44. William Hague on managing global crisis, the art of resigning and the pursuit of happiness

My guest today is the former Foreign Secretary William Hague. As someone who has been ‘in the room’ as the decision maker at so many moments of political drama, Lord Hague has an incredibly valuable voice to add to this conversation that we’re having about crisis. From his challenging time as Conservative Party leader, the wilderness years out of frontline politics, the four he spent as Foreign Secretary - and now as businessman and commentator - William has a unique perspective on what makes a crisis and how those in public life should approach managing them. Threaded throughout our discussion on Ukraine, Brexit, political resignations and why being Prime Minister is not the route to happiness, William gives us the Hague formula for crisis management. It is, perhaps as you might expect, pretty no-nonsense. Interestingly, William thinks his keep calm, keep perspective approach is out of kilter with the modern world of instant decision making and instant judgements. I suspect, after listening to him you’ll think, like me, that it’s exactly what the bonkers world of politics needs right now. William and I worked quite closely together more than a decade ago and this conversation also reminded me just how reasonable a bloke he is. God knows we could do with a bit of that. I hope you enjoy this conversation and thanks so much for listening.

William's Crisis Cures:

1 – Nature – The Japanese like forest bathing – it’s not a bad idea.. when in trouble go and walk amongst the trees, the plants and wild animals – it gives you a different perspective. Certainly a calmer one.

2 – History – Often you can see things in better perspective if you can remember how terrible things were before for the previous generation. Don’t feel so sorry for yourself when you consider those aged 20 in the 1940’s going off to war.

3 – Exercise – When I was in the Foreign office I used to say ‘I can do without sleep or food, but I can’t do without my exercise.’ I have to have a run or a swim in the morning. When I’m in big trouble I need even more of that because I think it gives you an energy and a self-confidence and again, a sense of perspective and some time to think.

Stream/Buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bm

Some Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.uk

Your Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682

Host– Andy Coulson

Producer – Louise Difford

Full episode transcript available at: https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/william-hague-on-managing-global-crisis-the-art-of-resigning-and-the-pursuit-of-happiness/

FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?

Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=en

TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod