Reflections on Leadership

Hi, I’m Miles, and I’m here to introduce myself in the only way I know how, honestly, with a bit of humour, and probably with a few tangents along the way! My journey has taken me from Essex to Exeter, from politics to technology, and from chaotic family water fights to the world of AI and digital transformation.

At the heart of it all, I’ve always been fascinated by people, how they think, how they organise, and how technology has transformed the way we interact. So, here’s a bit about me, how I got here, and why I find the work we do at Yopla so exciting.

Growing Up: London, Essex, and a Feral Cat Problem

I grew up between London and Essex. My early years were spent in London, where my parents worked, my Dad in finance at Merrill Lynch and my Mum in software, developing trading platforms for banks. When I was about three, we moved out to Southminster, a small village an hour from London, where I spent most of my childhood.

I had what I’d describe as a classic countryside upbringing, plenty of space, family gatherings, and some questionable pet choices! Our first attempt at pets was two cats, which quickly decided that civilisation wasn’t for them. After making our shed their permanent home and developing some feral tendencies, we made the executive decision to try a dog, instead! Thankfully, our next pet, Milly, a cocker spaniel, was much more agreeable.

‍A Childhood of Water Fights and Cricket Matches

Some of my best memories involve chaotic family gatherings where my dad’s side of the family, five siblings, plus their kids, would all come together. Our garden would transform into a battlefield, with makeshift water parks, oversized cricket matches, and a general disregard for health and safety.

From History to Politics to Tech

I went to St Peter’s School, which I loved, particularly for the sports and the local golf clubs. Academically, I took English, History, Geography, and an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) where I dove headfirst into the Russian Revolution. It was all thanks to A People’s Tragedy by Orlando Figes, a 1,000-page deep dive into Russian history that my grandfather put in front of me, and I was hooked.

That fascination with history, people, and political systems led me to study Politics and Middle Eastern Studies at Exeter. I was especially drawn to Middle Eastern politics - how societies function, how power shifts, and how information is controlled. Looking back, I probably should have just focused on that rather than mixing in international relations, but at the time, I thought it would make me more employable.

It was at Exeter that I had my first proper job, working on the shop floor at Moss Bros. A world away from history and politics, but a solid lesson in understanding people - what they want, what they don’t say out loud, and how small interactions shape the bigger picture.

The most effective teams are built upon three key people (and ideally teams are made up of odd numbers as they grow, so that there is always a casting vote), and that those original three should share traits that include an innovator, operator and leader.  

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"Within any high-performing team there are three types of people: leaders, warriors and special talent. Leaders provide direction and guidance, though only one of them will provide overall leadership. The warriors do the hard grind. The special talents provide the spark, the creativity and the strategic response. All three groups understand the nature and demands of their role, and they also know how to fit into the wider group to maximise its effectiveness. Any imbalance can be fatal." - Alastair Campbell.

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The innovator, operator and leader

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In any high-performing team, you need:

• The Innovator (or "special talent") - This person provides the creative spark, fresh ideas and strategic thinking to address challenges in novel ways. They are the source of ingenuity.
• The Operator (or "warrior") - The operator does the hard grind, tirelessly executing to turn vision and strategy into reality through disciplined effort. They make things happen.
• The Leader - Provide overall direction, guidance and motivation. They set the vision, make the tough decisions, and inspire the team to achieve ambitious goals together.

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All three roles are essential and interdependent. The innovator dreams up the bold ideas, the operator makes them real, and the leader charts the course and steers the ship. There can be multiple leaders in a team, but only one at the helm providing overall direction. The key is getting the balance right - an overabundance of any one type leads to imbalance and dysfunction.

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"Any imbalance can be fatal. Too many warriors and there are insufficient ideas. Too much special talent - a team of Ronaldo’s and Messi’s - and you end up with egotistical mayhem. Leadership requires skilled management of that balance." - Alastair Campbell.

Alastair Campbell's leader, warrior and special talent

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In his book, "but what can I do" Alastair Campbell uses slightly different terminology to describe these three essential roles and these descriptions resonated with us:

• The Leader - Provides overall leadership, direction and decision-making just like the captain of a ship. Sets the tone and culture.
• The Warrior - The disciplined executors and determined fighters who relentlessly drive progress and refuse to accept defeat. They are the engine of the team.
• The Special Talent - Those with unique abilities and creative brilliance who conjure up innovative strategies and solutions. The maverick geniuses.

The most successful teams and organisations get this combination right, with each type understanding their role and how they fit into the broader team to maximise effectiveness.

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"The warriors respect the special talent, the special talent appreciates the warriors, and the leader values them both while steering the ship." - Alastair Campbell.

