Performance Works International, a unique establishment that supports business and workforce transformations to accelerate success in the modern workplace, is a brainchild of a passionate leader and educator Mr. Jeremy Blain. With an aspiration to support leaders and managers in the definition of strategies to implement digital and human transformations for today’s workplace, Jeremy Blain established Performance Works International (PWI). An innovative seed which was sown in 2018, germinated well and became the new standard for the consulting and training industry.
“My company is founded on one core principle: Supporting organisations and leaders to transform their business for the needs of the modern, ever-changing workplace. This is achieved through a research-centred approach to provide the most current insights, that lead to our own products and services evolution and the way we then consult, train, coach, and positively impact our clients, their leaders, and their teams”, asserted Jeremy Blain.
This approach ensures Jeremy and his team, as a consulting and training company, stay ahead of the game and constantly evolve their offers for the new knowledge, skills, and behaviours that are of the greatest importance to today’s workplace and workforce. Their value proposition is unlike most other players in the industry and they have been recognised at the industry level for the quality and uniqueness of their offers, their operational research, how they deliver their services, and their ever-evolving ways of working with clients.. Anywhere. Anytime.
KNOWING THE VISIONARY
A depth of expertise and a hands-on business leader armed with the standards of excellence, Jeremy Blain has been working for almost three decades in multiple industry sectors. He holds extensive experience as a transformational leader and adviser at the board level globally. He has operated on an international basis to launch successful businesses and turn underperformance into excellence. This has included 7-years as CEO
for an international consultancy company based in Singapore, operating from India to the Pacific. Jeremy is proven at all stages of the business lifecycle, from start-up to internationalization, raising profiles and profits throughout.
Jeremy began his career in the least glamorous way possible selling frying oil and toilet cleaner in Yorkshire,
UK. Since then, he has been a truly global citizen, having worked in most major markets in the world, including living and working from S.E. Asia between 2011 and 2018.
Jeremy’s modus operandi brings together his core role as a business leader and human capital / learning
professional. It’s a solid mix that at its heart is built on an equitable, diverse, and inclusive way of working. As
such, Jeremy sees himself as an everyday learner and has embraced new leadership traits (which he regularly
researches) and new ways of working. In fact, his own business and the business he set up in Asia in 2011, was
founded on new emerging principles, using a blended workforce and embracing the gig economy to challenge
traditional ways of working, sourcing, recruiting, structuring, and more.
BECOMING THE AUTHOR OF ‘THE INNER CEO – UNLEASHING LEADERS AT ALL LEVELS’
“From around 2008 I realised that I was selling more to my clients when I had something to share beyond our products and services. Insights. Since then, I have commissioned research and authored around 30 industry white papers and eBooks, all focused on aspects of how the workplace is evolving in the face of digital, learning trends, management practices, leadership must-dos, and #futureofwork. This, alongside my commitment to use social media as a core route to market, contributed approx. 80% to my annual pipeline. This opened up new opportunities and lines of business-like conference work, keynote speaking, and more”, stressed Jeremy while talking about his journey of becoming an author.
“From this research and ‘speaking on the circuit’, I met authors who encouraged me to use the research as a springboard to bring together my expertise into a book for the modern workplace. This led to me identifying a new ‘age of empowerment’ to make leading at all levels a reality. The trouble was, nothing really existed. There are articles on the benefits of a more empowering culture, but no how-to books on the topic. I decided to correct that anomaly and my book ‘The Inner CEO -Unleashing leaders at all levels’ was released in March 2021”, he further added.
CLIENTELE & UNBREAKABLE FAITH
Our clientele spans sectors, borders, type, and size. When we are considering business transformation and building the knowledge, skills, and behaviours that will drive success in the modern workplace, it is clear that anyone can benefit.
There is no mystery to an unbreakable faith with clients. It is about delivering the promises made, through a strong human touch, expert capability, and orientation of how we work to that specific business, need, and culture.
Become ‘one of them’ to get under the skin of what success looks like, and be as passionate about that success as they are. This, alongside a consistency of service delivery, handling any challenges efficiently and relationship strength, becomes the glue that creates the unbreakable bond.
