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Dr Gregory Bott graduates with a doctorate from Henley Business School (University of Reading)

This was the day that after nine long years Greg finally achieved his long-held vision of ‘graduating’ from Henley Business School (University of Reading)  with a doctorate in leadership. While he passed his Viva in 2020, Covid meant the in-person ceremonies had to be delayed to this year.

Like many people he knows he is guilty of not stopping often enough to smell the flowers; always eager to move on to the next task or thing to be ticked off the to-do list. But I do want to mark Saturday 17 September 2022.

We at PSMG are hugely proud of his achievement

Those nine years have seen his son grow to the cusp of adulthood, his outlook on life shift and new, inspiring people come into his life. Friendships and family life were inevitably impacted as weekends and annual leave were swallowed up with research. Throughout, his wife (most definitely not on LinkedIn!), son and mother were supportive, encouraging and tolerant. He will remain indebted to them until my last breath. 

And to countless others I am also immensely grateful. 

Greg extends a huge thank you to the 31 Partners at 12 City law firms who were so generous with their time and allowed him to interview them for their perspectives on the factors affecting their ability to influence peers when leading key client relationships. Their insights into leadership in the legal sector were profound. 

"And so, a new question arises as an old question is answered. The new question is: what comes next? Well, I consider myself extremely fortunate that my role at Addleshsw Goddard means I get to incorporate my findings into the work I do each and every day with some of the best and brightest General Counsel and in-house teams around. My research also has application in the important work of  Dan Kayne  and the O Shaped Lawyer, which I am proud to support. And beyond this I feel a responsibility to share my insights more broadly whether that be through a book, a series of insights here on LinkedIn or some other forum". 

"And the old question that can now, finally, definitively be answered? “Yes, I have now finished my bloody doctorate!”

 

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