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The three roles in companies: CEO, COO and CTO

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In digitally mature companies, these three essential leadership types often map directly to the roles of CEO (Chief Executive Officer), COO (Chief Operating Officer), and CTO (Chief Technology Officer):

• The CEO as the Leader - The CEO sets the overall vision and strategy for the company, makes the high-level decisions, and is ultimately responsible for its performance and results.
• The COO as the Operator/Warrior - The COO is responsible for executing the vision and strategy. They oversee the company's day-to-day operations, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and efficiently. The COO is the disciplined operator who translates plans into reality.
• The CTO as the Innovator/Special Talent - The CTO drives the company's technological innovation and development. They identify emerging technologies, determine how to leverage them for competitive advantage, and guide the technical direction of products and services. The CTO is the creative force behind the company's technical brilliance.
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Of course, the specific titles and division of responsibilities will vary between organisations. But in general, the CEO-COO-CTO trio provides a balanced leadership team with a leader charting the course, an operator driving disciplined execution, and an innovator fuelling creative disruption.

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The most successful companies recognise the importance of this leadership combination and ensure that the CEO, COO and CTO work together as a close-knit, complementary team. Each plays a distinct yet equally vital role in driving the company forward.

Putting it all together

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Building a winning team is both an art and a science. It requires the identification of the right people for each role, ensuring they recognise the importance of all positions, and unifying them behind a common purpose and vision. The leader must set the culture, encourage ideas from everywhere, and keep the team focused on the ultimate objectives; but remember that teams need leaders as much as leaders need teams.

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When you get that alchemy right - a respected leader charting a bold course, a band of determined warriors executing the mission, and creative talents inspiring and innovating - that's when teams become truly unstoppable forces. As Campbell asserts, it's a "Holy Trinity essential for any meaningful change…"

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Master that combination, and you can take on the world. And if you need a bit of help along the way, you can always rely on Yopla for support - get in touch here!

When we're chatting to a new or existing client it almost inevitably comes up to discuss how we all got started in the technology industry, and how that led to the creation of YOPLA. Rather than writing a collective, general version of our combined experience we thought this would be a fantastic opportunity to each share our own stories, in our own words, of how our journey brought us here! Hopefully you'll feel you know us better by the end of the article, and as always if you'd like to chat about how we can help you in your business story please don't hesitate to get in touch!

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Eve

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Hi, I’m Eve and first up thank you for taking a bit of time out of your day to spend a few minutes reading about me! No pressure there to make sure it’s not time wasted!!

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It’s always hard to know where to start writing about yourself so I suppose at the beginning makes the most sense! I grew up just outside of Durham in the North East of England until my teens when we moved to Saudi Arabia; most definitely a big cultural shift, but an experience I wouldn’t change. I returned to the UK to study for a dual honours degree in Law and Human Resource Management which ultimately led to being offered a project management role for a global pharmaceutical company.

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Life takes you on strange paths and I’d certainly never envisaged myself project managing international clinical trials, but I absolutely loved every element of it. We were ensuring successful delivery of trial medication to countries on every continent and handling everything from data gathering to patient safety and maintaining objective parameters. While there were days that were stressful (as anybody who frequents Charles de Gaulle airport will attest to!) it allowed me to acquire skills at a speed I’d only dreamed of. Meanwhile outside of work my Scottish partner and I took the opportunity to buy our first home just outside of Edinburgh and plan a wedding for the same year. I certainly enjoy a challenge!

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After a few years I felt that I was ready for pastures new and accepted an entirely different role running change management for a communications company employing circa 3000 staff. This involved identifying, implementing, actioning and measuring changes to company policies and procedures. I’d developed a fantastic understanding of project management working in the pharmaceuticals industry, but this role encouraged a greater appreciation of the nuances and communication required to successfully get a team on board and engaged with new ideas. The combined approach of project and change management has stayed with me and I feel strongly that no matter how good a business decision, its success is very much determined by how well it is accepted by those who’ll be affected by it every day.

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In the late 2000’s my husband and I made the joint decision to both take the huge (and pretty scary) leap to run our own business and set up an IT and Cyber Security outfit. As I said earlier, I do love a challenge, so it was also the year I gave my birth to my first daughter, with my second to follow 18 months later. The early years are definitely a bit of a sleep deprived blur, but before we knew it we were employing multiple staff and had won several big contracts earning a reputation as the top in our field. We built a team that prided themselves on excellence and a company that was lean and adaptable; something that was rarely seen in the industry. Software seemed the natural evolution of our skill set and we began to work on developing products in house which quickly became something of a passion project. When we were made an offer to sell the business, we felt the time was right and would enable us to turn our attention solely to using our experience to help other organisations reach their digital and technological ambitions … hello YOPLA!

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Which brings us pretty much right up to date, and you sat reading this bio! If you would like to have a chat about what we do, please don't hesitate to get in touch. Our combined experience allows to bring a unique perspective to our digital evaluations and consultation - between us we thrive on a challenge and genuinely love being a part of others digital journey. We're always learning, improving and building on our knowledge so you can be sure that we're at the forefront of the latest and best technology and digital advancements!

Charles

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My bio. This is akin to when your mobile phone signal is phasing in and out, “hello”, “can you hear me”….. and then, the main event “say something”. That wonderful moment, when in full knowledge that it’s likely that most of what you’re about to say will be missed, you’re gifted an opportunity to say whatever comes to mind.

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I’m one of those lucky souls, never short of something to say to test the mic or fill an audio space. Here you are, one of those unlucky lot now reading what I have to say about myself.

