Hello, I'm Paul Russell.

I ask people this question all the time.

"In your business, If technology was suddenly free would you fill your boots or would you pause and ask loudly with an open curious mind, ‘what is the problem we are trying to fix ?"

I help business leaders find the courage to rediscover their in-built curiosity and understand the change in human behaviour they really need to invest in.

I run GoodEnoughIsm Workshops

What is 'good enough'? A question I challenge teams to unpick in a fast paced session that drills into how we treat three questions - what does good look like, what does it feel like and what would good enough mean to us as an outcome. A great way to take a business problem or challenge and help teams' find diverse ways to challenge each other, seek out new perspectives and test understanding of the real problem and anticipated outcomes.

I mentor business leaders'

I help business leaders navigate the uncertainty of building and leading resilient teams. With a focus on deep listening, I create a space where they can freely share their challenges, unlocking insights that lead to confident decisions and real results. Mentoring is a unique journey, where my mentees and I connect, collaborate, and drive forward with purpose toward shared goals. It’s a privilege to be part of that process.

I coach teams' in the design thinking methodology

Human-centered design isn't just for trendy products; it’s essential for how teams tackle problem-solving and drive innovation. As a Design Thinking Coach, I facilitate tailored workshops that ignite passion and empower teams to embrace the idea that there’s no box to limit their creativity and diversity. I devise creative ways to coach people to suit their time and commitment creating fun ways to reframe problems and use creative questioning to find innovative ideas.

My new book is coming along.

I’m settled on a title.

I’m figuring out a flow for chapters.

I have a story to anchor on.

I am talking to others.

And I’m fighting my imposter syndrome.

28Oct

Am I a Satisficer or a Maximiser?

28/10/2024 03:27 PM

11Jun

Just because you can...

11/06/2024 11:05 AM

16Apr

Asking why it failed before it does can be the most revealing question to ask each other.

16/04/2024 12:12 PM

28Feb

If business were a rope? Could it withstand stress or snap?

28/02/2024 11:53 AM

05Dec

Listen to my next podcast ; Unveiling the language hacks for effective change and transformation

05/12/2023 10:33 AM

02Nov

Is business language getting in your way?

02/11/2023 05:39 PM

Ever feel like you're talking in circles when it comes to change and transformation? You're not alone. Tune in as Paul Russell and Mark Vincent dissect the 'Language Trap'—the sneaky words and phrases that undermine our best efforts. Discover why these pitfalls exist and how they can lead to confusion, disruption and disappointment.

21Sep

Good Ideas - Where do you get yours?

21/09/2023 03:38 PM

Ideas. We all have them. We need them to survive and thrive whether in personal life or in the world of work. But where do they come from? And when we are talking about new ideas does our track record of ideas success (and failure) matter? Should we forget the past and only look forward? Will this time be different? And for those employed to be 'ideas people' can we rely on them alone to be the saviour or can we simply take a look on social media and use what strangers are seducing us with?

25Aug

The question we rarely ask each other

25/08/2023 12:36 PM

If we just find the time to ask this question - what question have I not asked you that you feel I should have what would we learn? Questions are the lifeblood of how we grow. They seek information to help us understand each other but too often we are converged too much on asking questions that suit a situation constraining us unfairly into closed mindset moments. Yet the human is desperate to learn more. Why not try the question and see what you learn? It might surprise you.

06Jul

Fall BACK in love with problems

06/07/2023 10:51 AM

In our instant gratification lives we are often guilty of relying on the 'heard it before' auto pilot response when thinking about problems. Despite our attempts to think differently at some point or other we can get caught out and miss the opportunity to see something we might miss.

05Dec

I was never trained to tell stories - were you?

05/12/2022 04:14 PM

We might be good at telling stories to our children but why do we struggle to tell good business stories? Have we become lazy or too reliant on others or social media to do it for us? But hang on we were never trained to tell stories so we have to go with what we think.

05Nov

What is the trilogy of temptation?

05/11/2022 12:12 AM

How we are seduced by technology through innovation that fuels our confidence we can do better and at a greater pace. Where agile and fragile are often too close for comfort. the ChatGPT AI debate in early 2023 sort of underlines my perspective.

06Oct

My first book

06/10/2022 09:01 AM

My first book! A book about sales but really about you and me. How we can rediscover our inner Diverger to get more from the conversations we have. What is a Diverger? You and me for a start. It is just years of curiosity gets stripped away from us. My book is about how you can put it back.

