When trust runs out, so does fuel.
Three politicians have really wound me up over the last 18 months.
(‘Only three, I hear you shout’, so maybe three amongst many is closer to the truth).
The hypocritical Matt Hancock, the hapless Gavin Williamson and the supercilious Grant Shapps. A man so full of his own self-importance that when interviewed at home has a prop featuring his own name and a red-box which is always open and usually with nothing in it.
Over the weekend he was interviewed with a document poking out of his red dispatch box which was presumably some briefing notes headlined ‘Petrol Stations are about to run out of fuel. Do something!’
This man has all the traits of the worst type of ‘leader’. Cocky, arrogant and full of his own self importance which is why few people listened to him when he implored people not to fill up their cars with fuel.
This is what happens when trust runs out. Petrol runs out too!
After eighteen months of being told what to do by the Government, sometimes with good reason but many times not, trust is at a very low ebb, if there at all.
Particularly when Grant Shapps wags his finger at everyone else for what has happened rather than listening to the concerns of business who apparently have been warning him that this would happen for months.
“The most important thing is, if people carry on as they normally would and fill up their cars as they normally would, then you won’t have queues and you won’t have shortages at the pump either,” Shapps told Sky News’ Trevor Philips on Sunday show.
“It’s not like we don’t have fuel in the country. We do need to just ensure people are filling up when they need to fill up, rather than thinking I’d better go and fill up now just in case I need it next week or the week after.”
Well that request worked well!
As I can testify having driven to Piccadilly and back on Sunday afternoon to witness petrol stations either having run out or rammed with cars and probably hour long queues.
Shapps has also blamed “one of the road haulage associations” for leaking details about heavy goods vehicle (HGV) driver shortages at fuel firms, saying that had “helped to spark a crisis” that had proved “very, very unhelpful”.
So in essence everyone is at fault, including your customers (the voters) other than the Transport Secretary who is rapidly becoming the ‘Lack of Transport Secretary’ particularly as this comes hot on the heels of the complicated and ever changing rules for foreign travel.
‘Pride comes before a fall’ as Messrs Hancock and Williamson have found out.
领英推荐
Yet it is so depressing that we in the UK have to put up with politicians whose approach to leadership is so out of step with the needs and wants of employees today.
Trust as a leader can only be earned through adopting the right behaviours. To my mind there are six which I write about in my book #thebusinesscaseforlove.
Grant Shapps fails when judged against all six. Which is why no one trusts him or listens to him and the petrol stations run dry as a consequence.
One of these six ‘best in class’ leadership behaviours is ‘Be self-aware’. Not ‘Be self-important’.
Are you listening, Mr Shapps?
(Of course you are not. You are far too important for that!)
For those who are interested, my book #thebusinesscaseforlove is now available both as an e-book a hardback and now an audiobook. In it I write about ’best in class’ company and leadership behaviours which I believe are relevant to the challenges of today.
It can be downloaded via #amazon #PalgraveMacmillan and #SpringerNature?
A sample is available on Amazon and a sample of each chapter is available through Palgrave and Springer.
The hardback, paperback, e-book and audio book are now available through Amazon, Palgrave Macmillan Springer Nature and The Bookshop, supporting local bookstores.
CEO at Atrium Ltd.
3 年Very well put Marc Cox and it seems that there is a predictable repetitiveness to how the country is being led today!
Independent Development Coach
3 年Oh! Dear Mark disappointed you have gone political and so sad.
Retail Director | Trading Director | Head of E-Commerce | Head of Wholesale | previously GANT, Fat Face, LEVI’s, Timberland
3 年So bang on (as ever) Marc Cox Just a thought, have you ever thought of standing for PM? ????♂?
Creative Director Wade Design Network
3 年Totally agree. His arrogance during the interview was absolutely infuriating - everything was someone elses fault.
Marcus Dimbleby thank you for such a thoughtful and considered post. I agree with your conclusions which are pretty close to Dominic Cummings observation about the last election (not to say he is always right or behaves in the right way). It is typical of the situation that with the Government in a mess (again) and no petrol at the pumps the Labour Party prefers to spend time on defending Angela Rayner’s use of the word ‘scum’. Give me strength!!