Author: Denyse Drummond-dunn

Why Slowing Down Is the Boldest Move You Can Make to Accelerate Growth

Posted on by Denyse Drummond-dunn

Welcome to a new style of blog post from Denyse at C3Centricity. After years of writing about the latest theories and best-practice solutions, I decided it was time to get a little (a lot?) closer to my followers with more personalised and down-to-earth pieces.
Let me know which you prefer by commenting below or dropping me a line at denysedd@c3centricity.com. Thanks.

Ever feel like you’re trying to sprint through quicksand? Same here. Lately, I’ve been wondering: what if the fastest way to accelerate growth… is actually a full stop?

We live in a world obsessed with quarterly targets, AI arms races, and endless “go faster” pressure, suggesting a pause sounds almost sacrilegious. But — what if slowing down isn’t a weakness?


What if it turns out to be your ultimate competitive advantage?

It’s not just theory. Over the last two decades, I’ve seen it firsthand. The most innovative companies? They deliberately build strategic slowdowns into their growth cycles.

Sound crazy? Yeah, I thought so too… until I saw it. Again. And again. And again.

If you would rather listen than read:

The Acceleration Trap

Let’s be honest. Most of us are stuck in a race we didn’t mean to enter — constantly pushing harder, believing it’s the only way to accelerate growth.

Another quarter. Another stretch goal. Another fire drill. Celebrate a win for 3.5 seconds… then rush headfirst into the next thing.

And how’s that working out?

If you’re like most leaders I meet, you’re seeing diminishing returns. High-performer burnout. Innovation that’s… meh. Not breakthrough. Just more of the same.

Look, I get it. Take Top CPG Inc. (name changed!). Their CEO once bragged to me: “We’re always in fifth gear.”

Eighteen months later? They laid off 30% of their workforce after three failed product launches and a mass talent exodus.

The data backs it up too. McKinsey recently found that 67% of executives feel trapped in constant acceleration — unable to break free without risking their position.

Think about that.

Two-thirds of our leaders are exhausted… but feel they can’t stop.

Is that where innovation thrives?

Is that where the best decisions get made?

Not a chance.

Ready to reignite momentum in your career or company? Book a complimentary 30-minute Momentum Makeover Call where we’ll identify your key acceleration opportunities.

The Power of the Strategic Pause

Now, before you panic — I’m not suggesting you slam on the brakes. There’s a world of difference between stagnation (which kills companies) and strategic pauses (which save them).

I’ll never forget a conversation with the CMO of a major European consumer goods company. Growth had stalled. Teams were exhausted. He leaned across the table and said:


We’ve been so busy sailing… we haven’t checked if we’re heading toward the right shore.

Oof. That hit hard.

They took what I now call a Strategic Momentum Pause — eight weeks designed to reset priorities and create a real foundation to accelerate growth again. Two months of:

  • Suspending all non-essential projects

  • Deep-dive

… Click to continue reading

Resilience: The Essential Foundation for Career Success in Uncertain Times

Posted on by Denyse Drummond-dunn

Have you ever watched in dismay as a seemingly unstoppable colleague bounces back from a catastrophic professional failure only to become stronger than before?

Or perhaps you’ve wondered why some careers seem to weather storms that sink others?

The difference often comes down to one essential quality: resilience.

In my upcoming masterclass, I reveal how this powerful trait forms the bedrock of career advancement.

LEARN MORE

Today, I want to explore why resilience matters more than ever and how you can cultivate it to transform your own professional journey.

If you would rather listen than read:

Why Resilience Has Become the Career Superpower

Picture this: Sarah, a marketing director at a Fortune 500 company, spent six months developing a major campaign that her CEO abruptly canceled during its final review. The team was devastated. Most retreated to their desks, shells of their former confident selves.

But Sarah did something different.

Within 48 hours, she had analyzed what went wrong, salvaged the most promising elements, and developed a leaner, more targeted approach.

Three weeks later, she presented a reimagined campaign that not only got approved but became one of the company’s most successful initiatives of the year.

This isn’t just an inspiring anecdote. It’s a perfect illustration of what Deloitte’s 2023 Workplace Resilience Report uncovered: while 91% of business leaders identified resilience as a critical priority for organizational success, only 15% felt their workforce was adequately prepared to handle ongoing disruption.

This enormous gap between recognition and readiness creates a remarkable opportunity for professionals who develop this skill. Simply put, resilience has become the career differentiator hidden in plain sight.

