Noting the sad passing of Dame Margaret Shields

I don't know why I can't manage a BLOG every month? The problem is there is so much to think about, so much media prompting thoughts. What has prompted me into print this time is the passing of Dame Margaret Shields.

This brings many memories flooding back from the 70's when I had left teaching and was working in retail. I had been asked by staff at Whitcombe and Tombs to be a union delegate. When I studied history at college we had to look back further than the actual history in NZ so learnt about agricultural labourers in Britian, the Tolpuddle Martyrs. I had no idea about the history of the NZ Trade Union movement.

Long story short, I became an exec member (treasurer) and found very quickly I had little in the way of assets to treasure! Our union pretty much existed in name only. I became the President and began what seems to me on reflection, a most significant period of my education as we set about rebuilding the union.

Graham Kelly  was recruited from the clerical workers union as the Secretary and among others Sonja Davies joined us from the PSA heading the field staff team. My life became enmeshed in a world of dynamic and amazing women, Margaret Shields was one of them.

At one stage, when I was working for McKenzies I was based at their combination store (Supermarket / Variety) at Paraparaumu. National was government and we were involved in a lot of public debate about the advent of Saturday trading. Barry Brill was shaping up as the national candidate for the Kapiti seat in the impending elections. As president of the Shop Employees union I was very publically involved in the arguement and spent quite a bit of media time trading blows with Barry.

I was approached by some representatives of the Parliamentary Labour Party to stand for Labour in Kapiti. Very flattering for someone who was but a boy! As you might imagine there were lots of discussion with friends, however two were most influential, Brian Bensley and Sonja Davies. Brian was the General Manager of McKenzies with whom I went on to work in 2 more companies. Sonja of course is a legend having created the first industrial childcare centre in NZ and with Margaret, WEL (Women's Electoral Lobby). Brian gave me sensible career advice and Sonja enlightened me, a political naive, on the political nuances.

Both offered me support should I make the decision to stand and felt I would probably pull it it off. I decided not to in favour of Margaret and although she didn't succeed that time round she did at the next election.

As the headlines have recorded she went on to become a champion for women in business and politics.

Hearing of her death was sad news. I deeply appreciated being around in those early days as Margaret and others set about creating a new world especially for women. 

Attitude Inspiring

One of the things I like to do when I get the time is to have a late breakfast on a Sunday, come back in and watch Praise Be and Attitude on TV1. Attitude this Sunday was dedicated to New Zealanders who are working tirelessly in poor and war torn countries to improve the lives of the most vulnerable.

 

I couldn’t help wondering if this should be compulsory viewing for all those who spend a great deal of time wailing that New Zealand is a terrible place and doesn’t do enough for them. It seems these days it is a reasonable defense for people who commit crimes to claim they couldn’t help it because they had a deprived upbringing.

 

Anybody who makes such a claim or shouts our health service or similar is third world, should be sentenced to go work in such places as illustrated in the Attitude programme, and see what it really is like. With some luck they might not only realize their excuses are baseless, they may also come to realize that dedicated hard work for a cause often makes a significant beneficial difference – sitting on the couch drinking beer and smoking pot does not.

 

Agriculture provided the revenue in earlier days when the Social Welfare programme was developed. It certainly remains consistently the major contributor to our economy, not that many people who we pay to do nothing would realize and appreciate that of course.

 

That in mind, I had the pleasure, actually and upon reflection, the privilege, to be in the company of some of the young people who will influence the future of the Royal Agricultural Society. They have been involved in agriculture generally all of their lives. They know what work is from plenty of practical experience of pulling their weight and making their share of contribution. They have great families and you can see the tight supportive relationships in the family interactions and how they relate with others. They are keen to learn and to contribute and others notice. Several of them came with us to the North Otago A & P Show at Oamaru. It is one of the oldest shows in the country this being their 150^th.

 

Friday was the official opening by the Governor General, who is also the Patron of the A & P movement of 97 shows in New Zealand. At the afternoon tea following, his Excellency asked to meet the RAS Youth. He spent 15 or so minutes exclusively with them. When their discussion had finished, Sir Jerry Mateparae approached Bruce Orr, President of the RAS, telling him how impressed he was by these young men and women. He had invited them to dinner at Government House at a time to be arranged.

 

One of the RAS Youth who would have otherwise been there was back in Helensville. At 21 he is the President of their show, as his Father was before him. His grandfather had also been a President. Jordan not only needed to be home for his show, but his Father, who had no idea what was about to happen, was to be presented with an RAS Medal of Excellence.

The presentation was made by the Show’s Patron and the Prime Minister placed the medal around Richard’s neck. In so doing he helped acknowledge the huge selfless support Richard had given, and continues to give the A & P movement. I had the privilege of taking over from Richard as the chair of the RAS Northern District. In my notes for Jordan to read on my behalf I noted that if I am able to serve half as well as Richard, I will be pretty pleased with myself.

 

What is clear is that I have a new responsibility, to help these new emerging leaders on their way. 

 

You would imagine that to be the imperative of people who belong to organisations, especially charitable volunteer operated organisations. It seems not, with the emergence of a new characteristic, volunteer blackmail and bullying! Whilst it is not prevalent it only takes a few to put a dampener on volunteer engagement.

 

How it works is that whilst pretending to encourage new blood into the organisation if the newbies try and change the status quo they encounter a vigorous negative response such as, ‘we have always done it this way’, or ‘that has always been my responsibility’. Apparently the excuse for bad behaviour or performance is that, ‘I’m a volunteer and have been for many years!’ The subscript being, ‘this organisation owes me and so do you’, hence the blackmail. 