My life’s been a rich one, full of vim and vigour and littered with lessons learned.

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Born in Harrogate in Yorkshire in the early 80’s I was to be the cricket playing Scot, karted over the border for the birth in the hopes that I’d reach Andrew Flintoff heights in the years ahead. From here we moved a good bit but home was always Auchencairn in Dumfries and Galloway. Auchencairn is a fantastically sleepy village in the South West coast of Scotland with stunning vistas, great walks, art galleries and not a lot to do as an energetic, problem seeking teen.

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It was here I’d birth my first attempts at a digital business. 0845 dial up internet run over a phone line, backing on to a hijacked 128k leased line. Hijacked in that it took my grandad and I a couple of days to drill some holes, run ~100m of binomial cable and tap it in to the nearby offices bonded ISDN lines before anyone noticed. This led to web and email hosting and before I knew it, my first lessons in business. I’ve never forgotten the customers who entrusted an early teen (don’t think they knew) to look after their email.

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The, do then ask, philosophy followed me to Strathallan School in Perthshire. Another great place with stunning vistas, great walks and art galleries but this time, a short hop to Edinburgh. Queue a litany of experiences that have stayed with me to this day. Like chucking network cable room to room to create a network to play games, render in 3D and produce music to accompany Max and Maya 3D animations. More of those “they must have known” endeavours.

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My final years at school where deeply formative. Family challenges resulted in a dramatic shift in fortunes which scuppered my American music producer ambitions, but led me to the most wonderful set of happy coincidences which in turn lead to where I am today, in a word, blessed.

While I spent my time testing the limits of lecturers, employers and anyone prepared to listen, Eve was busy smashing it and would go on to be one of those people businesses couldn’t get enough of. I’ve been playing catch up since!

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After years of figuring it out together we took the bold step of setting up a business together. That enterprise went on to become one of the most reputable IT and Cyber outfits in Scotland, with a reputation for excellence in knowledge and service. That’s only possible with great, empowered people working to a common goal and it’s in finding those goals and people and creating the culture that empowers them that I’m at my best. We built some fantastic intellectual property at Wardman UK and extracted this before a successful exit to EE’s largest partner in 2021. Particularly proud that we managed this while raising our wonderful daughters, without whom we’d have had a lot more sleep and a lot less joy and giggles!

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I have the privilege of making a contribution to some amazing groups of people, amongst them the Advisory Board at the wonderful Primary Engineer who champion STEM in ten’s of thousands of primary school across the UK, and as CEO of one of the countries leading Chambers of Commerce before joining their board. I'm also delighted to have recently joined the Board at Aberdeen Foyer, a truly inspirational organisation supporting people towards independent living, learning and work. It’s amazing working as a non-exec Director, something I’m enjoying the pursuit of.

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Yopla is the culmination of our digital efforts and experience. Taking all the knowledge from our previous company, bringing in the best people and starting out as we mean to go on. I’m excited to be part of a female led, sustainable, self-funded, environmentally focused, tech orientated business, I mean, what a list! We’re on a mission to deliver tangible digital transformation to organisations, seizing opportunity in disruption and working with people who are applied. I’m proud today to be 1/3 of the founding team at Yopla, working with Steph and Eve is awesome and being part of so many digital transformation journeys is incredibly exciting. We're a team with business in our blood, so I feel incredibly lucky to be sharing that with all the great organisations we're fortunate enough to work alongside.

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Seriously, do get in touch.

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Stephanie

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Throughout my early academic life I had a very clear vision and path of where and what I would end up doing later in life. As with all best laid plans, things didn’t quite turn out as I expected!

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Having grown up in a very middle of nowhere town in between Glasgow and Edinburgh and with a view to getting the hell out of dodge, I studied languages and translation at Heriot Watt University. It turned out however that Edinburgh was where I was looking to escape to all along and after university I started working as a freelance translator living in Leith.

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I had the typical discovery that what you’ve studied isn’t always what you end up doing and that’s actually okay. Translating 12,000 words every day on hoover bags turned out to be somewhat dull! I then found myself working in translation sales for a company on George Street, sales however are not my strength despite my talent for talking all day long. My talents in organisation and knowledge of translation saw me move into the project management team where I really started to grow and shine.

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Before too long, I had been promoted to lead the projects team and then to manage the business operations. I worked on projects of all sizes ranging from the RBS 6 Nations to Formula 1, managing teams all over the world and projects in as many as 27 languages. It was an incredibly fast-paced environment! After a few years testing my project management and operations management skills, I felt the time was right to move industry.

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I started working with Charles and Eve in 2017 in cyber security to manage the finance team. Never one to turn away from a challenge, I also found myself leading a software development team where I really enjoyed the fusion of creativity meets logic side of project management. I thrived in this environment where employees were empowered to grow and learn outside of their typical job remit. I truly believe surrounding yourself with good people is the basis for success and so when Charles and Eve asked if I would like to go into business to co-found YOPLA, I didn’t hesitate and haven’t looked back!

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If you think we can help your business realise it's ambition, then please don't hesitate to get in touch!

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