Name: Hugh Look
Pronouns: he/him
Neurodivergence: ADHD
Professional Role: Consultant
Bio: I have wide-ranging business and third-sector experience as a strategist, consultant, risk manager, innovator, writer and analyst with a strong grasp of strategic issues at both sector and enterprise level and ability to develop innovative strategies and solutions. I've led change in large and small organisations.
My career has been heavily influenced by my ADHD so like a lot of ADHDers I've done many different types of job: I've been a marine credit analyst, a freelance technology writer, an editor, a publisher and a management consultant specialising in digital media strategies. In many of my jobs I have had to start something new from scratch, often in slightly chaotic circumstances.
As a technology and business writer, my job was to take complex situations and ideas and communicate them effectively to non-technical, non-specialist readers while making sure that important nuances were not lost.
I've usually worked in sectors that are changing fast and produce a lot of innovation. I was closely involved in the very early days of the online information business (in the early 1980s) and moved into publishing and conference management in that field and soon after in the area of expert systems, an early form of AI. I took on to more general management roles, including roles as Commercial Director and Joint MD, a stint as HR director and as project manager of a couple of large multi-national IT research projects.
I edit and write and industry newsletter on digital media, and also initiated one of the first conferences on virtual communities--the beginning of social media. I consulted to a wide variety of organisations, ranging from publishers to major mobile network operators. Joining a small specialist firm, I carried out a major study of the competitiveness and future of the European publishing industry for the European Commission (working with statisticians at the University of Turku). The reports were both influential and controversial.
For the next stage of my career I joined one of my former consulting clients in a newly-created role as Head of Strategic Support for a £100m non-profit organisation. The job had many aspects, but among the major changes I introduced was turning the previous "what's just happened (and whose fault is it)" approach to reporting into an action-focused "what's going to happen next and what are we going to do about it" activity across the organisation. I introduced objective-setting and progress reporting across the organisation, innovations such as corporate strategy and competitive analysis and reformed and enhanced the whole approach to risk management and using it as a daily management tool. By the time I left, major divisions were using the new approach to run their operations.
While I was there, I gave a talk to a large group of colleagues on what it was like to work with ADHD. I'd always been open about being an ADHDer, but going wider helped other people to begin to talk about it and as a result I set up a Neurodiversity Working Group which eventually attracted over 100 members. It helped ND people support one another. It provided a channel for peer support for individuals and helped the organisation understand how it could best recruit and retain ND people in a supportive environment. It created wide awareness of the issue and although it was grown bottom-up it engaged the attention of senior management. Members of the WG also had a significant input into the development of a new leadership training programme within the organisation.
I also became a Mental Health First Aider, and supported colleagues with issues ranging from personal circumstances through to depression and suicidal thoughts. Together with the Neurodiversity working group, it has been one of the most rewarding things I've done.
Most recently, I've been working with small charities in mental health and neurodiversity to help them develop strategies and prioritise their objectives. I've been helping them think through the risks to achieving their strategy, as well as ways to report on their impact in language that speaks to potential funders. As well as supporting individual charities with their strategy and risk management, I'm developing an approach to thinking about decisions provisionally called Three Uneasy Questions.
Right through my career, I've been communicating--in day to day operations, as a conference speaker and as a writer. I've had to win people round to new, sometimes controversial, ideas.
My career has been heavily influenced by my ADHD so like a lot of ADHDers I've done many different types of job: I've been a marine credit analyst, a freelance technology writer, an editor, a publisher and a management consultant specialising in digital media strategies. In many of my jobs I have had to start something new from scratch, often in slightly chaotic circumstances.
As a technology and business writer, my job was to take complex situations and ideas and communicate them effectively to non-technical, non-specialist readers while making sure that important nuances were not lost.
I've usually worked in sectors that are changing fast and produce a lot of innovation. I was closely involved in the very early days of the online information business (in the early 1980s) and moved into publishing and conference management in that field and soon after in the area of expert systems, an early form of AI. I took on to more general management roles, including roles as Commercial Director and Joint MD, a stint as HR director and as project manager of a couple of large multi-national IT research projects.
I edit and write and industry newsletter on digital media, and also initiated one of the first conferences on virtual communities--the beginning of social media. I consulted to a wide variety of organisations, ranging from publishers to major mobile network operators. Joining a small specialist firm, I carried out a major study of the competitiveness and future of the European publishing industry for the European Commission (working with statisticians at the University of Turku). The reports were both influential and controversial.
