Thursday 29 May 2008

Perceptions.


I am unsure if this post is naive or inevitable but I am going to write it anyhow (well, when I have retrieved a beer from the fridge, anyway).

400 miles around stores in a van today; a full tank of fuel used, eight counties encountered. This was largely enjoyable - BUT...

Turn up on a store visit in a Mercedes and wearing a decent suit and carrying a briefcase, and answers and greetings are abundant. Turn up in a tired van, wearing civvies, not booked in on a delivery slot and largely unannounced, and you're a c**t.

I dislike this contrast because suited or casual, I am polite, honest, chatty and decent to everyone I meet on store visits. And I always know my brief.

But for one chap with whom I have worked before and two good blokes on FLT's, I met new people today or people who generally resent my role - and they were pretty much wankers to a man (all the women were consistent and kind)!

I just did my bit and kept going. There was one chap who was particularly condescending and offensive but what can you do? He's the tosser not me.

Anyhow, I am home tonight and back out tomorrow because I had 1 van but 1.5 van's worth of stock! A happy run to Birmingham first thing listening to D.I.D .

Kinda' disappointing that there is no team enthusiasm for our stores to succeed ; this us and them mentality is why we do not prosper as brightly as we might. I hope I am made permanent next month and I will see to that - it is not tricky to resolve as long as you can tolerate irritating a few people along the way and holding in mind that you might be a casualty too.

Incivility is a pisser.


The picture is W.S Churchill and Lord (Edward) Halifax, Foreign Secretary en route from the Foreign Office to the H.O.C in March 1938 to discuss the annexation of Austria. Churchill was out of Government at the time but would become First Lord of the Admiralty 18 months later and PM 8 months after that (ousting Halifax to Washington as he succeeded). I like the pic' for two reasons: Halifax is impeccably dressed from head to toe (though he had no left hand) ; and - Churchill was the pariah when this was taken but is so hugely admired now.

5 comments:

scargosun said...

I can't imagine anyone being rude to you! I don't like rudeness either, it's up there with ignorance for me and I think one begets (is that a word?) the other. You are one of those rare breeds to me, someone who is of management, but know how to do and understands the jobs they manage. I always respected my supervisors and managers that were that way. It's the ones that feel they are so high above you they can smell God that I've always had a very hard time with.

BS5 Blogger said...

Now that is very nicely put, and beget is a fine word as well!

Thank you for your comment; I enjoyed it.

Have a top Friday! I am off shortly with half a van day and half an office day, and then I am off until Wednesday. Yippppeeeeeeee!

Friday Crackeberry pic' for you today?

Anonymous said...

In fact, Scargosun, I am often rude to BS5, and he deserves it. And as his brother, I know what I am talking about.

But, bro, yes – it is one of the hardest things not to judge people on their appearance, and most people cannot do it. Society isn’t really built that way. La Rochefoucauld, a very good French aphorist, said, ‘In every walk of life each man assumes a personality and outward appearance so as to look what he wants to be thought: in fact you might say that society is entirely made up of assumed personalities.’

scargosun said...

Dee - well...family is different what is considered rude is often playful teasing or sibling rivalry.

I am guessing that is where you fall. :)

BS5 Blogger said...

Drama!

Much nicer reception in my store visit today - everyone lovely but then I have worked bloody hard there on many occasions.

After 630 miles and many hours in a massive van, a drive home in VX52 and his Mercedes ways was faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaantttaa
aaaaaaaaastic!