10QUESTIONS with Jane Dalton

Our 10QUESTIONS feature asks members of the Freshfield community ten questions about their working life. Featuring client partners, colleagues and FF friends, our guests share some personal stories, views and fresh words of wisdom.

Our latest guest is Jane Dalton MBA FRSA, founder and creative catalyst at Groundswell Innovation in Lancaster. Jane set up Groundswell in 2008 having worked in brand strategy and innovation for Cello Group since completing an MBA. Alongside running her own company, Jane is a Lancashire Innovation Board member and trustee at Citizens Advice North Lancashire, as well as global health charity Period Reality.

How do you like to start your working day?

By getting my brain into gear – Wordle, Duolingo, a crossword if there is time. But when the weather’s good, I’d rather wake myself up with a quick walk outside to hear the birds sing.

Where and how do you come up with your best ideas?

When I’m reading, listening to, or thinking about something completely different to the problem I’m trying to solve. Particularly if I’m walking up a hill, focusing on where my feet should be going. But it’s generally in our team conversations that the best ideas emerge.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Listen more.

What does leadership mean to you?

Genuine stewardship – taking decisions with a long-term view because they are the right course of action.

What’s your top tip for achieving a work-life balance?

Easier said than done sometimes, but I try and time-block my diary a couple of weeks ahead, to make sure I still get time for the things that are important to me. Sometimes that’s ‘attend parents evening’, sometimes that’s ‘run for the hills’, but I’ve learned from experience that carving out space makes my working time more effective in the long run.

Which current or historical business figure do you most admire and why?

Ken Robinson – if he counts as a business figure? His TED talk has been aired more than 40 million times since it was published in 2006. Super engaging, simple message that we still need to hear – creativity is a crucially important life skill that we may or may not be born with, but we can definitely all learn.

What is your most trusted source of news?

I generally go for multiple cross-checked sources if I really want to be sure of my facts. The more perspectives you have on something, the more you understand the full picture.

What is your favourite brand and why?

This changes over time but based on active loyalty (because they’re loyal back) I’d probably say Nationwide Building Society.

What’s the most recent new skill you have learnt?

I’m currently ‘acquiring’ the skill of cryptic crosswords. Can’t say I’m any good at it yet! And I tried paddleboarding last summer, though again, not winning any awards.

We all use them…what management jargon phrase do you use the most?

Has to be the word innovation – an occupational hazard – but generally signifies very different things depending on who you’re talking to.