Your Views - Response

[chinapig]

I used to work with people who used to whinge endlessly about the company they worked for. When someone offered to put things right they whinged about how it wasn't going to work.

Sounds very similar to me.

The club have come out with a willingness to put things right. Throwing a large lump of apathy at things is the last thing needed now.

Be sceptical, but don't criticise all efforts unless you can suggest a better way forward. It takes no effort to be critical. It takes something more to change things for the better.

Dave can't please everyone but I genuinely believe he cares, a lot.

No, I don't just moan I act and insofar as I have the power I change what doesn't work, as opposed to filling out a load of PRINCE2 forms or Lean Maturity Assessments and filing them away. As opposed to completing a staff or customer survey once a year (followed by more action plans to be filed away when everybody has forgotten about them), I talk to staff and customers on an ongoing basis, something our Chairman apparently thinks is not part of his job. Dave has however listed a series of exactly the things I describe; meetings, surveys, things to be considered. Unlike most organisations Steve has the power to make any decisons he chooses. Instead it is as I say activity as opposed to action, the deferral of decisons and more promises of exciting announcements to come (and how many times have we been told exciting announcements were coming up on the website to find it was something underwhelming?). I somehow doubt Steve runs his business like this or he would not have been such a success. We certainly know how much his business partner hates bureaucracy!

[WolfOfWestStreet]

Personally I believe the "fans liaison officer" should be elected by the supporters, someone who is a trusted go between.

Someone who can be relied on to advocate on behalf of all the supporters and not be afraid to challenge the board on issues because they are their employer.

Keep your MC gig Dave after all you have a good radio voice, but think after 5 years we need a fresh approach, I don't think many people trust/believe in you anymore to be our voice inside the club.

[SuperRed]

Personally I believe the "fans liaison officer" should be elected by the supporters, someone who is a trusted go between.

Someone who can be relied on to advocate on behalf of all the supporters and not be afraid to challenge the board on issues because they are their employer.

Great idea!

[Nibor]

How do you suggest BCFC gets "stuff done that actually solves the problems..."?

Obviously, you don't identify the "stuff" because that would be an action; and you don't "solve" anything because that would involve an owner. Heavens forbid you set a delivery date because people might see when these are not met.

You obviously aren't stupid or naive so why are you being stupid and naive?

Is there some deep-rooted psychological issue with project management that you want to share with the forum? Perhaps you used to be one....

So, are you saying that you believe in action plans, stakeholder meetings, delivery dates and ticklists?

I've seen people work very effectively without those, when they thoroughly understand the problems and are allowed to get on with fixing them.

I've also seen people completely fail to get anything useful done at great expense using that kind of approach more times than I can remember.

Very rarely have I seen the reverse of either.

It's pretty obvious when you think about what people's motivations are and why they behave the way they do.

I would say it's naive to believe in business bullshit when it so frequently doesn't work, and stupid to ignore what obviously does.

There is no substitute for people who know their shit being allowed to get on with it without interference and without places to hide.

If you're genuinely interested, have a read of Goals Gone Wild.

[Nibor]

Mmmmm, I work in a large organisation, which has all sorts of SMART objectives, business/actions plans, we get things done and we make a few quid every year

Yeah, so do I on and off. And we get some things done and make a few quid despite the management bullshit.

I've also worked in businesses that don't do that kind of crap. They get a lot more done and make many more quids. And have happier customers. I mean fans. I think.

[BS34Red]

Wow, Nothing at all surprises me from the club now. I've read your response Dave and must say I truly am shocked. Im shaking my head in disbelief reading your response because it is actually laughable to see how much out of touch our fans liason officer is with the ermmm....fans. All you have done is find some lame excuses for most of the concerns, Made many empty promises, wait and see etc...Come on Dave the whole.reason many are walking with their feet is because all we have heard for the past few years is wait and see, we are slightly peed off with it to be fair. Despite owning a season ticket this year I have attended 3 home games, Not that you or the club care as you have already banked my money but you have lost a loyal supporter or as you see it a regular customer.

Nibors post sums everything up perfectly. I suggest if the club are doing some things right then maybe they should be better at beating their own drum, Social media is a great free tool that should be used without the censorship the club deploys.

There is clearly a us and them mentality and that runs deep through the club from the board room to the terraces. Us fans are not seen as fans by our own club, we are seen as the enemy.

I'm fed up of hearing from the club the excuses that people wouldn't moan as much if the results were better, Results can only mask things for so long. Even in the promotion season andplay off season there were many things still wrong off of the pitch but the results just masked them problems without solving them and that's why this club now finds itself losing more and more fans/customers every week.

