On top of the world

Posted by Jon
Just back from APMP’s wonderful UK conference, amidst friends old and new. We sponsored the event in the form of a free copy for all delegates of ‘Proposal Essentials’, our recently-published book – more to follow on that here shortly! And I had great fun co-presenting a UK version of the “Fifty Shades of Great” presentation that BJ and I first gave at Bid & Proposal Con back in Atlanta in May.

We heard from Ken Newland, this year’s excellent CEO, that the UK chapter recently broke through the 1,000 members mark for the first time, and that we’re now the largest APMP chapter in the world. It feels like a long way from cajoling 18 people into a room in Reading back in 2001, when first setting up the association here!

The keynote speech came from Sir Clive Woodward, the esteemed former chief coach of England’s world cup winning rugby team, and then of the British Olympic Association in the run-up to London 2012. Amidst so much wise counsel, I scribbled down a few quotes which really stuck a chord:

• Great teams are made up of great individuals.
• Talent alone is not enough.
• What are the absolute things we must get right?
• If you come across a decision you’ve not thought through before, your chances of making the correct decision are low.
• What keeps me awake at night is that the person I’m competing against will have thought of something I haven’t.

Congratulations to all involved in organising the event. Next up for me, APMP-wise? A meeting helping to launch a Central European APMP chapter, in Budapest next week…