Uncategorised

What 2025 Taught Me About Focus, Clarity, and Leading My Own Business It’s been a while since I’ve sensed so many people ready for a break as Christmas approaches – a sign that it has been a stretching year for companies of all sizes.  A Demanding Year As a business owner, there is rarely a complete switch-off. But creating some quiet space to review how 2025 has measured up against the optimism we all started the year with feels invaluable. More so than ever in Q4, I’ve found myself leaving conversations and coaching sessions asking a simple question: Am I following my own guidance?  The honest answer is striking; not as well as I could be.  Honesty with yourself is crucial as a leader if you want to maximise both your business and your personal potential.  Setting the Direction for 2026 So, where has that reflection taken me as we head into the final weeks of the year, and towards a much more focused 2026?  All the products Melior Esse delivers, and the plans for next year, align. I don’t feel as though I’m suddenly chasing every shiny new idea. However, the breadth of conversations and solutions I hope to continue into the spring does risk creating a confusing message for people encountering our work for the first time.  With that in mind, I invested in developing a marketing strategy for next year with the wonderful Chelsea Spencer at Big Reputation. Not because I can’t do it, but because I can’t do it as well as someone who specialises in it. Chelsea views my business through a different lens, and that perspective is absolutely worth the investment.  What’s become very clear through this process is that the core purpose of Melior Esse, and how we truly help clients, risks being lost in the noise of how we deliver it.  Yes, we develop leadership skills. Yes, at times that crosses into management skills. Yes, we help identify senior leadership talent. Yes, we support founders navigating the often-daunting responsibilities that come with growth. Yes, sometimes we simply coach (although the sessions are never simple!) And yes, sometimes we just listen while someone untangles their thinking.  Refocusing the Business The umbrella over all of this is our desire to be your chosen partner in developing and executing a clear strategy for how you lead your business and help you ensure you nurture others to share the leadership space with you.   Above all else, we partner with you.   We don’t want to just sell you leadership programmes; we adapt our approach to your business, staying focused on closing the leadership and succession gaps that matter most.  Who holds the key roles? How do you ensure they have the skills to carry the vision, leadership and execution, in a way you trust and ultimately depend on? And how do you avoid feeling like the lone conductor of the orchestra?  Everything in our strategy for next year needs to align with this partnership approach. Our messaging needs sharp clarity to reflect this. I haven’t done that well enough this year, so next year we strive to be better.   So now, alongside enjoying Christmas with wonderful family and friends, I’ll be stealing some quiet time to ensure this is shaped into a clear communications and marketing strategy for 2026. I have a feeling I may be talking to Chelsea again soon.  Have a great festive period.  Vince 

Most of us have heard the term “Accidental Manager.” It’s what happens when someone is promoted because they’re great at doing, not necessarily because they’ve been supported to lead.  It’s a familiar story: A brilliant operator steps up, suddenly responsible for people, decisions, and culture. They do their best, they care deeply, but the shift from managing work to leading people is a big one.  That’s where the real opportunity lies.  From Accidental to Intentional The step from manager to leader isn’t about working harder or knowing more. It’s about thinking differently – learning to zoom out, listen, and see how all the moving parts connect.  It’s moving from “How do I get this done?” to “How do I enable others to get it done well?”  The truth is, the people already in your business often have everything they need to become exceptional leaders.  They just need the right support to bring it to the surface.  Why It Matters When we develop leaders with intention: Teams become more confident and capable.  The business becomes calmer, more consistent, and more resilient.  Senior leaders gain time to focus on the bigger picture. This isn’t about fixing problems; it’s about building the next generation of leadership from within.  Because the strongest leadership cultures don’t happen by accident. They’re built deliberately, one empowered leader at a time.  Don’t Settle for Accidental Leaders  At the heart of the Operational Excellence Accelerator is one simple idea: Your next great leader is already here.  We help you equip them with the mindset, confidence, and emotional intelligence to lead with purpose, so you can focus on the future, knowing your business is in safe hands.  Because leadership, done intentionally, changes everything. 