I once remember reading a quote from Steve Lansdown about 3/4 years ago, He said on the pitch we are championship standard but off of it we are still league one, Now 4 years down the line I would now say we are league two off of the pitch (minus being a family club)

[Jordan Tansley]

Personally I believe the "fans liaison officer" should be elected by the supporters, someone who is a trusted go between.

Someone who can be relied on to advocate on behalf of all the supporters and not be afraid to challenge the board on issues because they are their employer.

Keep your MC gig Dave after all you have a good radio voice, but think after 5 years we need a fresh approach, I don't think many people trust/believe in you anymore to be our voice inside the club.

Speak for yourself. Haven't been appreciative of the vague response, but Dave does a great job in general and is approachable, honest and hardworking.

[Jordan Tansley]

Yeah, so do I on and off. And we get some things done and make a few quid despite the management bullshit.

I've also worked in businesses that don't do that kind of crap. They get a lot more done and make many more quids. And have happier customers. I mean fans. I think.

I think one of the biggest issues raised has been a lack of communication, particularly surrounding decisions and actions of the board. I don't think anyone is suggesting one of the action plans you detest, but simply a level of accountability whereby promises are made in public and failure to deliver has some kind of blame attached.

It's not necessarily a desire for a scapegoat that encourages such a request, and I understand the fear that such targets would be understated to avoid failure, but fans are intelligent enough to see when a target is too small or conservative too, and they will vote with their feet and mouths in response should that occur.

A lot of the fans issues could be quashed in a matter of minutes if the board made a serious conmitment to being open about it. Steve should reassure sceptics about stadium ownership, fans presence on boards and the east end. Once that reassurance comes there would be no justifiable need to doubt the man until the day he fails on his promises.

If I was running the club right now in the face of this level of unrest I would make a series of concessions (that we're calling them that is indicative of a wider problem I suppose).

1) frank statement relating to the details of stadium ownership and Rugby club intentions.

2) Answer Nick's request for what a ST member must do to earn a place on the board.

3) remove advertising from the segregation netting in the east end. This kind of gesture will appease a number of our best and most passionate fans.

4) commit to a safe standing area in the new ground should legislation allow it at build time.

4 fairly simple actions that would improve relations ten fold. Depending on money, the fifth would be your suggestion of walking away from the FL website packagers well as player packages and setting up independent BCFC sites.

[Guest]

Maybe theres a plan to net over all the seats, then cover with adverts, no need for fans just income. Oh I see a problem with that there wont be anyone here to see adverts.

Full respect to ST and even SC (gone downhill a bit since the move from corner of Williams) but another survey? thats going to take a while to distribute/collate and then what? will the results be sent to the channel Isles as thats the only place where they maybe acted on.

Nothing against DL either but he is paid by and employed by the club, we do need someone on the club side even if its to tell us how it is in black and white.

Gestures of riding on the coach,visiting the pubs, visiting a stand are just that imo and should of been done years back and often and not just by DL but all at club soft seats

[NickJ]

Maybe theres a plan to net over all the seats, then cover with adverts, no need for fans just income. Oh I see a problem with that there wont be anyone here to see adverts.

Full respect to ST and even SC (gone downhill a bit since the move from corner of Williams) but another survey? thats going to take a while to distribute/collate and then what? will the results be sent to the channel Isles as thats the only place where they maybe acted on.

Nothing against DL either but he is paid by and employed by the club, we do need someone on the club side even if its to tell us how it is in black and white.

Gestures of riding on the coach,visiting the pubs, visiting a stand are just that imo and should of been done years back and often and not just by DL but all at club soft seats

Kevin Smith is going to pretend to be a Bristol City fan.

David Lloyd is going to hold a meeting and conduct a survey. Maybe there should be a meeting about a survy and a survey about a meeting, just to be on the safe side.

The grievances have been handed on a plate in no uncertain terms, and what's the response?

More hot air.

Eventually, the club will annouance that the pies are better and the stewards have attended a customer service course, you know, fundamental things like that.

[Cliftonville]

I think one of the biggest issues raised has been a lack of communication, particularly surrounding decisions and actions of the board. I don't think anyone is suggesting one of the action plans you detest, but simply a level of accountability whereby promises are made in public and failure to deliver has some kind of blame attached.

It's not necessarily a desire for a scapegoat that encourages such a request, and I understand the fear that such targets would be understated to avoid failure, but fans are intelligent enough to see when a target is too small or conservative too, and they will vote with their feet and mouths in response should that occur.

