Tuesday 23 February 2010

Why Gordon Brown is not fit to be Prime Minister - Bullygate

I have followed the story of Gordon Brown's alleged bullying very closely over the last few days and I'm dismayed at some of the excuses being made for him. We have had people like Mandleson and Prescott claiming that while Gordon Brown does have a temper, and can fly off the handle, he is not a bully. The media seem to be taking this opinion on face value and no one has questioned whether Brown's angry outbursts are acceptable. The excuse is that Brown is in a high stress job and that gives him the right to rant, rave and throw office equipment about. Well I'm afraid it is nowhere near being acceptable. It shows a pathetic level of leadership and man-management.

I was in the Royal Navy for 16 years, reaching a reasonably senior position among the ranks. During my service I picked up the most important rule of leadership: respect must be earned, it is not something that you take from those who work for you, it is given. I used to pride myself with the fact that I never had to tell anyone to do anything, I would ask, and it got done. It was respect. I treated those who worked for me with respect and in return they gave me respect and loyalty back. I did have to hand out the occasional bollocking, but it was done in a quiet office, in a measured and reasoned manner. In the modern workplace shouting at someone when things go wrong just shows a lack of leadership and poor communication skills.

I've been out of the RN seven years now and even in that short time I have seen the drive for respect at work improve. I'm lucky to work for a large company with a great training system and determination to get the best out of its workforce. Every single person in my company must attend a "Dignity at work" course. The title of the course is self explanatory and its main theme is to treat others as you would hope to be treated by them. I work in a power plant and things can get pretty tense when machinery fails, but I could never imagine my line manager ever running into the control room, shouting and bawling. You do not get the best out of a workforce by intimidating it. And this is why Gordon Brown has struggled so much during his leadership of the country. The man has poor leadership skills.

Brown's attitude is not one of a strong and passionate leader - it is the attitude of a man who is unable to deal with the pressure of office - a man with a blatant disregard for the dignity of those working for him. He is unfit to be Prime Minister and the sooner he goes, the better.

(If you like this post, please retweet it)

24 comments:

Sue said...

Well said!

Daily Referendum said...

Thanks Sue.

Catosays said...

Wot Sue said!!

Daily Referendum said...

Cato, Wot I said to Sue.

BrownandBust said...

I agree. Gordon is not fit to run a piss up in brewery. So how has he been allowed to fornicate up the economy for 13 years? So depressing...

Daily Referendum said...

B&B, His own party has tried to get rid of him three times, no wonder.

BrownandBust said...

Good point! I will use that now...

Daily Referendum said...

No worries.

TheBoilingFrog said...

Agreed Steve, to me it's not just Brown but the whole set up in number 10 and a team's behaviour always reflects their leader.

The whole unedifying way Labour have gone after Mrs Pratt (regardless of the rights or wrongs of what she did) without either appreciating the irony of bullying an anti bullying charity or not caring, shows that bullying is a way of life for them, so much so they think it's normal.

Michele said...

As a WO2 in the army I totally agree in your assessment, and you put it better than I could.

Daily Referendum said...

Thanks Michele, keep safe.

Daily Referendum said...

BF, Agreed, no manager should behave the way Brown does. If they did, they would likely find themselves looking for work.

Anonymous said...

WE ALL SEEM TO FORGET THE TRUE CULPRIT BEHIND ALL THIS ANTI BROWN CAMPAIGN HIS PREDECESSOR THE GREAT NAY THE GREATEST SELF CENTERED SELFISH PRAT THAT EVER HELD POWER IN THE UK THE ONE AND ONLY TONY LIAR I FEEL SORRY FOR GORDON BEING LEFT WITH THE LEGACY OF THE BLAIR YEARS

opsimath said...

A great post. Not everyone, even the best of workers, is suited to naturally suited to being in a position of authority; being a born follower is no worse than being a born leader, but we are so spoon-fed 'aspiration' that we are fooled into thinking it is.

I was always at my best when left to get on with a job I could do well, and my foreman knew I could do well - I couldn't do his job and didn't want to try - what's so wrong with that?

If, however, the foreman is useless, then he doesn't have a chance of getting the best from his workforce - mr Brown to a t.

Daily Referendum said...

Opsimath,

When I left home at 16 my Dad said "always try to improve yourself". Years later when got to a certain level of achievement he said "know your limits"

Anonymous said...

Steve... one of the best posts I've read on the subject.

Daily Referendum said...

Thanks Harry, that means a lot.

Anonymous said...

Brown is the PM we all should expect. He epitomises the whole political class of this country. He is entirely committed to himself and his party. He has used the expenses system of the HoC in the same way as his fellow politicians, he is never direct or honest if he thinks votes are at risk. He exhibits his brutal nature in the way he refuses to answer questions every Wednesday and terrorises the weak speaker into failing to challenge him. This spineless country has the PM it deserves and the party it enthusiastically elected.

Jackart said...

13 years in the army, (TA and Regular) and I can endorse your comments.

Parade Ground bollockings of popular imagination are fun - almost stand-up comedy from the Drill instructor. If you're in trouble it's in an office and delivered without malice or humiliation.

I've worked for bullies in the city. (usually women) so I recognise the type of 'management'Gordon Brown aleged to be using. It is awful and there is no excusing bawling out someone who is in no position to respond. (I did respond, and got fired, entertainingly)

Shame on Labour for foisting this man on the country.

Daily Referendum said...

Jackart, I've had some great laughs on the parade ground. Brown could do with some military service - frontline would be nice.

Chris said...

Another -Gate...

I'll press the snooze button...

Unimaginative, outdated titles for fresh scandals - based on something that happened in America nearly 40 years ago. I don't even remember it - and I'm 44!

I'm a bit disappointed after your "Climate Change My Arse!" inspiration, Steve.

That was pretty darn good!

D Hughes said...

Dad said to me once 'An army officer told me, there are two ways of getting men through a door, kick them through or lead them through.'

The first is the way of a bully, the second shows a mark of a true leader. No prizes for guessing which one Brown is.

Dual Citizen said...

Well said Steve,

We have pretty much the same work culture at my company (the training course is called "Workplace Values").

Yes we all get highly strung at work. But the principle is clear. Argue vehemently with your peers, never shout at your subordinates. Never claim credit for other people's work; if your workers perform well it will reflect well on you.

And if you have an a**h*le boss at the top, be ready to get outta there, cos you don't want him to drag you down with him.

Mrs Rigby said...

Absolutely spot on.

It's not only him it's those who have rushed to his "defence" that are also setting a example of what they consider is normal behaviour.