HM Queen Elizabeth II was loved and admired the world over. Stories abound of her kindness and thoughtfulness, her ability to bring people together and respect she earned. She was the perfect chairman.
The death of a 96 year old can never be described as unexpected. But it can be a shock. And so it was with the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the only monarch the vast majority of us have ever known. The sense of loss, the outpouring of grief and the momentary instability (what happens next?) has been universal. This has been followed by the production of newspaper supplements that must have lain ready for some years and preparation of books, stationery, and flags – lots of flags – that accompany any English traditional ritual. The kicking in of this machinery takes care of the instability issue. The grief will fade leaving a sense of loss that will also be filled in time.
The question must be what have we lost? Certainly a remarkable women who has been dubbed the nation’s grandmother, so much did the Queen’s presence mean to so many of her subjects. She was also the chairman of United Kingdom plc, and the perfect chairman. There were the weekly briefings with the country’s managing director, namely the Prime Minister. And like the managing director or chief executive of a large business, there is a finite time in office. The chairman is free of this short termism. The leader of any business knows it can be a lonely place. The chairman can be the confidante that many need. The chairman will also play an ambassadorial role and none can doubt the Queen’s effectiveness at this. The amount of business that came the way of this country because of this is immeasurable. And the chairman is also responsible to the shareholders, we the people, and again the Queen seems to have been without parallel in performing this role.
Every business therefore needs its Queen. For some the chairman is an inherited position or held as an honorary position for someone retired from a more demanding role in a family business. More frequently he or she is someone appointed by a major financial backer. The role is the same: to oversee a strategy rather than engage in the minutiae of decision making; to bring wide experience to the board; to guide during times of change; to promote the business beyond its direct customer base; to be that discreet listener. Just as the Queen had been.
God rest to the United Kingdom’s perfect chairman
HM Queen Elizabeth II was loved and admired the world over. Stories abound of her kindness and thoughtfulness, her ability to bring people together and respect she earned. She was the perfect chairman.
The death of a 96 year old can never be described as unexpected. But it can be a shock. And so it was with the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the only monarch the vast majority of us have ever known. The sense of loss, the outpouring of grief and the momentary instability (what happens next?) has been universal. This has been followed by the production of newspaper supplements that must have lain ready for some years and preparation of books, stationery, and flags – lots of flags – that accompany any English traditional ritual. The kicking in of this machinery takes care of the instability issue. The grief will fade leaving a sense of loss that will also be filled in time.
The question must be what have we lost? Certainly a remarkable women who has been dubbed the nation’s grandmother, so much did the Queen’s presence mean to so many of her subjects. She was also the chairman of United Kingdom plc, and the perfect chairman. There were the weekly briefings with the country’s managing director, namely the Prime Minister. And like the managing director or chief executive of a large business, there is a finite time in office. The chairman is free of this short termism. The leader of any business knows it can be a lonely place. The chairman can be the confidante that many need. The chairman will also play an ambassadorial role and none can doubt the Queen’s effectiveness at this. The amount of business that came the way of this country because of this is immeasurable. And the chairman is also responsible to the shareholders, we the people, and again the Queen seems to have been without parallel in performing this role.
Every business therefore needs its Queen. For some the chairman is an inherited position or held as an honorary position for someone retired from a more demanding role in a family business. More frequently he or she is someone appointed by a major financial backer. The role is the same: to oversee a strategy rather than engage in the minutiae of decision making; to bring wide experience to the board; to guide during times of change; to promote the business beyond its direct customer base; to be that discreet listener. Just as the Queen had been.
Explore more...
Prayers for the future of the print industry