BARRIERS CROSSED BY PERFORMANCE WORKS
Jeremy started the business on the latest principles- namely making it a 100% distributed business with the 100% contingent workforce, enabled by the most efficient and appropriate digital threads, and supported by a global network of experts and professionals as collaborators and outsource partners. To maintain this business model as the company has rapidly grown has been a challenge. Performance Works now has certain collaborators on retainer contracts – which still enables flexibility for everyone involved.
On top of that, it is always a challenge to stay current in terms of insights the company delivers, the solutions and services Performance Works bring to the market, and the operational training they provide – focused on the most important and evolving knowledge, skills, and behaviours for success today. This is why the focus on providing the most up-to-date research, informs the company’s clientele and Performance Works itself, to
constantly evolve solutions and services for the workplace and workforce needs of today. At all levels, in all industries.
THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE TREMENDOUS GROWTH
Jeremy proudly said, “I have had my fair share of failure as much as success! The key is to understand the importance of those experiences, to learn from them, deal with the emotions that come with them, and understand the impact on others. How we grow from these situations informs the future. It does not mean you won’t fail again. I am a willing experimenter in business terms and failure no longer puts me off trying…”
“…It is also to know when to consolidate and when to push for more, bigger, newer, greater. Consolidation of different stages of growth is key to securing the future and something I have learned along the way. I learn from many who have been on the journey with me. A lot of these are customers, who became unofficial mentors and friends. For example, Greg McKibbin is now retired GM for Kodak Entertainment Imaging across their Greater Asia Region. While a customer at the time, I saw Greg as one of the most enlightened leaders I had ever met. He had a strong handle on the business, the human component, and the communities the organisation operated within and for. I have tried to emulate Greg’s style and approach since then. And still trying”, he further added.
A DAY IN JEREMY’S LIFE
“I am an early bird! By 9.30 am I often completed half a day due to many of my customers being based in Asia and me being in the UK.
Then, depending on the day, I make packed lunches for my kids and wife and do some exercise. I always workout best in the mornings.
For the rest of my day, I work asynchronously and use various techniques to help me get into deeper, more
meaningful, and impactful work (for me and my customers). To support this, I have tried to coach those working with me and customers to minimise email and use collaboration apps for messaging and contact as needed. This has helped my efficient working”, shared Jeremy.
“We try to eat together as a family when we can. The pandemic brought us closer together in that respect. We all love cooking, so the kitchen and around the BBQ have been where we have spent the most time. In the
evening I go for a walk with my wife, weather dependent. We then might listen to records or watch some TV. I am early to bed as much as early to rise”, he further added.
FAVOURITE BOOK OF THE MOMENT – ‘The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse’ by Charlie Mackesy
ROAD MAP TO FUTURE GROWTH
“I don’t know what the future holds for my business and that is the exciting thing. If I am too rigid on a longer-term journey, then I am not as prepared for challenges, opportunities, new technologies, and new ways of thinking. Long gone are the days of 3-to-5-year strategies. I find I have to be more flexible than that. Speed, not size, is the main competitive advantage these days. So, for me, to rapidly adapt my business to evolving needs, I will need to continue to be research-led and, on the back of that, continue to evolve my offering to help organisations, leaders, and teams thrive in the modern workplace.”
“That said, some placeholders along the way would include book number 2, which I am currently writing with the talented Dr. Rochelle Haynes; consolidating my position individually as a global authority on empowered working; and to continue to grow my business, internationally while embracing new ways of structuring, working and through the benefits of a global, blended workforce”, emphasised Jeremy.
ACCREDITATION ON THE WAY
And in this journey of growth, Jeremy Blain and Performance Works International have been the recipient of various awards over the years. This year;
- Performance Works International has been recognized as the ‘International Company of the year’ for remote training and virtual classes for the second year running.
- Jeremy Blain was awarded the International Game Changer of the Year for the third year running Something never achieved before in these awards.
- Jeremy Blain was named as one of the top 100 global digital and whole business transformation experts in ‘The Global 100 2021Awards’.
- Performance Works International named as one of the “20 Most Dynamic Leadership Development Companies to Watch in 2021” across the Asia Pacific region.
WORDS OF WISDOM
Challenge discrimination, seek allies and supporters; Don’t accept casual sexism – It has no place in the business world. Find out which organisations can help you or reach your audience. Get heavily networked
through platforms like LinkedIn and social media outlets that are relevant to your industry and products or services. Look for great role models who you can learn from and be advised by. Whatever their level.