A lot of the fans issues could be quashed in a matter of minutes if the board made a serious conmitment to being open about it. Steve should reassure sceptics about stadium ownership, fans presence on boards and the east end. Once that reassurance comes there would be no justifiable need to doubt the man until the day he fails on his promises.

If I was running the club right now in the face of this level of unrest I would make a series of concessions (that we're calling them that is indicative of a wider problem I suppose).

1) frank statement relating to the details of stadium ownership and Rugby club intentions.

2) Answer Nick's request for what a ST member must do to earn a place on the board.

3) remove advertising from the segregation netting in the east end. This kind of gesture will appease a number of our best and most passionate fans.

4) commit to a safe standing area in the new ground should legislation allow it at build time.

4 fairly simple actions that would improve relations ten fold. Depending on money, the fifth would be your suggestion of walking away from the FL website packagers well as player packages and setting up independent BCFC sites.

Some fans won't care if City played in quarters if they won, but others want a bigger picture of what type of club City are. There are fours simple statemenst/actions that would help to define Bristol City's values now, and in future. None would jeopardize BCFC financially either.

[Guest]

Kevin Smith is going to pretend to be a Bristol City fan.

David Lloyd is going to hold a meeting and conduct a survey. Maybe there should be a meeting about a survy and a survey about a meeting, just to be on the safe side.

The grievances have been handed on a plate in no uncertain terms, and what's the response?

More hot air.

Eventually, the club will annouance that the pies are better and the stewards have attended a customer service course, you know, fundamental things like that.

Things could change in five minutes if they he wanted to change things. I dont see the need for meetings/surveys/polls/threads/ "they all" should know already whats going on, what fans feelings are its their jobs to know, they are all supposed to be running the club, shouldnt you know whats going on in it by now?

Wish they would just tell us straight, cards on the table time

[del ete]

Usual anti lansdown "fans" loving this chance to bash the board. Dave these views arent everyones, I appreciate your efforts so far. Rome wasnt built in a day.

[citywest30]

I used to work with people who used to whinge endlessly about the company they worked for. When someone offered to put things right they whinged about how it wasn't going to work.

Sounds very similar to me.

The club have come out with a willingness to put things right. Throwing a large lump of apathy at things is the last thing needed now.

Be sceptical, but don't criticise all efforts unless you can suggest a better way forward. It takes no effort to be critical. It takes something more to change things for the better.

Dave can't please everyone but I genuinely believe he cares, a lot.

Completely agree with this. It seems that for some of the posters above, Dave is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. Dave has acknowledged there are problems and has stated what is being done to try and rectify them. Give him a chance. It can't all be done immediately or even yesterday as some seem to think it should be.

[Dollymarie]

David Lloyd is going to hold a meeting and conduct a survey. Maybe there should be a meeting about a survy and a survey about a meeting, just to be on the safe side.

Nick a lot of the points you have raised are very valid, but I just wanted to clarify that the survey questions have so far been decided upon by the supporters club and trust, and the next fans parliament will merely be reviewing them to check nothing has been missed. It's not a club survey, the club will be the vehicle that ensures it gets out to as many fans as possible.

[NickJ]

Nick a lot of the points you have raised are very valid, but I just wanted to clarify that the survey questions have so far been decided upon by the supporters club and trust, and the next fans parliament will merely be reviewing them to check nothing has been missed. It's not a club survey, the club will be the vehicle that ensures it gets out to as many fans as possible.

Thanks for the clarification Marie, Dave's comment "we've been working with the Supporters Club and Trust on a survey" gave the impression the club was behind it.

Not that its really very important.

This thread has given all the feedback the club needs, a survey is just going to enumerate and quantify matters.

I am fully behind the Supporters Trust - other than support for the new stadium - but when it comes to ability to affect fundamental outcomes, doesn't it ever feel like pissing in the wind?

[Cowshed]

I think one of the biggest issues raised has been a lack of communication, particularly surrounding decisions and actions of the board. I don't think anyone is suggesting one of the action plans you detest, but simply a level of accountability whereby promises are made in public and failure to deliver has some kind of blame attached.

It's not necessarily a desire for a scapegoat that encourages such a request, and I understand the fear that such targets would be understated to avoid failure, but fans are intelligent enough to see when a target is too small or conservative too, and they will vote with their feet and mouths in response should that occur.

A lot of the fans issues could be quashed in a matter of minutes if the board made a serious conmitment to being open about it. Steve should reassure sceptics about stadium ownership, fans presence on boards and the east end. Once that reassurance comes there would be no justifiable need to doubt the man until the day he fails on his promises.