For the next stage of my career I joined one of my former consulting clients in a newly-created role as Head of Strategic Support for a £100m non-profit organisation. The job had many aspects, but among the major changes I introduced was turning the previous "what's just happened (and whose fault is it)" approach to reporting into an action-focused "what's going to happen next and what are we going to do about it" activity across the organisation. I introduced objective-setting and progress reporting across the organisation, innovations such as corporate strategy and competitive analysis and reformed and enhanced the whole approach to risk management and using it as a daily management tool. By the time I left, major divisions were using the new approach to run their operations.
While I was there, I gave a talk to a large group of colleagues on what it was like to work with ADHD. I'd always been open about being an ADHDer, but going wider helped other people to begin to talk about it and as a result I set up a Neurodiversity Working Group which eventually attracted over 100 members. It helped ND people support one another. It provided a channel for peer support for individuals and helped the organisation understand how it could best recruit and retain ND people in a supportive environment. It created wide awareness of the issue and although it was grown bottom-up it engaged the attention of senior management. Members of the WG also had a significant input into the development of a new leadership training programme within the organisation.
I also became a Mental Health First Aider, and supported colleagues with issues ranging from personal circumstances through to depression and suicidal thoughts. Together with the Neurodiversity working group, it has been one of the most rewarding things I've done.
Most recently, I've been working with small charities in mental health and neurodiversity to help them develop strategies and prioritise their objectives. I've been helping them think through the risks to achieving their strategy, as well as ways to report on their impact in language that speaks to potential funders. As well as supporting individual charities with their strategy and risk management, I'm developing an approach to thinking about decisions provisionally called Three Uneasy Questions.
Right through my career, I've been communicating--in day to day operations, as a conference speaker and as a writer. I've had to win people round to new, sometimes controversial, ideas.
Recent Publications: Article on lived experience of ADHD at work, originally for colleagues here
Website: www.futureglance.com
Facebook: Hugh Look
Location: Guildford, UK
Available for Virtual Sessions: YES
Available for In-Person Sessions: YES
Available to Travel: Happy to travel to most places in the UK if some expenses can be met; outside the UK if all expenses can be met.
Specific Support Required: No special requirements other than not sharing hotel rooms.
Speaking Topics Include: ADHD (the full lifetime experience of ADHD and its impact on personal and working life); ADHD and work; neurodiversity at work; neurodiversity and management; neurodiversity, strategy and risk; working adjustments for ADHD; diagnosis later in life; mental health first-aiding; setting up meaningful workplace neurodiversity initiatives
Suitable Audiences Include: People directly affected by ADHD; ADHD allies; Educators: secondary and higher; Managers at all levels who have ADHDers in their teams; HR managers wanting to understand ADHD and workplace adjustments; Senior managers and HR managers wanting to start meaningful neurodiversity initiatives; Coaches who work with neurodiverse groups and individuals at work and in education.
Speaker Experience: I've been an invited speaker at publishing industry conferences and seminars, including the STM Publishers Association, ALPSP, Jisc, Periodical Publishers’ Association and others. I've spoken to groups of all sizes, from large conferences and to specialist workshops. My talks and presentations were generally well-rated, although I was sometimes dealing with topics that were controversial for the audience. I usually got plenty of questions and I enjoy the discussion sections as much as doing the talk itself. I've also been a panel member at major industry and specialist conferences sessions, and have chaired panel sessions. I delivered an extensive, highly-rated workshop programme on Digital Strategies for senior magazine publishers (part of a major training initiative by the industry’s trade association). I've also led senior management workshops for publishing industry associations.
Recently, I've been giving workshops and seminars on ADHD, neurodiversity and mental health to coaches and advisors who work with clients who may be affected by any or all of these. I've experience in dealing with hostile audiences as well as friendly ones!
As I've mentioned, I've extensive lived experience of ADHD and have worked closely with many other ND people to understand their experience and how to support them.
Recently, I've been giving workshops and seminars on ADHD, neurodiversity and mental health to coaches and advisors who work with clients who may be affected by any or all of these. I've experience in dealing with hostile audiences as well as friendly ones!
As I've mentioned, I've extensive lived experience of ADHD and have worked closely with many other ND people to understand their experience and how to support them.
Presentation Pitches: I'm especially interested in helping people understand ADHD better and what it's like to live with it, and helping people who support ND colleagues, students or clients understand how they can be excellent allies.
Book this Speaker: By email [email protected]
Extra Information: I don't usually charge non-profits or charities, but sometimes help with travel costs is appreciated. Corporate events by negotiation.
I'm a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. I've been a charity trustee, and as an active photographer at the time was Chair of London Independent Photography for several years.
I'm a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. I've been a charity trustee, and as an active photographer at the time was Chair of London Independent Photography for several years.
Testimonials: Lydia Samuels, Diversity and Inclusion Consultant, Jisc Rose Sellman-Leava, co-founder, Inclusive Futures Lorraine Estelle, Director, Information Power: Contact information on request.