We worked with Costas with a group of investment propeller-head brains who were wrestling with both the lack of sunshine on Lake Annecy [surely one of the most beautiful places on earth?] and a global meltdown.  The conference Chairman delivered the memorable line - “Goldilocks is dead.  We have moved into VILE times”.  VILE is a Volatile, Inflationary, Low Earnings environment.  Oil is $150 a barrel and inflation predicted in just about every economy and market.  Markets are wrestling with the implications of CDO’s being real elements of banks’ balance sheets, not nicely convenient paper off-sheet vehicles.  Somebody has to pay.  Something  has  got to give.  [Editor...oh how awful to be right!?]  

Anyway, Costas is unique.  He is incredible with an international audience.  He is a Professor at LBS (Robert Baumann Chair and all that); he is also from Cyprus, is fast thinking, engaging and extremely, extremely funny.  The upshot of his 90 minute session is that over the years he has worked with a huge variety of blue chip senior executives who hold their annual offsite, who brainstorm, mindmap and plan the year ahead, enjoy the dinner and go back to the office the next week and...NOTHING happens.  Why is this?  Why do ‘high fives’ by a lake in France never turn into concrete actions and changes in behaviour?  Costas unravels some of the less obvious reasons with examples, insights, some interesting group exercises and much good humour.  We may be entering VILE times, but Costas delivered something powerful with the audience in Annecy and prompted something rather better than the normal navel gazing.  At Wave Your Arms, Costas is something of hero.  His philosophy and delivery is perfectly pitched for the smart, sceptical left-brain audience, and we would be happy to tell you more.  You can see a little of Costas here: