Tuesday, September 16, 2008



These are indeed dangerous times....

The media is awash with one shocking story today that is serving to remind us all of the perils of our modern lifestyles. The prevously unimaginable has happened and people are seeing and learning things they once would have deemed impossible.

COLLAPSING ROUND THEM

As a personnel and recruitment management consultant I regularly have to offer advice to manegers who may see that the organisation that they have worked for for years collapsing around them and whose staff simply cannot cope with the strain.

As the shocking figures pour in and the true scale of the crisis dawns across the country it's easy to think only of the familiar personalities acting out the drama on our TV screens and in the newspapers and forget the thousands of hard pressed workers, strategists and advisors behind the headlines who are suffering now and will suffer more as the situation worsens; bad enough that many will lose their jobs, but some have to suffer the anger and pent up rage of their superiors.

The talk of 'meltdown' and 'obliteration' is taking a heavy toll on those 'senior people' whose jobs are in the front line and the pressure is clearly beginning to tell.

Bullying in the workplace, even under the most intense pressure, can never be tolerated and if powerful senior members of the 'team' strike out against their younger, smaller colleagues ( especially when their only crime has been to speak the perhaps unpalatable truth) then someone has to take matters on before things get out of control.

'PRESSURE COOKER' ENVIRONMENT

Whenever any violent outburst happens in the workplace it is a warning signal to senior managers that personnel are on, or even already past, their breaking strain and that something needs to be done. The pressure cooker environment and the stress and worry of whether they will hang on to their job or not has become too much to bear. Perhaps the senior personnel involved needs an extra-long break but if that has already been tried then often a complete career change is the only answer.

REDUNDANCY PACKAGE

Faced with signs of such behaviour the natural course of events would be a meeting amongst the managers of the staff member concerned and in all probability the outcome would be a redundancy package of some kind; a generous pension perhaps would soften the blow and usually some alternative post at a lower level might be suggested.

Of course in the case of some unlucky people events overtake them and the entire organisation they represent ceases to exist, sometimes overnight, in which case the best answer is usually a complete lifestyle change; starting a small business or doing charity work are both popular choices for many affected in his way.

NO SYMPATHY

Many people feel that the those involved in this latest crisis have enjoyed a long run of easy pickings - many years 'on the gravy train' in some cases making millions from doing not very much - often by simply promising anything to everyone in a largely successful effort to keep their backing, year in and year out.

Those days are now coming to an end, and for those on the wrong end of this seismic shift the fear of loss should not be under estimated, for many there is little else that they know other than earning their living from the 'business' -in some sad cases entire families have earned their living in this way for decades and adjusting to life 'on the outside' will be tough.

PS. ADRIANS OUTBURST AT CONFERENCE.

I will not be commenting further on reports of Adrian Sanders' apparent attack on a young researcher at the Lib Dem conference in Bournemouth.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Marcus are you taking a leaf from the phantom blogger himself and using a parable perchance?

One could read your advice without being sure if you are making reference to goings on in Wall Street or Bournemouth.

Is this by accident or design? methinks we should be told....

Anonymous said...

LIAR ! You just couldn't help yourself when the HE wanted a quote. You can't be trusted on anything. Another dig at Sanders, but nowt political and offering a Tory perspective from you.


I see your support for that useful Tory stooge worked wonders. Kevin Carroll's choice about to be ousted by your fellow Tory 'rats' on the council.

Anonymous said...

Well 'Ellacombe Voter' where is *your* comment on Mr Sanders behaviour?

All that any of his supporters have done so far is go on the attack against the media - talk about shooting the messenger!

Frankly, after the disgusting personality assasination by Mr Hellyer and others I am not surprised Julian Parrot has packed it in - and you wonder why nobody in local Government is independent - perhaps it's because idiots like you smear them whenever they make decisions you don't like.

Anonymous said...

You had better keep an eye on your back Marcus, don't you live near Ellacombe? 'Ellacombe voter' sounds about as laid back as his foaming at the mouth MP hero these days using LOTS OF CAPITALS AND EXCLAMATION MARKS!!!!! - if you aren't careful he might take a lead from his boss' behaviour and wrestle you to the ground in a savage and unprovked attack one morning as you walk to work.

Barrie Wood said...

It IS a pity you didn't stick to your word about matters in Bournemouth. Your instinct to make something of the incident in Bournemouth leaves you looking like a hypocrite and contrasts unfavourably with the more generous response from Mayor Bye, of all people. Well done Nick !

I hope your character is more consistent and believable than your knee-jerk reaction to events in Bournemouth suggests, but others need to judge that rather than me.

Further, more worthy of comment to the Herald Express surely would have been your opinion on Lib Dem (and your own) tax plans or the turmoil in the financial markets, instead you decide to comment on our MP, having expressly said you were not going to do so.

Regrettably, poor judgment Marcus !

Marcus Wood said...

You are complaining to me about poor judgement? Are you joking?

What kind of judgement has your MP demonstrated?

'The incident in Bournemouth' as you so delicately put it was an utter embarrassment to you, your party and your MP and you should have the guts to admit it, at least some other Liberal Democrats are honest enough say that it was a disgraceful affair that should not have been hushed up by the party.

It is your MP who is in the deep stuff and making it worse by refusing to either explain his actions or apologise to the very constituents who put him in office.

Barrie Wood said...

Maybe before commenting on other parties and individuals you might like to explain the more serious issues relating to :

a) Giles Chichester MEP and probity of his expenses claims. He admitted to breaking the rules by channelling thousands of pounds of allowances into a family company.

Giles Chichester paid more than £400,000 for office services to a company of which he was a director.[Daily Telegraph 6 June].

b) Anthony Steen MP being one of only seven Tory MPs who failed to publish promptly their expenses as requested by your own Conservative party leader [Daily Telegraph 16 July].

c) Your own 'inconsistency' in saying one thing and then doing opposite with regard to events in Bournemouth.

Actually, Adrian made a mistake and apologised profusely. You make personal points rather than political ones once more. Your attitude does you no credit.

C'mon Marcus get back to the issues ! It'll be interesting next week to see if your party switches it's position on taxation following the LD Conference. What stance would you like the Tories to take ?

Marcus Wood said...

Barry, you make me smile. You extend to four paragraphs slagging off various Tories and then end by accusing me - "You make personal points rather than political ones once more"

I am not on the rack here, it is not me that has been spread across the national media for five days for all the wrong reasons, on that you say nothing. Adrian has NOT apologised for his behaviour except to avoid the person concerned making a complaint to the police - what about his constituents? Aren't they entitled to some sort of apology?

Of your other points Giles has been cleared completely, Anthony has complied 100% with the rules - (to exactly the same degree as his neighbour Adrian Sanders as a matter of fact).

As to our position on tax at conference I doubt very much if it will change much - I expect we will say we stick with Labours existing spending plans but reserve the right not to do so past their current 2011 deadline.

I am looking forward to it though, certain it will be the best yet.

Barrie Wood said...

Why bother Marcus going to the Tory Conference ? Only Lib Dems actually decide policy positions at Conference. Labour and Tories alike don't have to engage with, and win over, conference delegates / members in debate like the Liberal DEMOCRATS do ;-)


On tax, what is YOUR position / preference ? I guess we'll get an 'on message' reply, but your own opinion would be interesting to hear.

Marcus Wood said...

Barry, just answered you on the other thread.

Why do I go to conference? 'Cos I love it.