Luke Fisher is the CEO of Mo, a market leader in employee recognition software. As a thought leader and champion of human-focused work cultures, Luke believes in solving retention and productivity issues by enhancing the employee experience – and he has the data to back it up. He graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2016 and co-founded Mo shortly afterwards. Mo is a next-generation reward and recognition platform that makes it easier for busy managers to meaningfully recognise, engage and connect with their teams. Mo was named one of the best UK software companies in 2024 by G2.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I’m a huge believer in forming good habits to set up for success. I have three rituals that I implement on the daily. For the best chance of a productive day, I start with an early gym session. I prefer a HIIT or Hyrox workout around 6:30am. Then a morning routine to help me focus. I review and prioritise my tasks for the next couple of days, then make sure I have sufficiently prepped for the meetings in my diary for the next three days. Then I tackle my first big “rock” for the day.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I’m a visual person, so I’m always keen to get some form of sketch penned down and then the key step plan to make it happen along with the people who will bring it to life.
What’s one trend that excites you?
The focus on ESG and additional value creation beyond just the shareholders give me hope that organisations can realise their potential for impact in society – especially for business-centric people.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
I plan my week so that I spend no more than 50% of my time being reactive. Proactive tasks are essential for meaningful productivity.
What advice would you give your younger self?
If your intuition surfaces that gut feeling to you, it’s probably right; be decisive, back it, and execute.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you.
I believe that the carrot is more effective than the stick for employee engagement.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Read ‘The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team’.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I tidy my workspace and write everything down that’s in my head on Post-it notes. I prioritise them as ‘urgent’, ‘important’ and ‘low importance’, then get to work on the most significant one.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Be bold, be brave, then work as hard as you damn can to make the most of the opportunities.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
So many failures. It all comes back to this: be clear on what you want. The goal or sense of identity you have for yourself, work out how you get there and then stay focused, learn from the failures and celebrate the small wins. That’s what Mo helps teams achieve.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
It’s not about ideas, it’s about problems. Find the problem that you and your closest ten friends all experience and explore the best way to solve it.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
It’s not about software – it’s about how you use it. I read ‘The Productivity Ninja’ years ago and still use most of that process in my personal Asana board.
What is the best $100 you recently spent?
Dinner and drinks with friends at a local sushi bar. It’s important to take time for yourself, and to recharge with people that make you laugh and smile.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast from which you’ve received much value?
Apart from ‘The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team’, I’ve recommended ‘Atomic Habits’ many times.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
I don’t really watch much TV and the last movie I watched probably had Denzel Washington in ‘It’.
Key learnings:
- A good business idea starts with a problem. Solve it and you’ve got a company.
- If you don’t ask for what you need, you’ll never get it. Most people are too afraid to ask and get stuck.
- A productive day starts with prioritisation. Be clear about what you want.