How To Build Future-Ready Leaders As World of Learning 2025 (7–8 October, Birmingham) approaches, one question keeps echoing in boardrooms:  What happens when your managers aren’t ready to lead?  Most businesses prepare for financial risk, technology shifts, or market disruption. Yet the greatest risk to long-term stability often comes from something closer to home: leadership gaps.  When a senior leader exits without a succession plan, businesses default to firefighting. Confidence slips. Teams drift. Culture weakens. The organisation becomes reactive, not resilient.  And here’s the irony: the next generation of leaders is already within your business.  The “They’re Not Ready Yet” Trap  One of the most common beliefs I hear from boards is, “They’re not ready yet.”  The truth? Readiness isn’t fixed. It’s developed.  With targeted coaching, commercial awareness, and emotional intelligence, managers can transition into the leaders you need. What holds them back isn’t capability, it’s a lack of support.  Emotional Intelligence: The Differentiator  Technical skill will take a manager so far. At the senior level, the real differentiator is emotional intelligence (EQ): the ability to read people, adapt, and build trust.  That’s why the Operational Excellence Accelerator includes EQ 360 analysis. It goes beyond self-perception to show leaders how they are seen by peers, teams, and stakeholders. Those insights are often the turning point where blind spots are revealed, and a roadmap for growth is unlocked.  What’s at Stake? Failing to grow internal leaders costs more than lost opportunity.   It creates:  Burnout for owners and directors who stay stuck at the centre of every decision.  Frustration and turnover as talent walks out.  Market share erosion as agility fades.  A leadership vacuum that destabilises the whole organisation.  But when you invest in developing managers into emotionally intelligent leaders, everything shifts:  Boards gain confidence in their pipeline.  Owners regain time and headspace.  Staff feel empowered, not micromanaged.  The business becomes stronger through change.  From Firefighting to Future-Ready  The Operational Excellence Accelerator was built for this transition.   It is not classroom theory or off-the-shelf training; it is a tailored journey that develops managers into leaders, with EQ at its core.  The truth is this: your future leaders are already here; they just need the right support.  If you’re at World of Learning this October, come and find us. If not, and succession planning is on your agenda, let’s talk about making leadership less of a gamble and more of a strategy. 

I’m thrilled to share that our flagship leadership programme, the Operational Excellence Accelerator, has now been officially CPD accredited earning participants 70.5 hours of recognised professional development upon completion.  It’s a big moment for Melior Esse, and one I’ve taken a little time to reflect on.  When we first launched the Accelerator, it was because we saw a gap: too many operational managers were being overlooked for senior leadership not because they lacked potential, but because they hadn’t been given the opportunity to develop the strategic thinking, commercial acumen and board-level confidence that senior roles demand.  Since then, the programme has grown used by national firms, SMEs and individual leaders alike, and now, with CPD accreditation behind it, it carries formal recognition of its quality, impact and rigour.  Why CPD Matters  CPD accreditation isn’t just a badge, it’s reassurance.   For L&D leaders, HR teams, and business owners, it signals that the learning within the Accelerator is structured, measurable and valuable.  But more than that, it levels the playing field.   It means that the senior operational leaders taking this course now walk away with something tangible, something that reflects the depth of their development journey and supports their ongoing professional growth.  And for us at Melior Esse, it means the work we do, developing better leaders one manager at a time, is now officially recognised at a national standard.  What next?  We’ll be shouting about this over the next few weeks, and rightly so. It’s taken months of hands-on delivery, client feedback, and constant refinement to build a programme that feels this strong, and I’m proud that we now have the accreditation to match.  If you’re leading a team, looking at succession planning, or wondering how to prepare your next wave of board-level talent, the Accelerator may be what you’re looking for.  Drop us a message, or check it out here. Here’s to helping more people lead with confidence and take their seat at the table.  Vince Hannant  Founder & CEO, Melior Esse 

I’m really pleased to share the launch of a brand-new platform that Melior Esse is proud to be part of, Grypd – a fresh, innovative take on e-learning for modern businesses. Over the past year, I’ve had the pleasure of watching this project come to life, spearheaded by Chloe, Sam and the Grypd team, 26 experts and contributors deep, all focused on the same mission; to bring connection back to e-learning. This has been a labour of love for everyone involved and it shows. Why Grypd Matters We speak with leaders every day who are grappling with how best to support, motivate and upskill their teams. Grypd is built with that exact challenge in mind. From leadership development and communication to wellbeing and team building, the platform offers a depth of practical content designed for real workplaces and real people. And that’s where our paths aligned. At Melior Esse, we work with organisations to embed operational excellence through behaviour, mindset, and leadership. Grypd offers a dynamic, accessible environment for businesses to reinforce those behaviours day-to-day, creating consistency across teams at scale. We’ll be contributing our own learning content to the platform, sharing insights from the Operational Excellence Accelerator and our work with leadership teams across the UK. We’re genuinely excited to see how our voice can support Grypd’s growing community and impact. Looking Ahead The platform is now live; take a look around at grypd.co.uk and let us know what you think. If you’re leading a team, or responsible for L&D in your organisation, Grypd is well worth a look. A huge well done to the Grypd team on the launch, and thanks again for inviting us along for the journey. Here’s to helping more people lead well, live well, and work better. Vince Hannant, CEO & Founder, Melior Esse

A very proud day to be writing a blog about Melior Esse’s new partnership with Notion and their STAR® Manager product range. We are proud to be associated with such an effective product and organisation, and proud that they see the synergy between our approach to leadership training and the Melior Esse Operational Excellence Accelerator product. Our Inspiration Many leadership and coaching books contain nuggets of wisdom and guidance that stay with us for life. These nuggets help us reframe our thoughts in moments of leadership challenge that we use to help us stop and think about our responses to situations and people. They help us bring consistency to our leadership proposition, but rarely does a book give you an approach that you can wholly adopt in your organisation, regardless of its purpose. I have never read a book from cover to cover as quickly as “The Answer is a Question.” So much of it resonates with my own beliefs in how to lead others effectively. I’ve finally found a book that documented my style of coaching leadership,  through Operational Coaching®, or at the least what I’ve aspired to! There is enough theory and research to support the approach, but what makes the book so effective is the practicality it offers in how to apply the principles. You can start a mini-revolution in the workplace. You don’t need to rely on the leadership of your boss or others around you to be effective in using the principles, and you don’t need to change your organisation’s culture overnight to accelerate the productivity of your team. Operational Excellence Accelerator The Operational Excellence Accelerator is the product of Richard Woods asking me a simple question, “Why don’t you teach people how to do what you do?” Fantastic question which then got me thinking about how to even answer that! Six months later the programme was born, and Module Six was dedicated to getting the best out of your people; accelerating performance whilst maintaining motivation. I then bumped into Laura and Dominic’s team promoting their book at a Business Expo. I knew from the moment I saw the philosophy of the approach they recommended that my Module Six had to contain a reference to it. I’m delighted they were open to a conversation and saw the value in progressing us to where we are today. Vince Hannant, CEO & Founder, Melior Esse   We’re thrilled that STAR® Manager aligns exactly with the outcomes you want to help others generate.  We look forward to working with you to help make the Operational Excellence Accelerator a leader in the field!!  Dominic Ashley-Timms, CEO, Notion

A recent article that we had the pleasure of writing for Aptem– who produce innovative technology products that support the delivery of complex, regulated skills and employability programmes. https://www.aptem.co.uk/aptem-news/how-operations-optimisation-can-benefit-vocational-training-providers/ Everybody in your organisation has some part to play in operations optimisation, and in my experience, it is rarely addressed in silos, you need a helicopter view of your operation, and you need an understanding of all the interdependencies. Lack of focus in one or more of the following areas may impact the progress of efficiency where you have invested.  Here are some thoughts on key areas to approach. Operating margins Understanding the operating margins of each of your products is critical. Have a strict baseline of what resource is needed to support the good delivery of product, both people costs and software/product costs of the delivery materials. Every delivery intervention costs, no matter how small, and at times you may be pressured to alter your model to meet client demands. Understand if it is core and necessary or a luxury. Scope creep costs money. Also, be clear to understand how your product scales. Some unit economics don’t increase exponentially with volume, but some will. Do not fall into the revenue trap of thinking that increased learner numbers, and therefore profit, means you can afford to add more into your programme. If someone suggests adding a workshop, or site delivered instead of remote session, to a programme you should instinctively have a feel for what this would do to profitability. Knowing your margins ensures that you can make considered decisions for clients when they ask you to flex your product. Do not be driven solely by, “we must, or we will lose the business”. Central overheads Understand the minimum operating requirement and how it scales for each of your supporting functions such as quality, finance, administration operations, learner support, compliance etc. Define ratios of how much of each service you need by volume of learners. Make decisions of increasing or decreasing the team based on this model, not on emotional decisions of people’s capacity. You cannot service 2000 learners with a back office of 4, but equally, don’t over-recruit due to inefficiency of the system or individuals. Be clear on what it should cost to run your service optimally and then manage this. With clarity on your product margins, you will understand how much money you have available to contribute to your central costs. If the maths does not add up, it is sensible to revisit your product models, otherwise you will create a constant squeeze on the administration side of your operation of never quite feeling you have enough time or staff. Be clear on investment risk vs reward It can be easy to get excited about potential improvement change. New solutions come to market, new technology is always emerging, sometimes a competitor will introduce something that a client may pressure you to include in your offer. At face value, everyone can get caught up in what seems to be an exciting opportunity for improvement that will delight your customers. It may well be the right thing to do, but we urge you to go back to basics when making your decision to invest in development and be sure where your return is coming from. Sometimes it is necessary to add a feature to stay competitive, and in other situations you will be providing added value that you can charge for. Be clear on expectations – which should be based on more than a hunch, as to whether an enhancement is going to erode or improve your margin. Start with the learner experience Start with the learner experience when defining your operating processes. Put the learner experience at the heart of every decision. Have we said that enough? No apologies for reinforcing it. A poor learner experience turns a potentially good product into a bad one. Do not allow the functionality of a system, or the voice of a single department to outweigh balanced input from all. Put yourself in the shoes of learner when reviewing new processes before you implement changes. Limited touch points, maximum effect is what you need to strive for. The more you do right first time, and do well, the less inefficiency and duplication you will have to tolerate. Your learners do not care for the limitations caused by systems, governance, or funding rules. They want to get on with their learning and interact with your company smoothly at each touchpoint. Responsibility and accountability How many meetings have you been in where you’ve all agreed what needs to be done, but two weeks later the action is still hanging there unaddressed? How many times have you been frustrated that you know what department is responsible for something, but not what individual in that department? It seems the simplest thing to define, but so many organisations fail to define who should do what at a granular level. Define the responsibilities and accountabilities for every step in your processes. Nominate one person every time, wherever you can, and you will minimise the endless email chains when people try and resolve difficulties and will have a higher, quicker consistent resolution rate. We find working through a RACI definition process adds tremendous value. The concept may be nearly 70 years old, but there is a reason it has lasted the test of time and many evolutions in business processes. We often find that although most of the time the process re-affirms who does what, it always uncovers ambiguity to be quickly resolved. This process of course also focuses on Inform and Consult for every action, which helps improve your general communications channels and plans. Process definition and implementation – inclusion There are many approaches to defining process, and I dare say you probably know a Six Sigma (or equivalent) qualified individual, so I would not use this space to try and tell you all the options to find the right approach for your business. However, if my decades in the change implementation

Is it ever too early to throw people into responsibility and test their leadership skills? What are the early signs of the leaders of the future? We all know that we learn most by doing, so when is the right time to take risks by giving responsibility?  I have been pondering these questions recently after having had two separate conversations in the last couple of weeks with companies looking to have more effective succession planning. Leon Flint We are very proud to sponsor Leon, the current British U19 and U21 Speedway Champion. Leon is captain of one of the teams he races for, Berwick Bandits, despite being the youngest in the team at only 20 years old. I was delighted when he put some time aside between meetings, whilst he was overnight in Poland, to answer a few questions about his leadership journey and ambitions. Unsurprisingly, some things stood out in that conversation that directly apply to the business world, in particular, the importance of role models, a team first mentality and a desire to almost invite pressure to thrive in performance. The full interview can be read here. Role Models Leon citied his rugby captain father as his earliest influence. He remembers watching his dad’s motivational speeches to the team to rally them into a cohesive unit before matches. This set the tone for how Leon wanted to live his life, how he wanted to contribute. He has then locked on to the positive role models he has seen and worked with within Speedway to ensure he is constantly in the company of people that will show him how to behave and perform better. He clearly has a fond respect for certain individuals that he looks up to and a hungry desire to keep learning and improving his craft. In business we undoubtedly need role models. Leaders cast a constant and impactful shadow across all that they have the privilege to guide. In fact, I’m not sure the need for role models ever disappears, there is always something to learn from every new situation, and even senior leaders have mentors as they progress successfully through their management career. Team First Leon’s passion to see his team succeed comes through in nearly every answer. In fact, when I asked him about the legacy he wishes to leave behind in Speedway when his career is over, which he shouldn’t even