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Which fictional
characters would make good interims?
Perhaps I am getting too involved in my work – when reading the paper or a book, at the cinema or the theatre, watching TV or listening to Radio 4, I find myself wondering “which of these fictional characters would make good interims?”
Jack Bauer, I don’t think so. Delivery-focus gets full marks but he leaves a trail of devastation behind him and never seems to create a learning environment for his colleagues;
Eddy Grundy. Wherever he’s working, his thoughts are always about maximising value.........unfortunately, for himself. So that will be “no”;
Martin Lukes who apparently died last week (see Thursday’s FT), definitely not, too many mind bullets, not enough delivery, can’t work within budgets;
Perhaps I am getting too involved in my work – when reading the paper or a book, at the cinema or the theatre, watching TV or listening to Radio 4, I find myself wondering “which of these fictional characters would make good interims?”
Jack Bauer, I don’t think so. Delivery-focus gets full marks but he leaves a trail of devastation behind him and never seems to create a learning environment for his colleagues;
Eddy Grundy. Wherever he’s working, his thoughts are always about maximising value.........unfortunately, for himself. So that will be “no”;
Martin Lukes who apparently died last week (see Thursday’s FT), definitely not, too many mind bullets, not enough delivery, can’t work within budgets;
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David Brent?
Some definite plus
points: good office management experience; not
afraid to speak his mind – ah, but not, it
seems, in a way which encourages his team to
give of their best;
Batman does not seem able to work alone - but interims often have to do just that, so he’s ruled out on that score;
Jean Valjean. Would be excellent in many ways, an honourable man with huge presence and gravitas, but sadly his references threw up a blot in his past, a conviction for theft, so he’s ruled out.
Well ,there must be someone........ I think, perhaps, Miss Marple. Very quick to assimilate problems, understands people’s motivations and wins their confidence, always delivers a solution and explains it fully to pass on her knowledge to others. I would offer her to you as one of our registered interim candidates but unfortunately she seems to be permanently out on assignment.
Never mind, we have a strong pool of real characters from whom to select.
This insight from Michael Kaltz appeared in Executive Grapevine of September 2010.
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Batman does not seem able to work alone - but interims often have to do just that, so he’s ruled out on that score;
Jean Valjean. Would be excellent in many ways, an honourable man with huge presence and gravitas, but sadly his references threw up a blot in his past, a conviction for theft, so he’s ruled out.
Well ,there must be someone........ I think, perhaps, Miss Marple. Very quick to assimilate problems, understands people’s motivations and wins their confidence, always delivers a solution and explains it fully to pass on her knowledge to others. I would offer her to you as one of our registered interim candidates but unfortunately she seems to be permanently out on assignment.
Never mind, we have a strong pool of real characters from whom to select.
This insight from Michael Kaltz appeared in Executive Grapevine of September 2010.
RETURN TO NEWS AND VIEWS PAGE
