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Michael Hayman, LSE Graduation Ceremony

michael hayman mbe: the world right now urgently needs optimists

Seven Hills co-founder and Mission co-author, Michael Hayman, provided the alumni address at the London School of Economics and Political Science graduation ceremony today. His reflections follow:

Just an amazing day at the London School of Economics today. I was invited to provide the graduation address. I left in 1992 and I can safely say that the idea I would be back talking to a brilliant new generation at the end of 2015 would have seemed a little far fetched then but it became real today.

And, I completely loved it. Welcomed back as family by as fine a group of people as you could hope to meet. 

Motto of the school is “to know the cause of things”. Think of that:

The pursuit of understanding

Preparing for a life of constant change. 

And my message was simply this. 

The world right now urgently needs its optimists. Those who believe that the best is still ahead, that people can use goodness to achieve remarkable things.

And, my reflection was that if you have the courage to dream, you can achieve anything.

So in the years since, thanks to my darling wife Claire Hayman for being with me and my business partner Nick Giles for the phenomenal adventure that we have shared through Seven Hills.

Today was tailor made to fit the word ‘privilege’. Loved every second and thank you to the LSE for helping me in some way to understand the cause of things – love, fun and friendship.

To view Michael’s address, please click here.

Michael Hayman, LSE Graduation Ceremony

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Chapter 1 outlines the concept of mission and how the breakthrough brands of today have succeeded by building a mission that inspires belief, generates a following and instils a purpose beyond profit.