Alex Shacklock
Director
Avid hat wearer and coffee obsessive, most often seen reading the latest thought leadership book with a strong black Americano in hand!
Background
Alex joined theGrogroup following a successful professional career in top ten firms, and is an experienced performance improvement consultant in key areas of Culture, Leadership, Business Development and Commerciality. He constantly strives to find ways to maximise the impact we have with clients which means he loves to experiment and innovate.
In 2017 his book “Firm Principles: Simple Guidelines for Winning Professional Services firms” was published, which was designed to be a playbook to help firms develop an approach to drive better performance based on our collective experience with a wide range of clients.
Alex is in demand as a consultant for firms who wish to transform their current approach and culture into a modern, forward thinking and client centric ethos.
Q&A with Alex
What’s your superpower?
I would say that I have an ability to make other people feel better about themselves, feel included and supported. I think my superpower is being very human.
What’s your greatest achievement to date?
It is easy to focus on key milestones, awards and wins but I’m going to look beyond that. I took a huge risk fairly early in my career by taking a leap of ‘passion’ – from a management position with a clear ‘role’ and established path to partner to ‘national learning and development manager’ with no job description, no team and no real plan. The first few years were tough and at times very lonely, but I managed to build my own expertise, create a proposition and brand that delivered real value and work with the senior executive team. I am very proud that I still talk to people to this very day who have gone on to build exceptional careers and who still refer back to their experiences with the RSM Tenon Academy with genuine gratitude.
What mistake taught you the most?
I had become very frustrated with a lack of personal recognition for my performance and results and felt that I was not being backed to progress to Director level. On submitting my application for promotion to a senior partner I was told “Oh, so you want this? Why haven’t you pushed before as you have been ready for a long time now? We could really do with you interacting at the very top levels… but didn’t think you wanted it ”’.
This taught me that it is rare to find someone who is going to take your hand and pull you along. You need to push yourself by being clear on your value and the contribution that you can make.
Who are your role models?
Alex, an Italian Barista in a local coffee shop. Consistently positive, always exceptionally friendly, he genuinely lights up life for his customers – and he remembers everybody’s name! And my daughter Rosana – born at 24 weeks. A pure fighter, an absolute beacon of light and the quirkiest person I know. The world would be a better place if people were more Rosie!
Are there aliens?
I think there are already a fair amount living and interacting with us on a daily basis! I am all for diversity though…
Favourite quote
“Be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a highway, just be a trail. If you can’t be a sun, be a star. For it isn’t by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are” -Martin Luther King, Jr.
