I’m lucky enough to work a lot in the public sector, over the last few years in the criminal justice field. I was recently a nervous attender at an annual staff conference. The day was precluded by a such ticker tape of bad news which rendered me nigh jysterical – a four year slashing of budgets, staff redundancies, vilification of the Probation Service, the loss of on entire management level, attacks on the minister for claiming for a second home for her budgie or something.

I had been part of the conference planning and knew that senior managers who were presenting at the conference, wanted to walk on to stage accompanied by their favourate inspiring music. “The Wind Beneath my Wings”, “Respect”, “One Moment in Time” etc

The Friday prior to the conference I lost my nerve. I rang the HR Director to say I was worried that the music wasn’t going to go well – she patted me on the head and (quite rightly) told me to go away.

The following Tuesday I watched through laced fingers as the Chief Officer took to the conference stage to the tune of “I Walk the Line”. I needn’t have worried. She knew that, although times are hard, she had the support of all present who, regardless how they feel about the organisation are completely committed to the offenders, victims of crime and communities they serve.

The lessons are obvious. Sometimes, like the Chief Officer, I just need to Keep Calm and Carry On, alternatively the words of Mahatma Gandhi (and this would look better on a t-shirt in my opinion)

“First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win.”

: -  )

Comments