By Andrew Marsh, Vistage Chair
One of the privileges of chairing a Vistage group is witnessing the moment when a room full of experienced leaders suddenly leans forward at the same time.
It doesn’t happen because someone shares a clever framework or a few slides of statistics. It happens when a speaker challenges how our behaviour sets the tone and culture.
That was exactly the reaction during our recent session with Alexander Bell, who joined two of my Vistage cohorts to speak about Attention Intelligence, a concept that resonated deeply with the CEOs, business owners and senior leaders in the room.
In a world of constant notifications, competing priorities and fragmented focus, Bell posed a simple but confronting idea: attention is now one of a leader’s most valuable strategic resources. Not just our own attention, but the collective attention of our teams, organisation wide. How many times are we frustrated at a team member being on their phone? Or phones on tables and we observe people looking at their smart watches constantly as a new email pings in. But reality is we are doing it, so we are enabling others to do it!
Alexander’s session moved beyond productivity tips. Instead, he explored how attention shapes decision-making, culture, innovation and ultimately business performance. Leaders left reflecting on questions such as:
Where does our leadership attention actually go each day?
Are we designing organisations that protect focus or destroy it?
How much strategic thinking is lost to reactive noise?
How many years, days and hours could we have been more productive without the digital interruption?
How do I set the example and change the culture of my organisation?
The discussion that followed was exactly why Vistage works so well. A group of accomplished leaders from different sectors brought real challenges to the table. Scaling companies, managing complexity, navigating digital overload were thrown out as topics and together we examined them through the lens of attention and leadership clarity.
And by the way, the quality of that conversation wasn’t accidental.
One of the defining features of Vistage is the calibre of the speakers we bring into the room. Experts like Alexander Bell don’t just present ideas. We strive to book speakers that create conditions for leaders to think differently about the way they run their businesses.
For many members, these sessions become inflection points. A single idea, shared at the right time, among the right peer group can reshape priorities, unlock strategic thinking, or shift how a leadership team operates.
But the real power of Vistage lies in the combination of three elements:
Exceptional speakers. Thought leaders who challenge assumptions and introduce ideas leaders may not encounter elsewhere.
Trusted peer groups. A confidential environment where CEOs and executives can discuss real issues with people who truly understand the pressures of leadership.
Space to think. Something increasingly rare in modern business: time away from operational noise to reflect, question and make better decisions.
After our outstanding session on Attention Intelligence from Alexander, several members commented on the same thing: how valuable it was simply to pause and reconsider how they allocate their attention and focus as leaders. There were a number of take aways including living life to the full monty. We even received a little red thong to remind us to step away from our phones and be present!
That is the essence of Vistage. It isn’t just about learning something new. It’s about learning alongside other leaders who are equally committed to becoming better decision-makers, better strategists and better stewards of their organisations.
Sessions like the one with Alexander Bell remind me why so many leaders describe their Vistage group as one of the most valuable investments they make in their leadership. Because in a world competing for our attention, the best leaders choose carefully where they focus it and who they learn with.
Who you want to be a leader who focuses on being the best you can be, then do get in touch for a chat. My three North East cohorts have limited space to join, and I am about to launch Teesside, Carlisle and Penrith based groups soon.
Andrew.marsh@vistagechair.co.uk