The Science Behind Resilience’s Professional Impact

When I talk about resilience in my masterclass, I’m not speaking in motivational generalities—I’m referring to a skill with measurable career benefits backed by substantial research.

The American Psychological Association found that resilient employees aren’t just happier—they’re 31% more productive and take 41% fewer sick days than their less resilient colleagues.

Think about that: resilience isn’t just about feeling better; it’s about performing better in measurable ways that managers and executives notice.

Dr. Martin Seligman, founder of positive psychology and author of “Learned Optimism,” conducted extensive research showing that resilient people don’t just overcome setbacks—they systematically interpret them differently from the start.

This mental framework allows them to maintain creativity and problem-solving abilities precisely when others lose these capacities.

A particularly striking Harvard Business Review study tracked professionals across industries and found that those with high resilience scores were 40% more likely to receive positive performance evaluations and 42% more likely to be considered for promotion.

This wasn’t correlated with education, experience, or even initial performance metrics—resilience itself was the determining factor.

McKinsey’s research adds another dimension: during times of organizational turbulence (like the restructuring that’s become commonplace in today’s business world), resilient leaders outperformed their peers by a remarkable 22% in key metrics like team retention, project completion, and strategic goal achievement.

These aren’t abstract concepts—they translate directly into raises, promotions, and career opportunities.

Beyond “Bouncing

… Click to continue reading

Insight, Innovation and Inclusive Leadership: The New Business Success Formula

Posted on by Denyse Drummond-dunn

Organisations are facing unprecedented challenges in remaining competitive and maintaining business success in 2025.

The three fundamental pillars of sustained success are deep customer insights, meaningful innovation, and inclusive leadership.

Let’s explore why this powerful trinity is more relevant than ever in 2025 and how you can leverage it to grow your business.

Prefer to listen to the podcast? Click below.

Why These Three Pillars Matter Now More Than Ever

The numbers tell a compelling story.

McKinsey’s latest research reveals that companies effectively combining these three elements outperform their peers by an astounding 85% in sales growth and more than 25% in gross margin. But what makes this combination so powerful?

 

Deep Customer Insights Power Business Success

Insight is the cornerstone of every successful strategy.

The key difference between successful and struggling companies? Top performers turn data into actionable intelligence that drives decision-making at all levels.

McKinsey reports that companies using customer insights for decision-making are 60% more likely to achieve above-market growth rates!

The true value of insights comes when they bridge the gap between raw data and real-world application, allowing businesses to anticipate consumer needs, optimize operations, and refine strategies.

Gone are the days when gut feelings drove business decisions. Modern market leaders demonstrate the transformative power of customer insights:

– One standout example is Spotify’s “Wrapped” campaign. In 2023, Spotify used not just user listening data but an understanding of the emotional drivers behind their customers’ listening habits—self-reflection and social sharing. By tapping into this human desire, Spotify’s campaign led to over 30 billion streams, showcasing the power of customer insights in driving engagement and brand loyalty.

– Nike’s adaptive clothing line, developed through extensive consultation with disabled athletes, opened entirely new market segments

– P&G’s open innovation platform has revolutionized their product development process by incorporating external perspectives

But it’s not just consumer-facing data that drives success.

Internal business insights—such as employee feedback, operational inefficiencies, and market trends—are equally crucial.

Companies that develop a culture of continuous insight-gathering and sharing can make smarter, more informed decisions at all levels.

Does your Insight Development Process need an upgrade? Click below and check out our two-hour online masterclass for marketers and market researchers.

Learn more about your Business Makeover

Innovation: The Competitive Edge Amplifier of Business Success

Recent PwC research shows that 61% of CEOs view innovation as their top priority for achieving long-term growth.

But here’s what’s fascinating: successful innovation in 2025 looks vastly different from what we’ve seen before.

Innovation is not just about creating groundbreaking products or services; it’s about creating solutions that drive long-term value.

BCG’s latest report revealed that top innovators share three core practices:

  • Maintaining investment in innovation even during downturns
  • Leveraging advanced technologies like AI to drive innovation
  • Aligning innovation with sustainability goals alongside profitability

Microsoft offers a powerful example of how innovation can drive meaningful change. Instead of treating AI as a standalone technology, Microsoft integrated AI tools into their product suite to enhance real user productivity.

The result? A 40% increase in … Click to continue reading

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