term future of the company. The shareholders of Boeing and Spirit are understandably furious. The party is over. One might call it the wingtip of the iceberg. For every high profile financial and reputational disaster like this, many remain hidden. You know the old adage - the problem isn’t offending, it’s getting caught. Sadly too many people have that mentality. Jim Collins gives a clinical analysis of the 5 inevitable stages of organisational decline in ‘How the Mighty Fall’: 1) Hubris based on success - the arrogant, childish, deluded belief that we are cleverer than others, and therefore invincible. I call it Icarus Syndrome 2) The undisciplined pursuit of more 3) Denial of risk or peril 4) Grasping for salvation 5) Capitulation to irrelevance or business death. In a recent US study, employees ranked healthy culture as their No 1 requirement and compensation (money) as, wait for it, No 16. Yes, SIXTEEN!! The highest performing employees are the most insistent on a healthy culture. They will vote with their feet if it is not the main priority. This happened at a former employer I left twenty years ago, and long term decline has occurred. The business owner made a fortune personally and doubtless doesn’t care, but the company has failed to fulfil its potential. The exclusive pursuit of financial gain is corrupting. Everyone wins when you do the right things for the right reasons, including shareholders. It’s why I do what I do as a leader, coach and consultant.

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Actual footage of me crunching the new NPT DAF report numbers last night 🥵 It’s the biggest haul of DAF data every year and this year’s report contained some surprising, perplexing and exciting results - all in one 🤔 The numbers didn’t leave us with a crystal clear narrative on the state of the DAF market, so we did our best to highlight the biggest changes, and flag some possible explanations 🔎 Having gotten so deep into our own research on DAF data this year, I have a new appreciation for the challenges around this market and unexpected movements you see in any given year that are tough to explain 🤷🏼‍♂️ In any case, we are here, as always, to help distill the most relevant takeaways for the nonprofit sector 👨🏼‍🔬 We put together a top 10 takeaways list that will be published shortly (will put link in comments), but here are some that I’m paying closest attention to 👀 ➡️ Most surprising 😮 Contributions to DAFs have their biggest single year drop on record - 22% to $59 billion… While this might sound like a huge blow to DAFs, the market performed so well last year that total assets were still up 10% and sit at over $250 billion 💰 I have some theories on this one - maybe folks saw their DAF account investments performing so well they didn’t see as much need to add more contributions last year? Maybe they were letting their personal investment portfolio recover a bit from 2022 before giving more? 🧐 Either way, I’m surprised that folks didn’t take more advantage of appreciated assets to make large contributions to their DAFs in 2023. Maybe just means 2024 will end up being a big swing the other direction! ➡️ Most perplexing 😵‍💫 The number of accounts were basically flat YoY at 1.8 million.. but the prior year figures were revised materially without a footnote on what changed in the methodology … This is perplexing to me because most indications have been that DAFs are rising in popularity - from providers we work with, from nonprofits receiving their gifts, etc. 🌟 Personally, I feel like the real trends are obscured by something funky in the data on this one… maybe what I’m sensing from the market will be better captured in next year’s report 💎 ➡️ Most exciting 🎉 Despite, these unexpected changes, the most important thing to nonprofits is that grant-making remained steady and greatly elevated from 2019 figures 💸 We talk all the time about how DAFs change a donor giving psychology - making them less inhibited with giving since funds are pre-committed to philanthropy ⚡️ So in a year when people were funding their accounts so much less, but still making the same grant volume as the year prior, that’s a very positive sign as to the valuable role DAFs will play in philanthropy for many years to come 🪨 Let me know what your biggest “a ha” moments or head scratchers were from the report. I’m excited to get into it 🙏🏼 #nonprofit #fundraising #philanthropy

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Interesting times! In my conversations with senior folk from the rail industry over recent weeks, the general consensus seems to be that we are impressed by the momentum that Louise is generating, with her mantra of 'move fast and fix things' ... and she certainly does appear to be doing both! 👏 What will be interesting to keep an eye on is the impact of this pay deal on train driver numbers; the average age of a train driver in the UK is 48 and many of the current driver community are expected to retire in the next five years. I'm wondering to what extent receiving a lump sum in terms of backpay, and a higher salary on which to base the 'final salary' pension payment will potentially accelerate retirement plans? The statistics above had led to concerns about a shortage of train drivers, and prompted the previous Government to propose lowering the minimum age requirement to attract more young people in to the role. This went to consultation on 16 May 2024, and closed on 13 June 2024. What happens next? https://lnkd.in/gibRx5g7.

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I’m sad, very sad, to say I have to agree with the below post and article. As a loyal British Airways customer (finally reaching gold last year!) despite rising prices and lowering standards, and a terrible response to my recent flight delay compensation claim, I’m confused and saddened by the changes recently announced. I don’t feel valued and it’s impacting now on my loyalty for sure. I can fly to London from Inverness nearly half the price with easyJet. I’ll give it a go. I so want to be a proud and loyal customer of our national airline. I’ve met some incredible BA colleagues - especially on my last trip back from Malaysia with pneumonia - they really showed they care. The crews I’ve met travelling to and from London and Inverness have been amazing. I will miss them when the reality of no more Exec Club and hard earned brilliant “basic” gold benefits expire. It’s not their fault I don’t feel valued. Interesting times ahead. Customer loyalty - how do you ensure your customers feel happier and better as a result of doung business with you? How to you design and deliver your customers experiences to ensure they feel valued, capable and liked? Have a read anyway - as Mark says, it will be a great case study for future business study students! (At least something good might come from it afterall?) #customerloyalty #customerhappiness #valued #customerexperience #loyalty #businesscasestudy

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Whatever else is said about today’s #Budget, I can’t believe that we are in 2024 and this is the first time that it will be delivered by a woman. Worth looking at the long, long list of past Chancellors of the Exchequor - going back to 1559! - and reflecting on the fact that until today we have not had a female Chancellor. This is why we need to keep the focus on #EEDI - there are so many glass ceilings needing to be smashed. #EquityEqualityDiversityAndInclusion https://lnkd.in/e2ughfYz

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If BA thinks it's doing itself any favours by justifying the pulling out of routes because they are 'not as viable as others', they are sorely mistaken. As a directly affected party who's family members have forked out an additional £600 to fly with an alternative airline on a 17 hour trip (per leg - as opposed to the approx., 12 hour direct flight each way that they originally purchased with BA) from LHR to KLIA, due to BA not reintroducing it's much trumpeted service into the Malaysian market this November - we will not be looking to fly with them again, even if they do eventually start flights. Not least, because by their own admission, the axed KL route (along with the many others affected) is clearly not 'important' enough to them. Difficult to trust any airline that publicly denigrates destinations to this extent. And, this is not the first time that a KL route has been cancelled by BA, it's the second time in the recent past. More a case of twice bitten thrice shy. The way they have handled these cancellations could not have been more brand destroying. This latest dismal chapter, added to the recent damning press coverage of their extreme cost cutting of several food and beverage services, really is the icing on the cake. I just learned yesterday that another family member is being refused a £300+ refund for a cancelled European flight with BA. I can only assume that there are countless hundreds, if not thousands, of other affected BA customers who have reached the end of their tether. They deserve everything they have coming for them - BA, not the customers - when so many other airlines outperform them on virtually every level, it begs the question of how much longer their business model (if it can be called one/or have one) is viable. As it stands, they appear hell bent on hammering the nails into their own coffin. And, while they're busy hammering away; cancelling routes, cutting back on services, alienating customers - the long term reputational damage to the brand and loss of clientele are incalculable.