be considering at such a young age, he was quick to say that he was more concerned about having made a difference and helped others to succeed than he was about achieving personal glory. Don’t get me wrong, he desperately wants to be a winner, but he gets as much enjoyment from leading others to their best and shared glory as he does is own success. We are told from the early days in business that there is no “I” in team, but how many people truly lead with their team at the heart of their thinking ? It is a difficult skill when we are faced with so many important challenges and decisions that we have to make as leaders. Trying to remember at every turn and junction what the contribution, impact and emotion is for each individual takes practice and focus to achieve, and effort, but the best leaders are born with an innate ability to do this almost without thinking. Pressure No one goes into leadership because they want an easy life. Leon said “I always liked the pressure of going out and doing everything I could to take the pressure off everyone else”. This was as a teenager! He has only just turned 20. Leaders thrive on stepping up in tough situations. They take as much enjoyment from bringing cohesion to people’s activity as they do from seeing the end result. They often actually work better when there is more at stake. This is not something I believe is nurtured; this is innate within our DNA. You either feel comfortable with responsibility or not. So When is Right? I don’t think age comes into the decision so much for me. I’ve worked with some people who are way more mature at 20 than others are at 30. Look for the signs I’ve highlighted above. Especially look out for how people behave with their peers in team meeting or project scenarios, look for the ones who stand out, not by volume and dominance, but those who display some emotional intelligence, who are aware of their surroundings and behave accordingly. Look for people who want responsibility, and then do not be afraid to hand them some! The first big responsibility I was given at 20 was to select a UPS supplier for European data centre that processed all the company’s European transactions. Once my recommendation was accepted, I was given the task of managing the installation. The responsibility caused me some sleepless nights as it was by far the widest exposure I had been given in my business life. But my boss was quietly behind me every step of the way, almost invisible stabilisers if you will. He would not have let me fail. I realise now that a significant aspect of that project was that it would have had no lasting impact on the business if I had not delivered successfully. All data was backed up, so worse case it would have been a very long weekend doing restores if the installation had caused any kind of catastrophic failure to equipment. But the personal reward was huge. The instilling of belief and hunger to have more responsibility. Think about those the first projects you can give to test your leaders of the future. Projects that are important to the business but don’t derail the business if they are not delivered timely or perfectly. The learning experience for your young professionals will be immeasurable and you will have managed to bank some ROI and efficiency improvement whilst testing the credibility of your succession plans. Be bold, support and

18th April 2023 We caught up with Leon whilst he was on a rare down night in Poland before he headed back to the UK for meetings at the end of the week. VH: First of all, can we just say how proud we are to sponsor you this season and have to begin by conveying huge congratulations on your massive individual achievements last season of winning the British U19 and U21 titles, unbeaten on both nights, and of course, a couple of reserve rides in the British GP mixing it with the best on the planet. How old were you when you first set your sights on those two titles and when did the dream start to become a realistic goal? LF: I started racing motorbikes when I was about 3 and it started from my granddad on my dad’s side. He was into bikes since he was very young and in all kinds of bike gangs, but both sides of my family have been heavily involved in Speedway, so there was no doubt that I would follow in these footsteps and try and do better than anyone else did.  I was just lucky enough to have a family that was willing to put a lot of time and money to help me get to where I am. I started racing motocross and then when I started getting pretty good, I realised as a family we didn’t have the money and time to try and make a living out of it. Speedway then came about when I was given a bike of Andrew Tully. I kind of played about on it when I went to the beach, but it wasn’t until Ricky Ashworth donated me a bike and I started to do that a little bit more than the motocross and I think everyone around saw that had just a bit of natural talent, and from there it just kicked off. Even when I was at school and doing the motocross, I had something about me that wanted to be a speedway rider. Obviously, I lived in a town where there was a Speedway team and from there, I thought I want to be good at it and go a ride for Berwick. Once I was riding for Berwick I thought right, what do we do now then? You know, I’m sitting here now and I’m the captain so probably need a bit of time to really think what I want to achieve next. If you told me all this by 20 years old, that I’d have achieved what I have, I’d be very, very happy. It was like, take everything as it comes. So, at the time, it was set sights to win the 125 British final and didn’t manage to do that. But in my first year of racing, I think I came third and then making the British final was quite a big thing, then I won the 250, then the 500 so I was on a strong progression and making heads