I've always been fascinated by the different ways in which we see the world.
I first indulged this passion as a young photographer, freelancing around London, working for some of the 'big name' photographers, studying for my degree and having a great time.
After a few years of photography I decided to chance my luck in a different career and, as a military fighter pilot, I started to become intrigued, once again, by our sense of images. Military pilots obsess over the 'picture'; the image that reflects their awareness of what is happening around them in fast moving, complex dog-fights. I knew then that a keen, accurate sense of 'picture' was fundamental to my decision making and could exponentially increase my effectiveness.
The capabilities required for me to work in the air work with rapidly shifting objectives, critical time constraints and high stakes are now in critical demand in high performance in organizations across the modern world. It is also clear that the multi-faceted, complex demands of contemporary business frequently place us beyond the application of simplistic change models and tick-box consultancy tools.
At Photo-Dialogue, I blend my practice as a photographer, my experience as a decision maker and my work as a consultant together to bring you interesting images that spark different, maybe changing, conversations.
We tend to believe that leaders must enable their colleagues and staff to develop a clear and concise image of the world around them so that they can engage creatively and effectively in typically fast-moving business environments. Yet our imagery is always open to interpretation and different meanings. A picture is worth a thousand words but it never actually says them. We do.
We are led to believe that change is about crystal clear images of organisational 'vision' - I think it is about the quality of conversation and dialogue that flows from those images. As we shift our attention from economic models of organisation to more collaborative, sustainable ways of thinking and leading so the imperative to find new ways to effectively share our thinking grows. As a consequence, I believe that visual methodologies, reflective thinking and dialogue can generate new, creative perspectives which help turn our vision into impact and collective action.
I continue to explore the leading edges of visual practice. Since passing my first degree in photography, film and television, I have undertaken an MBA and MSc in Organisation Consulting. I was a graduand of the inaugural doctoral prgramme at Ashridge where my research examined the nature of creativity as a fundamental part of our identity. Following the award of my doctorate I was delighted to join the Ashridge faculty where I now supervise DProf students on the Ashridge Doctorate in Organisational Change as well as supervising on a number of other MSc/MBA programmes.
Steve Marshall