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If Labour want growth, then they should allow and encourage an increase in runways in the South East, starting with Heathrow which has bounced back from COVID and is almost at full capacity again. Aviation is a key driver of economic growth and only contributes 2.5% of CO2 emissions, and yet the loony eco-terrorists have made it one of their biggest targets. https://lnkd.in/e45FHKRn

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Where do we fly to/from? Around 170m people have passed through the UK's main airports in the first 8 months of the year on international flights. The chart shows for these airports the split of passengers between EU and non-EU destinations. For most airports around 90% of passengers are travelling to and from the EU, even in the case of Stansted which is the fourth busiest. Manchester and Gatwick have just over 30% of their international passengers travelling outside the EU, but only Heathrow is the truly global UK airport. The USA, Turkey and the UAE are the largest non-EU markets. Spain is by far the largest EU market, in fact more people have flown to the Canary Islands than Germany so far this year. #Jacobseconomics Split of international passengers by EU and non-EU - Jan-Aug 2024

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Frequent leisure flyers - how many - how many flights? The latest Office for National Statistics National Travel Attitudes Study surveyed people in England about how many foreign trips they had taken in the past 12 months. Nearly half of those surveyed had made no such trips while 2% had made over five. While not all foreign trips are undertaken by plane, 91% of those surveyed, who had travelled abroad, had taken a plane. Assuming that the characteristics of those who travel abroad by different modes of transport is the same in terms of frequency of trips we can determine the proportion of flights that are made by frequent leisure flyers. 20% of respondents made just one trip and accounted for 14% of all flights taken. While the 2% who made more than 5 flights accounted for 16% of total leisure flights. Just 9% of the population make 40% of all leisure flights. When asked about the likelihood of future trips abroad, 30% stated they were unlikely to make such a trip over the next 12 months. Of those 1% stated they were unlikely to travel for environmental reasons. #Jacobseconomics Proportion of people in England who have made trips abroad in last 12 months by frequency of trips, and proportion of total trips made by frequency of trip

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Accountability issues and Brexit. One day they may or may not blame Augustus Gloop but the people will still be paying for these mistakes that have led to gross economic fallout for the region. Small businesses and those without handouts cannot afford a day of late shipments or delays at the border. They cannot invest to build a warehouse, let alone hire a 'red tape team' for 'red tape' approaches such as these. This is not disruption, but nihilism. Brexit caused more damage than all terror acts to date, combined. #Sustainability #Adaptability #Accountability #Trust #Issues #Brexit #FragilityAtScale

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Brexit's impact on UK businesses, particularly Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), has been profound and far-reaching. The consequences have reverberated throughout various sectors, causing significant disruptions and issues. A staggering 90% of businesses have reported facing supply chain disruption since the end of the transition period. This has been particularly acute for SMEs, which often lack resources to navigate complex new regulations and trade barriers. #redtape #FragilityAtScale Economic repercussions: • Investment and Growth: By 2035, the UK could have 32% lower investment and be £311 billion worse off compared to remaining in the EU. • Job Losses: Financial services sector alone may have lost 7,000 jobs. Total impact likely larger, with estimates of up to 300,000 fewer workers in the UK. #labour #participation  Inflation and Cost of Living: Recent data shows significant impact: • Goldman Sachs (February 2024): Brexit directly responsible for UK economy growing 5% less since 2016 vote, costing around £1,000 per household. • LSE: Brexit paperwork on food products costs typical UK household additional £250 per year. • September 2024: HCI inflation rate 2.0% for all UK households. Private renters highest at 3.0%, mortgagors 2.6%, high-income households 2.5%. • Centre for European Reform: 2021-2022 shortfall in economic performance led to £40 billion tax revenue loss. Automotive sector faces potential devastation due to increased tariffs and trade barriers. Aviation industry changes: • Removal of fifth freedom rights • Increased costs, reduced route flexibility • Higher airfreight costs, impacting food security Food/drink industry severely affected by new customs checks. Agriculture sees reduced exports, higher import costs. SMEs disproportionately affected: • 18% revenue drop for affected businesses • Increased difficulties accessing finance and navigating regulations Small businesses cannot afford late shipments or border delays. They lack resources for warehouses or 'red tape teams', highlighting the need for #Adaptability. Long-term impact: By 2035, UK economy will, at current run rate, be 10.1% smaller than if it remained in EU. EU's muted response risks missing opportunity to highlight membership benefits and deter future exits. (reinforce brand value of the EU) #Accountability issues persist. The economic fallout for the region raises questions of responsibility and #Trust. Brexit's damage surpasses that of all terror acts calculated to date, combined, necessitating a reevaluation of #Sustainability in economic policies. As UK grapples with Brexit reality, businesses must #adapt to remain competitive globally. Willem Knaap Ann Rutledge James M. (Mel) Rockefeller #Brexit #Issues #Sustainability #Adaptability #Accountability #Trust