If I was running the club right now in the face of this level of unrest I would make a series of concessions (that we're calling them that is indicative of a wider problem I suppose).

1) frank statement relating to the details of stadium ownership and Rugby club intentions.

2) Answer Nick's request for what a ST member must do to earn a place on the board.

3) remove advertising from the segregation netting in the east end. This kind of gesture will appease a number of our best and most passionate fans.

4) commit to a safe standing area in the new ground should legislation allow it at build time.

4 fairly simple actions that would improve relations ten fold. Depending on money, the fifth would be your suggestion of walking away from the FL website packagers well as player packages and setting up independent BCFC sites.

David.

The highlighted part of Jordans post represents something that would help to achieve what you are attempting.The above would help to create greater synergy between fans and club.

If Steve Lansdown and the board can add some more real commitments fans will be able to see a concrete picture. Something to hang hats/flags and a lot more on.

[chinapig]

Completely agree with this. It seems that for some of the posters above, Dave is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. Dave has acknowledged there are problems and has stated what is being done to try and rectify them. Give him a chance. It can't all be done immediately or even yesterday as some seem to think it should be.

I have no axe to grind with Dave, who is in a near impossible position as the go-between and has worked hard on this. I can only repeat my point that activity is not action. Take some basic points people have raised, toilets and catering. The club already knew perfectly well that both were inadequate and should not have needed Dave to address the issue and take the flak. It is a straightforward matter to say, right this is not on, we should not be treating our customers this way and we are going to sort it out asap. No need for surveys, meetings and the other paraphenalia , just make a decision, communicate it and implement it. These are not trivial issues as they send a message about the club's attitude to it's supporters but they are trivial to solve. Likewise the behaviour of stewards. Act on them and you will start to turn around the negative feelings fans have about the club and people will more easily accept that more complex issues will take longer. Appear tro kick them into the long grass, like politicians setting up inquiries to avoid action, and you will increase cynicism.

[CotswoldRed]

No need for surveys, meetings and the other paraphenalia , just make a decision, communicate it and implement it..

Sounds like we're arguing over semantics.

Make a decision = decide what we're going to do = action

Communicate it = tell us when it's going to be done

Implement it = let the person who's job it is do it

Surely we're all asking for the same really. Some want a list with dates attached, some don't.

[glynriley]

Maybe theres a plan to net over all the seats, then cover with adverts, no need for fans just income. Oh I see a problem with that there wont be anyone here to see adverts.

Full respect to ST and even SC (gone downhill a bit since the move from corner of Williams) but another survey? thats going to take a while to distribute/collate and then what? will the results be sent to the channel Isles as thats the only place where they maybe acted on.

Nothing against DL either but he is paid by and employed by the club, we do need someone on the club side even if its to tell us how it is in black and white.

Gestures of riding on the coach,visiting the pubs, visiting a stand are just that imo and should of been done years back and often and not just by DL but all at club soft seats

Us fans are only a small portion of the target audience. It's the TV exposure they are interested , which is why the netting in the EE is right behind the goal and not the fans.

[NickJ]

Us fans are only a small portion of the target audience. It's the TV exposure they are interested , which is why the netting in the EE is right behind the goal and not the fans.

I'm sure you're right and that's why its time for this, courtesy of Nibor's superb analysis:

This club looks more and more like a company and less and less like a football club. And it's supposed to be a fking FOOTBALL CLUB. It exists to play the best football it can for the enjoyment of fans, everything else being completely incidental to that. It is a business only insofar as necessary to pay the bills, not one whit more.

The people running it are not supposed to be managers of a business, they are supposed to be custodians of a club that exists purely for the benefit of it's fans. Employees are not supposed to want to market to a demographic, or knock one out over a brand, or sell stuff to customers. And we're FANS, not customers. We either support or we don't, we don't get to switch brands.

The attitude and mindset of the current set of custodians is the root of every problem we currently have. The whole culture is wrong from the top downwards and this very process is evidence of that.

[TRL]

I'm sure you're right and that's why its time for this, courtesy of Nibor's superb analysis:

This club looks more and more like a company and less and less like a football club. And it's supposed to be a fking FOOTBALL CLUB. It exists to play the best football it can for the enjoyment of fans, everything else being completely incidental to that. It is a business only insofar as necessary to pay the bills, not one whit more.

The people running it are not supposed to be managers of a business, they are supposed to be custodians of a club that exists purely for the benefit of it's fans. Employees are not supposed to want to market to a demographic, or knock one out over a brand, or sell stuff to customers. And we're FANS, not customers. We either support or we don't, we don't get to switch brands.