turn. Luckily for me though, my family kept my feet on the ground, so I was always under the radar especially up north. All eyes were mainly on the lads down south and I just kept chipping away and upsetting some people with my results which I quite enjoyed. Even when I was 15, I was eligible to do the under 19s and under 21s, but I was not really successful to be fair at the time. I didn’t have the backing needed to do it like I did in 2021. I think I missed out on the U19 final, or maybe U21, because I was injured, but I knew going into last year with how I was riding the bike, the way things were going, I felt very confident, especially the U19s where I was favourite, but even the U21’s where there was a hard line up. But I just knew that I had the ability to go and win it, and the same with this year, with under 21s. It’s not going to be easy, and without sounding big headed, I probably think I’ll be favourite for it. But it’s still going to be hard. It’s more that I put more pressure in my head. I’m one of the favourites, so I’m expected to go and do it, but I’m trying my best now to stop that type of thinking getting to me and just going and doing my thing and putting everything on display. VH: So, just for context Leon, we at Melior Esse we are focused on helping businesses perform better, and a big ingredient of this is harnessing the emerging talent in companies, including identifying it, trusting it, instilling belief and nurturing it. For those not familiar with Speedway as a sport, we should clarify that many riders will compete for more than one club racing across 2 or 3 leagues across countries. You of course represent Wolverhampton Wolves in the top flight in Britain in their Rising Star birth in the team, you’ve also been snapped up by Ostrovia in Poland where you expect to mainly be competing in the U24 league there, and of course you have also been racing for Berwick for a few years, your home town club who are in the league below Wolves,  and now this season you have been given the honour of captaining the Berwick Bandits first team after leading their Junior team in recent seasons. Hence why we are particularly interested in exploring your leadership journey with you. VH: Take us back a bit, what are your first memories of people naturally turning to you for guidance and leadership, either in or out of motor sport? LF: Probably any kind of sport I did in school I always liked to be the guy people depended on. I think it mainly comes from my dad. He was the captain of a rugby team and every Saturday before Speedway, I’d go

I had an interesting conversation at an event this week around hybrid working and was asked how many days people should be in the office. Lots of quick pro and anti-thoughts spun through my mind before I prepared my answer. Employee wellbeing, post covid travel/crowd anxiety, the value of working in person, the value of working in peace and quiet at home, 10 Teams meetings a day, walking/exercising more or less, the cost of energy, the cost and reliability of travel, working longer hours, being in the same building for the sake of it, does visible equal more productive, trust, the cost of unused office space. So, after all that running through my head in rapid time, I said “2 days a week in the office”, but quickly countered with “depending on your job”. I reflected that we definitely miss something from just being in the same environment as each other. We miss the subtlety of body language, wellbeing signals, we miss the impromptu conversations that start with “seeing you has just reminded me.” These things add to productivity and connectivity and there is no doubt that a fully remote working practice suffers slightly because of it. However, the answer in my opinion is probably not to simply mandate a set pattern of days in the office every week. Strategy type meetings, solution explorations, product brainstorming, and many like this are very much more productive in person, so I definitely advocate coming together for these. Many conversations can happen at once, little break outs can occur naturally even in the same room, and your people bond more. Even if they have been working together for a long time, relationships need care and attention, so we will always benefit from spending time together.  But does forcing people to work in an office a set number of days a week, regardless of what their tasks are for the day, actually improve the productivity or give you greater visibility of what they are doing? If this is the only reason for mandating office attendance, then I rather suspect that your end of year performance will not be drastically different than if you had simply left everyone to their own preference. So, I would advise, don’t feel the need to follow the herd or a trend, or revert to comfort zones, just because it is always how we used to do things. Treat this like any other business problem you have to find a solution to. Gather views, be as informed as you can be on how people work most effectively. Test your decisions with devil’s advocate challenging. Then arrive at the right solution for your business at that time that will maximise productivity, fuel staff motivation and generate a buoyant culture that you are proud to lead. It almost certainly will be a hybrid option, I am in no doubt this is here to stay, and it will be an option that the people in the company want and understand rather than are forced to have. Make sure your people meet often enough to appreciate value from working together, ensure that there is a clear purpose to justify the travel and longer days that is more than sending a signal of “I don’t trust you are busy if you are not here”, make sure that the trust issue is dealt with by effective leadership and management principles, not thinking visibility alone is the answer.   Vince