 

Sadly others don’t want to create confrontation and just acquiesce or more often these days, walk away. Yes. I am emotionally blackmailed, probably more often than I would care to admit. And most of the time, it is my fault because I give in. I should have never allowed it to happen in the first place.

 

The worst kinds are the punishers and the sufferers. 'My way or the highway' is the punisher's motto. No matter what you feel or need, punishers override you. Sufferers take the position that "if you don't do what I want, I will suffer, and it will be your fault". They seem to find volunteer and charitable organisations as fertile ground to ply their manipulation because they can always play the volunteer card to reinforce their position and behaviours. 

 

These people usually have a fear of abandonment or being irrelevant, or being hurt and usually feel a desperate need to be in control of things. Of course we should not give in to the pressure and we must set boundaries to be able to take time to consider the situation and to look at all of the alternatives to make the decision. What we as leaders in such organisations need to do is get some ‘balls’ and stand up to this behaviour. In failing to do so we are compromising the Vision and Purpose of the organisation.

 

We need to protect the new generation and their fresh enthusiasm and perspective.  We need to protect them from suffers and the punishers so their energy is not compromised or dissipated. We need to ensure they have a clear line of sight to the future.

Winter, New Year & Mick

It’s been a while since my last BLOG, September last year in fact.

 

I began putting thoughts together as winter concluded. It had been a long wet winter where at times the ground was so wet we couldn’t drive the farm bike into paddocks without getting bogged down, even in four wheel drive. The net result was that pasture and gardens became quite neglected. But something remarkable happened.

 

For several weeks of the early spring the rain stopped and the wind, which normally starts when the blossoms are coming out, didn’t arrive. And the garden was ablaze with the beautiful spring colour of magnolia, rhododendrons, camellia, fuchsia, plus spring flowers and foliage. It was one of the best displays for years. This all inspired me to start writing about the new and fresh start, how people emerge from the winter feeling more positive. Perhaps, I thought, this would be a better time to have New Year.

 

Then life took off at pace and I simply never got any further. So here we are in the real New Year with me attempting to get back into the habit of regular writing. Usually when I start to think about the BLOG there is no shortage of ideas often helped by readers having sent their interesting news and reflections prompted by something I have written.

 

I was about to start assembling my thoughts when I read an email which arrived overnight from the UK. It was from Mick Hubbard’s sister, Jill Lawson. Mick managed Security and Civil Defence for the now Counties Manukau Health (DHB) and was killed in a tragic accident last year. I say accident and use the word advisedly, more on that later. But first let me talk a little about Mick and my connection with him.

 

During the holidays I managed to get in a little reading and noted this in an article entitled ‘8 Qualities of Remarkable Employees’ by Jeff Haden in Inc. Magazine.  “Great employees follow processes. Remarkable employees find ways to make those processes even better, not only because they are expected to…but because they just can’t help it.’ Mick was one of those remarkable employees.

 

In the late 90s I arrived at what was then South Auckland Health (the predecessor of CMDHB) as the GM for Patient & Staff Safety and Human Resources. My portfolio included security and South Auckland Health was still recovering from having had a baby kidnapped. Whilst I had security experience back in my industry days, this was clearly a much more significant responsibility.I asked one of my colleagues to find a consultant to do a complete review of security, imagine the future and make recommendations.

 

Mick arrived as the consultant and set about in a very workman like way to examine critically how our security worked (or more particularly didn’t work) and produced the kind of report I like - clear, practical, plain language and to the point. Long story short, I retained Mick to help us implement his plan and then hired him as the Security Manager. His role expanded to include Civil Defence and he became a significant influence in not only Auckland Health CD, but also Regional CD Planning.

 

Mick’s maturity and experience was a superb addition, making a great team greater. 

 

Mick was killed on his way to work just out of Waiuku and not far from where I live. Although I knew there had been an accident I did not know it involved Mick and unfortunately I never learned that until a couple of hours before his funeral. Staff at ProCare rallied round to cover appointments so I could attend and speak.

 

Jill’s email was to advise me they were notified just before Christmas there had finally been a verdict reached for the driver who caused Mick's death and the injury of another driver. As a result Jill and her sons and a family friend will be travelling out in February to attend the sentencing in the Pukekohe Court. I shall look forward to meeting and spending some time with them. I was fortunate to spend time with others of Mick’s family last year when they came to NZ to finalise his affairs and prepare the house for sale.

 

I mentioned earlier the accident. This happened on a stretch of road on which there have been a number of fatalities, usually accompanied by headlines, ‘Road claims another life!’

 

So called accidents are in reality poor choices of chance, like deciding to drive when tired and subsequently falling asleep, or driving through a stop sign in the face of oncoming traffic, causing an accident resulting in death and or injury, usually of completely innocent parties.

 

On this stretch of road there is an intersection which crosses a main road. There is clear visibility however drivers still make a decision to move off into the path of oncoming traffic. More lives have recently been lost and the net result is the intersection on the ‘killer’ road is being turned into a round-about at a cost in excess of $1million. After the last accident it was good to see that letters to the editor started to express differing views to the road killer group think. People began saying there are no killer roads, only killer drivers.

 

Whilst the driver of the vehicle that killed Mick did not set out to take Mick’s life the fact remains that Mick did not deserve to die and his death was entirely preventable…it’s just not fair!