Alastair Campbell is a journalist, author, strategist, communications expert and sports fan. One of if not THE architect of New Labour, Campbell is best known for his work as director of communications and strategy and Downing Street Press Secretary for former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Needless to say, politics feature quite prominently in our conversation but the prime focus was on his book, published in 2015, Winners and how they succeed, which plots how sportsmen and managers excel, how entrepreneurs thrive, and how a positive, winning mindset is something we all, as individuals, can develop.

Some questions covered:

- Are we living in a vacuum of political leadership?

- Is Donald Trump a winner, or one of life’s big losers?

- How do you make a crisis work for you?

- What’s the difference between stress and pressure?

- How can you play to your reputation to ensure you win before you’ve even done anything?

The book is a fantastic run through the techniques, principles, machinations and quirks of some of the most prominent figures in sport, politics and business – many of whom Campbell interviewed for the book. And we start with an explanation of the founding principle of the book, and of what Campbell believes is essential for success in almost any field: defining and working to your OST – objective, strategy and tactics.