During the late 1980's I spent a short period in exile a little to the east of Offa's Dyke in one of the most friendly of England's towns Ross on Wye. One of my fellow residents of the town was Sir John Harvey Jones, a great man. One could read Sir John's contributions in the posh papers in the morning extolling the glories of some of London's best restaurants and then bump into him in the evening in the local Chinese or chip shop. If one was rude enough to mention the mornings paper and suggest that he was "slumming it" he would always retort by making the point that quality and service were what was important in business be it at what is perceived as the top end or the bottom end of a market and that the local chippy offered quality and service.
In the days when industrial relations seemed to be dominated by the intransigence of the likes of John Macgregor on the one hand and Arthur Scargill on the other it was refreshing to know of a big industrial boss who appreciated the value of his workforce and whom those who worked for him acknowledged as a good boss. One of my favourite Sir John quotes is: Leadership is the priceless gift that you earn from the people who work for you. I have to earn the right to that gift and have to continuously re-earn that right.
A good man and a good example to all leaders of industry. I was very sad to hear of his passing. My sincere condolences to his family and friends. RIP.
Have you noticed that Sanddef Rhyferys has created a Wikipedia page for himself. "It is one of the most widely-read political blogs in Wales." His ego. Ha ha.
ReplyDeleteSir John rest in peace -he was one man whom I really liked and respected, I met him three times and he was the one who gave me confidence as a woman to compete in a mans world.
ReplyDeleteHe gave me such good advice when I was struggling in the corporate world and I met him on the street in Hay - he remembered me.
The third time was just last year again in Hay with his wife when he chastised me for still being corporate, time to return to your roots ,and he was right,Sir John mea culpa but I am changing my ways.
Anonynoyance:
ReplyDeleteThis post is a tribute to the late Sir John Harvey Jones, it has nothing to do with your vendetta against Sanddef.
Please take your pissing competition elsewhere, either to your own blog or to Sanddef's blog.
To intrude on an other person's blog with such petulance is rude!
To intrude on an others' grieving with such petulant comments is bloody insensitive!