THE LEADERSHIP LESSONS OF… Malcolm Cannon


The new national director of IoD Scotland can draw on experience gained in sectors as diverse as pharma, fashion, property and beverages. The former CEO of Cricket Scotland discusses what leaders can learn from the sport, the value of serving as a non-exec and the importance of taking time out to recharge


Interview Marc Smith Photograph Susie Lowe


Listen to the people around you. My first taste of leadership came when I took the regular commissions board assessment used by the British Army. This was a tough [officer selection] test comprising a series of academic and physical challenges over three days. I was surrounded by veteran squaddies, one of whom told me: “Don’t assume you know the answers.” That has proved the most valuable advice I’ve ever received. Ultimately you have to make the decisions as a leader, but it’s important to seek everyone’s input first because the collective brain is better than the single brain.


Cash is king. Taking over an organisation that was in administration was the biggest challenge I’ve faced. In 2006 Hunter Boot was a famous 150-year-old brand that had over-extended itself with new product lines and markets. There was no cash and no credit rating. We had to sell containers of old stock just to keep the factory lights on. It was a hand-to-mouth existence during the first six months, but we got through it. With supportive banks that believed in our strategy, we repositioned the company to focus on high-street fashion. It was a fabulous learning experience.


Understanding risk and making contingency plans is incredibly important. It always has been, but it’s even more crucial in the current climate. I suspect that there’s never been a more challenging time for British companies to find any clarity and certainty.


Having big shoes to fill excites me. My predecessor at IoD Scotland, David Watt, did a fantastic job. The IoD is as impressive a brand as any I’ve worked with, so it’s a great privilege to be given guardianship of it. There is huge potential to help existing


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members develop their skills and to bring in many new members. There are some terrific businesses and leaders in Scotland. I’m very excited to be here.


Leaders can learn a few things from cricket. Take the value of patience, for instance. It’s important for a batsman to take time to work out the condition of the pitch, assess the qualities of the fielding side and get their eye in before trying any risky attacking shots. If you try to change things in a business as soon as you arrive, you can sometimes come a cropper.


‘There are some terrific businesses and leaders in Scotland. I’m very excited to be here’


Serving as a non-executive director is one of the best things to do with your spare time. It’s invaluable for observing other people’s leadership styles in particular. There is a huge spectrum of behavioural types on boards, from those who want to get involved in the detail of every decision to those who speak only when they see a problem. I hope that I mimic the best of the directors I’ve been lucky enough to have worked with.


Take every opportunity to stretch yourself. My dad was a civil engineer who grasped every chance that came his way for a new type of job. He spent much of his career in Africa, which is where I grew up. This is someone else’s quote, but it’s advice that I’d offer anyone: if you aren’t sure


that you can do something, do it anyway and then learn as you go. Don’t say no.


The harder you work, the higher the return. It’s no longer necessarily true that the more effort you put in, the more money you’ll make, but you will gain in other ways, be they new contacts, better opportunities, improved skills or something else altogether.


Giving back to society through a high-level role in sport remains on my bucket list. I’m fortunate to have run Cricket Scotland and I now sit on the board of Partick Thistle FC, but there are other ways in which I’d love to contribute. Sport can change lives. The thought that not all people are enjoying the benefits that I have had through sport – from mental and physical health to camaraderie and new networks – is my motivation. Every child should have that opportunity.


A good work-life balance is vital. I was fortunate to be selected for a leadership academy run by the International Cricket Council. One of the main things it taught was the so-called pyramid of recovery. This includes the simple recommendation that you: use all your annual leave; take at least one day off each quarter; have a day every month when you don’t have to make any decisions; take 15 minutes out of each day to do something unrelated to work; and do something that you really enjoy every week. Following these steps will recharge your batteries and help you feel that work hasn’t taken over your life. It’ll make you a more effective leader.


For further information about IoD Scotland, visit iod.com/scotland


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