CANAL & RIVER TRUST APPOINTS REGIONAL DIRECTORS

[LadyG]

10 hours ago, Allan(nb Albert) said:

 

Perhaps I am the only forum member who reads the Sunday Times -

 

https://www.thefloater.org/the-floater-february-2018/what-will-become-of-the-waterways-managers

My internet is not happy with The Floater, and I was unable to read everything there.

It would have been easy enough, to spread the word before the arrival and departure of the advert in one issue of Sunday Times. High  profile advertising is an expensive business, and it seems ridicuous, not to say outrageous to exclude numerous potentially good candidates.

All these appointments occuring simultaneously provide a wonderfull opportunity to build a strong team. If only they understood the end goal.

It is an oportunity to provide career progression for home grown employees, or to hammer them in to the ground. 

[Parahandy]

To be honest I am stunned that many Boaters seem to make this assumption that Senior Management at this level need to know anything about Canals or their Users , going right back to British Leyland and Michael Edwards or that Bloke who used to head ICI that went around the Country advising various Businesses where they were going wrong , this has never been the case and many would say nor should it . This just happens to be a Charity/Trust/Business that has some Boats using its facilities in the same way the National Trust has visitors to its Properties , Boaters like Visitors are a very small part of the equation .

1 minute ago, Parahandy said:

 

 

Edited May 12, 2018 by Parahandy

[Athy]

3 minutes ago, Parahandy said:

To be honest I am stunned that many Boaters seem to make this assumption that Senior Management at this level need to know anything about Canals or their Users , going right back to British Leyland.

Not, it must be said, an unqualified success.

[Parahandy]

3 minutes ago, Athy said:

Not, it must be said, an unqualified success.

Well Athy all I can say to that is that its the same West Midlands Car Worker that has made Jaguar Landrover what it is today so in my estimation its certainly not the worker thats at fault .

In my opinion Nationalised Industry which is a flawed Business Model breeds Inflexible and Militant Trade Unionism and also Managers are often promoted on the basis of Seniority rather

than any Skillset or Capability , these are the main factors rather than Michael Edwards

[Alan de Enfield]

One at least has some 1st hand experience on the water - how relevant is another question.

 

"Regional Director, Wales & South West—Richard Thomas, who joins the Trust following a long and successful career in the Royal Navy".

[Athy]

2 minutes ago, Parahandy said:

Well Athy all I can say to that is that its the same West Midlands Car Worker that has made Jaguar Landrover what it is today so in my estimation its certainly not the worker thats at fault .

 

No one suggested that it was; we were discussing effective management.

Though, come to think of it, Red Robbo wasn't part of the management at The Orstin, as it was locally known.

2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

One at least has some 1st hand experience on the water - how relevant is another question.

 

"Regional Director, Wales & South West—Richard Thomas, who joins the Trust following a long and successful career in the Royal Navy".

He should know plenty about widebeams.

Edited May 12, 2018 by Athy

[Parahandy]

4 minutes ago, Athy said:

No one suggested that it was; we were discussing effective management.

Though, come to think of it, Red Robbo wasn't part of the management at The Orstin, as it was locally known.

He should know plenty about widebeams.

Could Management ever be effective against that Backdrop Athy ? this is what I was attempting to highlight in my own fashion ?

[Alan de Enfield]

16 minutes ago, Athy said:

 

He should know plenty about widebeams.

We shouldn't forget that there are plenty of shore-side jobs in the RN, covering everything from bottle-washer to cook, to 'head of training' to the Admirals Chauffer.

 

Edited May 12, 2018 by Alan de Enfield

[Athy]

It could be argued that if BMC's management had been more effective in the first place, the backdrop would never have, er, dropped. But frankly I don't know enough about BMC/BL's 1970s labour relations to comment with any authority. I'm sure that somebody on here will know, though.

[Ray T]

1 hour ago, Tanglewood said:

 

 

  In  my experience they tend to flog the Donkeys, accuse them of being stubborn, and overburden them, to the point at which they cannot do the job, and instead of being recognised as donkeys become labelled dinosaurs.

I'm afraid this is nothing new in any big business. In my latter years at BT I saw the "square wheel" being invented for the third time by some up and coming young suit.