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# Lessons from the Pitch: Staying Grounded in Success Today, I came across a powerful quote from Ange Postecoglou, manager of Tottenham Hotspur, after a recent loss: "The problem is we are travelling along too smoothly, football and life will trip you up if you get too far ahead of yourself." These words resonated deeply with me, not just in the context of sports, but in our professional and personal lives as well. ## The Danger of Complacency It's easy to get caught up in our successes, especially when things are going well. We start to feel invincible, thinking we've got it all figured out. But as Postecoglou reminds us, this is precisely when we're most vulnerable. ## Staying Grounded in Success This doesn't mean we shouldn't celebrate our wins or feel confident in our abilities. Rather, it's about maintaining perspective and humility: 1. Embrace continuous learning 2. Prepare for setbacks 3. Stay adaptable 4. Appreciate the journey, not just the destination ## The Bigger Picture In our careers and personal lives, it's crucial to remember that success is rarely a smooth, upward trajectory. There will be ups and downs, unexpected challenges, and moments that force us to reassess and grow. By staying grounded and focused on the process rather than just the outcome, we build resilience and set ourselves up for sustainable, long-term success. What are your thoughts on this? How do you stay grounded during periods of success in your career or personal life? Share your experiences in the comments below! #ProfessionalGrowth #LeadershipLessons #Resilience #SuccessMindset

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Drawing inspiration from the world of sports, the concept of 'marginal gains' is an analogy that can be used in aviation sustainability. As pointed out by UK Aviation Minister Mike Kane at easyJet's recent 'Roadmap to Net Zero' event, small, incremental improvements can lead to significant advancements over time. This philosophy needs to be applied to decarbonising the aviation sector without sacrificing growth or ambition. #Sustainability #Innovation #Aviation #MarginalGains https://lnkd.in/ebBxj69C

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Great news! I am please to say that I have been nominated for the Military Values in Business award by the British Ex-Forces in Business Awards. It looks like a tough field given some of the other nominees but it's exciting times for Spot Ship and me! Applying military values to Spot Ship has been one of the things that has really supercharged us as a company and given us a huge competitive edge; enabling us to iterate, develop and deploy software that is more accurate and more user centric in an increasingly competitive space. There's no stopping Spot Ship, and James will testify to the brilliance of applying the manoeuvrist approach to business, delegating until you feel uncomfortable and then delegating some more, and applying levels of trust to the team that you wouldn't see in many other companies. Results are mid June, but just to be nominated is fantastic. Fingers crossed for the big day but the real prize is running a company of fulfilled, engaged and driven people in an industry where we can have an enormous impact on the world! #startuplife #growth #values #trust #team #people #maritime #military #veteran #shipping