I have been in technology sales for a long time now and to read Paul's book was the proverbial breath of fresh air. Why? Sales training has become so prescriptive and hard coded that to hear Paul's point of view on how to approach the other person - in my case my customers - has really helped me re-connect with my curious side. The ideas he shares are common sense yet wonderfully described and I absolutely loved the way he introduced so many storytellers to underline his key point,
Helen Liaudin, Sales Leader, Ricoh

Paul ran a most wonderful problem solving workshop for my sales leadership team recently. He called it a Bullet Hole and Mother-in-Law workshop which perfectly summed up what was needed. Too much of what we do is locked into a closed mindset so to be encouraged to think there is no box by Paul was refreshing. Being able to find our own blind spots in our approach has helped my team get a new lease of life!
Nils Van DerZijl: Sales Leader

Paul is one of life’s ‘energisers’. His curiosity, his unique perspective on problem solving, his ability to find new and different ways of delivering value is a joy. I once said that the ability to connect with people and still be highly technical was as rare as hen’s teeth – but he proved me wrong. If you’re looking for someone to challenge conventional thinking, see things differently - and especially if you are curious to explore design thinking and how it can work for you - he’s your go to person.
Isobel Rimmer: CEO - Masterclass Training

I'm making Paul's book a Must Read for all of my consultants around the world to help them frame their thinking as they interact with our customers. I think my team will also find the guidance from this book beneficial in their day to day interactions with their family, friends, and in their community. In this data laden world with an infinite amount of information at our fingertips, we think we have the answer to everything... Paul, your book succinctly highlighted fundamental aspects of every day human thought and action that is so important in the new world we live in these days...
Rand Moritomo: Convergent Computing

I first had the pleasure of meeting Paul at BLIX Network, where he introduced me to the world of Design Thinking. Initially, I thought I had a good understanding of the concept, but Paul showed me there were many elements I had missed. What impressed me most was how he personalized our interactions by discussing topics that resonated with me in my day-to-day life. He also connected me with a design thinking community, allowing me to share my ideas and engage with others. I am sincerely grateful for this opportunity and want to give a shoutout to Paul for his invaluable support. 😊
Wezi Mulenga: BLIX Mentee |

I have known Paul for many years’ now and he gives an insightful and intriguing view on the ‘landscape’ for a technology sales person today. He crossed the commercial world of construction with high technology and was moved to write a book about something close to my heart – buying technology needs a lot more business conversation than features and benefits.
Mark Bew: CEO PCSG

Paul was my mentor as part of the Women Ahead programme which develops women in sport and business. Paul was a great help in getting me to think about situations and problems differently. He was also able to introduce me to useful contacts within his network. His support has been extremely valuable.
Bee Hunter: Rugby League Cup 2021

Paul has helped us with a number of opportunities, supporting the development and running of workshops with our teams, as well as the all-important analysis of workshop artifacts to help us take forward the insight he helps surface. He brings a unique and friendly approach that includes everyone, is highly empathetic and considerate, and ensures that everyone steps out of their normal ways of thinking. I find him incredibly easy to work with, and enjoy every conversation as I always come away with ideas reframed and a renewed enthusiasm to tackle the complex problems he is so adept at unpacking and addressing. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Paul to others looking to bring in some new perspectives to any business challenge in an approachable and inclusive way.
Jake Fraser: Institution of Mechanical Engineers

Even though Paul and I worked for competing companies, I enjoyed collaborating with him while both of us served on an advisory committee for one of our joint technology partners. Paul is able to look at a problem and evaluate it from angles that are not intuitive or obvious to most people. The result is a fresh look at a solution.
Weston Morris: UNISYS

Paul was part of the senior team at Ricoh during my time at Manchester Airport Group. What I really liked about Paul was his ability to bring a different perspective to a discussion, but never just for the sake of it. His deep understanding of innovation in the industry was of tremendous personal value to me - I found our discussions enjoyable and thought provoking .
Matt Stephenson: Stepthinking

Paul ran a workshop recently that transformed my salesforce. Too often we seek the same answers to the perennial question of 'we need more sales'. Paul disrupted our thinking with a fast paced, very human centred interactive session that I witnessed knocked people out of their comfort zone. A workshop full of ideas, techniques and supportive feedback that was perfect for my team. Results are already showing signs of positive growth.
Brenda Smith-O'Halloran: Equiniti Financial Services Limited

It’s an immense pleasure for me to write this recommendation for Paul. I met Paul for a podcast on systems integration and Paul was the host, while he was leading the EMEA sales operation at IBM. We started a wonderful conversation that day and it’s still going on today! Paul has been an excellent mentor for me and has always been keen to listen. I cherish learning from him and how he explores the solution domain as well as opportunity domain for each problem that we discuss and tackle. He is a very kind and warm individual and really believes in cultivating positive relationships that open up a world of opportunities and growth for those who are lucky to know him.
Vijay Patil: HS2

I love talking through problems with people so if you have a business challenge please do get in touch.

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