Instead of asking those doing the job why it didn't work the retort was, "The ideas a good one, you are being negative and uncooperative and not making it work." Common sense will always loose out to inflexible attitudes.

 

Remember when Richard Parry was appointed - and he promised to listen? He even set up lots of structures to enable him to listen.  Thing is he hasn't listened - he doesn't even bother to comply with his own customer service standards.  

In his early days Richard Parry did hold public meetings with his management team but they became "slanging matches" between factions who thought they should live on the waterways scott free and sections of the IWA. No one else including the CRT Management team could get a word in edgeways because those squabbling would not come to order.

I go to a CRT meeting which RP chairs, he does listen but he has many mouths talking to him, all wanting his undivided attention - not always possible.

 

 

Edited May 12, 2018 by Ray T

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

We shouldn't forget that there are plenty of shore-side jobs in the RN, covering everything from bottle-washer to cook, to 'head of training' to the Admirals Chauffer.

 

"...I polished up the handle on the big front door.

I polished that handle so carefully

That now I am the Ruler of the Queen's Navy..."

[BruceinSanity]

58 minutes ago, David Mack said:

"...I polished up the handle on the big front door.

I polished that handle so carefully

That now I am the Ruler of the Queen's Navy..."

But he was a politician:

 

"I grew so rich that I was sent

By a pocket borough into Parliament,

I always voted at my party's call

I never thought of thinking for myself at all.

I thought so little, they rewarded me

By making me the ruler of the Queen's Navee."

 

Plus ça change, eh?

[howardang]

3 hours ago, Parahandy said:

To be honest I am stunned that many Boaters seem to make this assumption that Senior Management at this level need to know anything about Canals or their Users , going right back to British Leyland and Michael Edwards or that Bloke who used to head ICI that went around the Country advising various Businesses where they were going wrong , this has never been the case and many would say nor should it . This just happens to be a Charity/Trust/Business that has some Boats using its facilities in the same way the National Trust has visitors to its Properties , Boaters like Visitors are a very small part of the equation .

 

However, boaters contribute over 20% of CRT's income annually and I consider that they deserve consideration, which includes knowing what the system does and how it works. There are many professions where a first principle is never ask someone to do anything that you can't do yourself, and I think running a part of a major inland waterway network should abide by this philosophy. 

 

Howard

[LadyG]

4 hours ago, Athy said:

It could be argued that if BMC's management had been more effective in the first place, the backdrop would never have, er, dropped. But frankly I don't know enough about BMC/BL's 1970s labour relations to comment with any authority. I'm sure that somebody on here will know, though.

The early 1970 mini s were rubbish, the only new car I ever bought: it leaked, it was tinny and ensured I never ever bought another new car.

I don't expect a RN officer to know much about canals, but I expect him to know about real management. It won't take him long to get up to speed on inland waterways. What will be difficult is generating income from "allies"

Edited May 12, 2018 by LadyG

[Parahandy]

48 minutes ago, howardang said:

However, boaters contribute over 20% of CRT's income annually and I consider that they deserve consideration, which includes knowing what the system does and how it works. There are many professions where a first principle is never ask someone to do anything that you can't do yourself, and I think running a part of a major inland waterway network should abide by this philosophy. 

 

Howard

I struggle to find any relevance in what your saying Howard and I say that as a Boater as opposed to someone trying to pick an argument . Firstly I dont believe that 20% is either here nor there and secondly I dont believe that Boaters are being ignored by CRT , in fact for many of us life under CRT is little different from life under BW . I think the problems reside mostly in the Management of the Infrastructure rather than the Interface between Trust and Boater . I dont understand what you mean by " never asking someone to do something you cant do yourself " and applying this as a Philosophy ? I take the view its Horses for Courses and you recruit accordingly .

[Parahandy]

3 minutes ago, LadyG said:

The early 1970 mini s were rubbish, the only new car I ever bought: it leaked, it was tinny and ensured I never ever bought another new car.

I met a young bloke on a Boat some years back at Marsworth who spotted my Classic Car Magazines laying on the Drop Down Table in the Back Cabin , Oh he says I have a Classic Mini , like you my memories of these were pretty bad , abysmal even ?

[Athy]

It could have been worse: he could have said "A classic Allegro".

[Alan de Enfield]

4 minutes ago, Parahandy said:

I have a Classic Mini , like you my memories of these were pretty bad , abysmal even ?

