As an author, I’ve often been described as prolific. I’ve never stopped to count, but I estimate my written output exceeds two million words – spanning articles, books, briefings, and strategic essays.
My published work began with 21 Dirty Tricks at Work (Capstone Wiley, 2005), co-authored with Mike Phipps. This book laid the foundation for my exploration into practical organisational politics, offering a frank look at what really goes on behind the scenes – and how to respond with both integrity and confidence.
I’m proud that it continues to resonate. Readers still tell me it reflects their organisation perfectly – often with a wry smile. One executive was startled to learn I’d written the book she was handed on her very first day at a famously political company.
Shortly after, I launched the Influence Blog in 2008 – a weekly deep dive into power, politics, and practical influence. For 17 years it cultivated a loyal readership, many of whom followed it right through to 2025, when a change in direction aligned better with my evolving focus.
During that time, I also authored several other books – including Advocates and Enemies, Political Dilemmas at Work (John Wiley), A Project Manager’s Guide to Influence and Influential Leadership (Kogan Page). Each one built on the last, culminating in a body of work that continues to shape how ambitious professionals navigate complexity and drive impact at senior levels.
I’ve also contributed to several other leadership publications – including work led by Marshall Goldsmith, who generously wrote the foreword to Political Dilemmas at Work. His endorsement and influence helped take that book to a wider global audience.
Now, I find myself relentlessly drawn to write – but with a broader remit. The core remains the same: influence, strategy, power. But the frontier has shifted. Increasingly, my coaching and writing explore how to live and lead freely within a system that demands more control, more conformity, and more compromise.
That shift is reflected in Radical Conformity – a new strand of work offering provocative weekly Briefings for ambitious professionals who want to make their mark, without being marked by the system.
Radical Conformity is simply the next chapter. The writing has changed, but the mission hasn’t: to offer clear, challenging insights that help serious professionals thrive – on their terms.
Here’s to the next two million words.