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That Time Our COO Accidentally Dated Iggy Azelea, Owned A Yacht, And Became An Multimillionaire Playboy Overnight... When Mark Brightman was a tour manager he once found himself at the centre of a media speculation storm - photos of Iggy Azalea and her team on a day off sparked misperceptions and online rumours about their personal lives and his financial status, leading to a barrage of hateful comments for them both… ‘Typical, she acts like she’s street but dates the rich guy with a yacht...’ ‘Who even IS that? Some Russian hedge fund guy?’ ‘Nah, he's probably a trust-fund kid spending Daddy’s money on celebrity hook-ups.’ ‘I mean c'mon, look at his ridiculous beard...’ (ok I made that one up sorry Mark) While largely amusing for him (less so for his partner) the experience shed light on the challenges celebrities - and indeed brands - face in managing public perception, dealing with online criticism, and navigating assumptions, such as..... Perception Vs Reality - Snap judgments were made on superficial factors when they were being least curated. It's impossible to manage 'brand image' all the time, but perhaps cultivating authentic and honest core values, objectives and relationships can help mitigate potentially damaging perceptions. Personal & Professional Identities - Maintaining clear boundaries between them can avoid confusion and ensure consistency, especially where - like celebrities or founders - the 'brand' is often an extension of your personality, and the professional can inevitably blur with the personal. The Power of Associations - While the incident was funny among friends, for anyone 'public facing' the associations they make are highly impactful. So, it's essential to have teams and partnerships that align with your values and goals. As the saying goes, ‘Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas, and possibly a beard.’ Challenges & Opportunities - Despite the potential to have exploited this sudden attention, Mark quickly squashed rumours and revealed his real identity. Challenges present an opportunity to develop character and resilience, and by handling it professionally he strengthened his reputation and built further trust with his clients. Authenticity in Adversity - Responding authentically and transparently to criticism can often turn negative situations into opportunities for growth, improvement and even increased trust. Mark maintained a dignified silence to the personal criticism, refused to indulge the petty speculation, and also kept his beard, revealing true strength of character. (Alright I overplayed the beard joke, but you know the old comedy adage 'repeat until funny'.... but I'm also hoping to show in real-time the authenticity and character thing. Relōku has many exciting developments on the horizon, and we're welcoming brand-aligned partners to join us - feel free to get in touch.)

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Well done Road Haulage Association (RHA) & NaVCIS for highlighting the issue. This is a serious issue in our industry and we need to protect our drivers. As the report mentioned, it does not only have a financial impact and reputational damage to the company, it has far wider reaching consequences such as drivers health and wellbeing. We need more secure parking areas across Britain's motorways. Multiprotexion S.r.l. is doing there bit to keep drivers and cargo safe by incorporating robust locking systems, alarms and 24/7 active monitoring to reduce these sorts of crimes. #RHA #NaVCIS #Multiprotexion #SecureParking #ParkSafe

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SO WE COME TO CRUNCH DAY My old mate, Tom Scullion, recently wrote, "People will never forget the 14 years of Conservative failure and misery.” We all know that's the Labour rhetoric but since 2010, when Cameron won the most seats but fell short of the magical 326 seats to have an overall majority and did a deal with Clegg's 57 seats to form a coalition government...the Conservatives have gone to the people 4 times: in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019 and have been re-elected every time...with the last one gaining almost a record majority of 80 seats. So, for the first 9 years the false rhetoric of, 'Failure & Misery', can be chucked into the dustbin where it belongs…except perhaps for those who lost the EU vote…and who might remain embittered…but that’s democracy. However, in the last 5 years, we have been ravaged by COVID-19, which sprang out of nowhere as we celebrated the New Year in 2020 and took over 7 million lives worldwide with over 230k of those lives being British. If that wasn’t enough, in February 2022, just as the world, led by British scientists, who were the first to produce a viable vaccine, was recovering from the biggest biological disaster since the Spanish Flu (1918-1920) and Bubonic Plague (1346-1353), the Russians invaded Ukraine and cut off their energy supply to the Western World… This almost immediately triggered rapid worldwide inflation, which in turn triggered all the Western countries, who operate a ‘Monetary Policy’ system, to aggressively raise interest rates, which in Britain ‘base rate’ was less than 1%, to dampen demand…which it most certainly has done. These two events: ‘Covid’ and the ‘Invasion of Ukraine’, were Global events and not of the Conservatives’ doing…and certainly not Rishi’s doing! He was the Chancellor who adopted a policy of ‘Furlough’: picking up the tab of 80% of a huge list of small business types’ payrolls, spending £70b of British taxpayers' money but saving both jobs and the majority of those small businesses. So, to today…what a dangerous travesty it would be to throw the baby out with the bath water and step into the unknown when we have a perfectly able Captain at the Helm who has only had 20 months to do his stuff since being promoted from ‘Navigator’ to ‘Captain’ on the 25 October 2022.

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