Classic Mini ......................... My memories are quite favourable.

 

[LadyG]

Good grief. If you ask someone to do only what you can do yourself, you  are never going to get above "foreman" level. Many managers are those who have done lots of management, but have progressed by using the "nodding donkey" approach.

I have worked in several companies undergoing re-structuring, the easiest way is to bring in young qualified HR to sack the long term employees. That's about all they do, then they move on, job done.  

[Parahandy]

2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Classic Mini ......................... My memories are quite favourable.

 

I am anxious to hear of Lady G and her experiences of the above given the notorious inclement Scottish Climate , I remember my mother with several in the Sixties

[LadyG]

18 minutes ago, Parahandy said:

I met a young bloke on a Boat some years back at Marsworth who spotted my Classic Car Magazines laying on the Drop Down Table in the Back Cabin , Oh he says I have a Classic Mini , like you my memories of these were pretty bad , abysmal even ?

My first Mini [1964] was a good one, I threw it around more than was wise.  I thought all cars were like that .......... they are not. 

I was late on the mini skirt scene,  not suited to a Scottish climate, but by then I had moved "south" [N Yorks]

I remember stockings,............. and suspender belts!

Edited May 12, 2018 by LadyG

[Parahandy]

11 minutes ago, LadyG said:

M first Mini [1964] was a good one, i threw it around more than was wise.  I thought all cars were like that .......... they are not. 

I hope thats the Car ?

Edited May 12, 2018 by Parahandy

[howardang]

14 minutes ago, Parahandy said:

I struggle to find any relevance in what your saying Howard and I say that as a Boater as opposed to someone trying to pick an argument . Firstly I dont believe that 20% is either here nor there and secondly I dont believe that Boaters are being ignored by CRT , in fact for many of us life under CRT is little different from life under BW . I think the problems reside mostly in the Management of the Infrastructure rather than the Interface between Trust and Boater . I dont understand what you mean by " never asking someone to do something you cant do yourself " and applying this as a Philosophy ? I take the view its Horses for Courses and you recruit accordingly .

I suppose the relevance is that one thing that makes the canals interesting to the more casual visitor might be the boating activity which is a unique feature in what otherwise would be a very scenic watermark and industrial heritage attraction, and without the boating activity the attraction may be less popular  some visitors. It is the 20+ per cent of their income which goes a long way to keep the system viable, even though it struggles to keep going sometimes because of the fragility of the infrastructure. hence the increasingly frequent nature of major stoppages. Without this income the system would struggle even more.  I would suggest that a manager who is up to speed (i.e. has experience in the job and many of its challenges) and familiar with the many aspects of waterway management would surely be better placed to run his region more efficiently. This philosophy applies to many industries and professions and in my opinion (and experience) it is often better to have a management structure which trains its own  managers whenever possible, so that there is an internal recruitment policy rather than externally.

 

Howard

[Parahandy]

2 minutes ago, howardang said:

I suppose the relevance is that one thing that makes the canals interesting to the more casual visitor might be the boating activity which is a unique feature in what otherwise would be a very scenic watermark and industrial heritage attraction, and without the boating activity the attraction may be less popular  some visitors. It is the 20+ per cent of their income which goes a long way to keep the system viable, even though it struggles to keep going sometimes because of the fragility of the infrastructure. hence the increasingly frequent nature of major stoppages. Without this income the system would struggle even more.  I would suggest that a manager who is up to speed (i.e. has experience in the job and many of its challenges) and familiar with the many aspects of waterway management would surely be better placed to run his region more efficiently. This philosophy applies to many industries and professions and in my opinion (and experience) it is often better to have a management structure which trains its own  managers whenever possible, so that there is an internal recruitment policy rather than externally.

 

Howard

In an Ideal Scenario I think thats true Howard but aren't we again assuming that these Directors are being recruited for their Knowledge of the Waterways rather than some other skillset

[LadyG]

24 minutes ago, Athy said:

It could have been worse: he could have said "A classic Allegro".

They got a bad press, I had one for work, and it was ok, went anywhere it was asked, and I did not need a sump guard [cf my mini].

Mind you it was just very ordinary in every way. They were changed every two years. I would think they lasted another two, then everything  rusted to distraction.

Edited May 12, 2018 by LadyG