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So it's always living on the edge and when you can't see the way forward, you have to look again and again. I feel lucky that I can use my imagination in this way, and am also happy to try and spread this way of working to everyone around me.

One expression I use is "It's not the end of the world", which I like to say to people who feel desperate when they have to face a crisis, especially new people or a new team who think their problems are bigger than they really are.

Sometimes when I'm struggling to find the answer, I suddenly realise that there's a logjam in my head to unlock, and one technique I've been using is my personalised mind-map exercise that focuses on human nature and motivation. My favourite tool is a good old notebook, where I start writing everything down to clarify things and find the real point that's blocked.

It has to be the real problem not just a symptom. So usually to start with I use the "What, Why, Who, When" matrix on the page to provide a framework - like a reality check before the ideas can flow again. You can't guarantee the success of this technique, but at least you can always learn something from the process and take it on board.

One exercise I'm always dealing with is the challenge of handling accounts that are not brand leaders but "challenger brands". Often my solution is trying harder to achieve differentiation in our advertising that will create top-of-mind brand awareness. The goal then is to see real opportunities for radical growth and offer innovative ways of achieving this in an integrated campaign.

Yes, sometimes we get struck and want to break with the past to jump out of the box even when we may not be sure what the box is. In my experience, it's really important to set the discussion and establish the parameters before thinking out of the box, and usually there are three main areas for consideration.

First is to find out the truth of the brand and what is the brand's asset that we can use as the base to jump from. Second is how we can differentiate it from the competition, and this is often not a physical difference, but about the emotional benefits that we can weave around the brand. Third is our consumer and what is his motivation, and for this I believe more in real experience. It's important to get out on the streets so you can see and understand what's happening. I don't believe too much in traditional market research, although it's useful to be aware of what the researchers come up with.

I feel it's more important to experience real data from life and human nature instead of sitting and dreaming, and this makes everything true to life.