Back to work to a mountain of problems and paperwork and much press recognition on dull and cold day as we had the best of the weather
Back to work and to a desk of briefing notes. Folders for “Immediate Action”, for “Correspondence for action”, for “Internal memos, minutes etc”; all thoughtfully prepared by my personal assistant, June for my efficient return. As is my custom, I peruse them all, actioning items that can be easily dealt with by dictation or annotated decision. Also passing on with or without comments/requests items that need the attention of others. Trade journals and reports are briefly scanned for an overview and the remaining matter is reduced to an inch or two of items for paper reading or insertion into my running Action List – A day to day list of tasks outstanding.
From this process I note that I have press coverage in Computer Weekly for comments on the NEDO duty initiative and, via BMMG Vice-Chairman Nigel Smith, coverage in the previous issue on our Export Initiative. Also Comart Materials Manager, Derrick Morgan, is in the local paper for his IPM award, and my Byte Shop letter setting right the record is printed in full in MicroForecast. From the papers received ahead of tomorrow’s Board meeting and other meeting minutes and reports, I am also immediately aware of major problems in Comart the Company in the following areas :- Production due to PCB rejection too late in the assembly process, Sales shipments as a consequence, Credit Control Bad Debt risks rising and a few others. Then the Monday mail arrives, sorted into departmental piles for scanning! And the payroll for signing! All good stuff – orders and many remittances of funds. In danger of being buried as a paperwork archive, I move into action with a brief meeting with Materials Manager, Derrick, organise a lunchtime drink with all the Directors, and arrange debriefing meetings with John Lamb and June Hamilton, my two principal deputies. This plus a joint Sales/Accounts meeting later in the day puts the priorities in perspective and I end the day in control, but with a heavy workload of paperwork. It transpires that Sales Demand is balanced with the lower production achievement, and Bad Debt risks are reduced to 2/3 major items for which some action has been agreed. Dull and cool weather today, we having certainly had the best of the weather for our boat trip. Tough family problems all round getting back into a routine. Ducklings, now 11 in number, learning the routine of the other 6 and returning to their shed for food and security for the night. An urgent priority now prevails for a larger house for them, the youngsters growing alarmingly. Much comment that there may not be a House of Commons majority for the Death Penalty and that the early opportunity to vote may act against it. Road accidents with summer coaches and cars abound in the local and national press but in the trade press my friends Tom Fitzpatrick (of LSI) and Allan Ball (of Trivector) both make millions by selling chunks of their microcomputer companies.