The attitude and mindset of the current set of custodians is the root of every problem we currently have. The whole culture is wrong from the top downwards and this very process is evidence of that.

Spot on nick. This is exactly my thought. Well put

[paulcitymod]

Dave

On 2 specific notes.

BCFC Membership

There are a large number of fans who travel 100+ miles each way to games who are disenfranchised. Too far to get to enough games for a season ticket. The membership scheme was a very good idea for these kind of fans. There were some limited benefits but the main one was that you felt part of something. So along the lines of a great many of the specific concerns of the many posts the membership was without warning scrapped this season, thus for no reason alienating those members. Quite bizarre really and along typical theme to other complaints above

There is potentially a huge catchment of fans in the SW, and despite the position of the club, it is still the largest professional football club in the entire South West. From where we travel in North Devon it actually takes just as long to get to Plymouth because of the winding roads than it does to BS3. Missing chance to fill that stadium

Furthermore reinstate the membership and allow those members to go into clubs like Dolman hall and get the atmosphere going again. Simples really

BCFC Website

Can you please get whoever runs the new one to explain how/why you cannot get live text commentary anymore on a blackberry. That really is going backwards

Thanks

[REDOXO]

Dave

I think Nobor pretty much summed up the thoughts of most on your statement!

In respect of the playing side and for the record and to assist you in your intermediary role with Steve/the board and our mute chairman!

Derek McInness is a joke, his time is up!

Best Wishes

[Aizoon]

Dave

On 2 specific notes.

BCFC Membership

There are a large number of fans who travel 100+ miles each way to games who are disenfranchised. Too far to get to enough games for a season ticket. The membership scheme was a very good idea for these kind of fans. There were some limited benefits but the main one was that you felt part of something. So along the lines of a great many of the specific concerns of the many posts the membership was without warning scrapped this season, thus for no reason alienating those members. Quite bizarre really and along typical theme to other complaints above

There is potentially a huge catchment of fans in the SW, and despite the position of the club, it is still the largest professional football club in the entire South West. From where we travel in North Devon it actually takes just as long to get to Plymouth because of the winding roads than it does to BS3. Missing chance to fill that stadium

Furthermore reinstate the membership and allow those members to go into clubs like Dolman hall and get the atmosphere going again. Simples really

BCFC Website

Can you please get whoever runs the new one to explain how/why you cannot get live text commentary anymore on a blackberry. That really is going backwards

Thanks

I think I can explain that. I suspect that the product is licensed to the IP address on which it was bought. So you can't use it on an iPhone or even on a different PC. This is to stop you giving your password to someone else so they can use Player while you're at the match.

In other words, pure greed.

[Chivs]

So, are you saying that you believe in action plans, stakeholder meetings, delivery dates and ticklists?

I've seen people work very effectively without those, when they thoroughly understand the problems and are allowed to get on with fixing them.

I've also seen people completely fail to get anything useful done at great expense using that kind of approach more times than I can remember.

Very rarely have I seen the reverse of either.

It's pretty obvious when you think about what people's motivations are and why they behave the way they do.

I would say it's naive to believe in business bullshit when it so frequently doesn't work, and stupid to ignore what obviously does.

There is no substitute for people who know their shit being allowed to get on with it without interference and without places to hide.

If you're genuinely interested, have a read of Goals Gone Wild.

You said "Actions, owners and delivery dates lead to nothing of any substance being done....".

I'm curious as to how in your world anything gets done? If you are a one-man plumber then you probably don't need actions, owners and delivery dates. You just get on and fix the plumbing (although you still need priorities).

In any other kind of business, actions, owners and delivery dates are essential. You seem to be confusing normal management practices with "business bullshit".

Do you have a reputation as "not a team member", perchance?

[Nibor]

You said "Actions, owners and delivery dates lead to nothing of any substance being done....".

I'm curious as to how in your world anything gets done? If you are a one-man plumber then you probably don't need actions, owners and delivery dates. You just get on and fix the plumbing (although you still need priorities).

In any other kind of business, actions, owners and delivery dates are essential. You seem to be confusing normal management practices with "business bullshit".

Do you have a reputation as "not a team member", perchance?

It's really quite simple. The culture that underpins the type of organisation where actions, owners and delivery dates are deemed important is a culture where mediocre talentless nomarks can and do hide, where fear of failure is rife and perception is more important than reality. Decisions aren't made, safe options are pursued, nothing meaningful gets done. Lots of things get ticked off, but problems don't get solved.

In truly successful businesses of any size, this sort of management bullshit isn't necessary because people know their roles and aren't afraid to take the initiative and take responsibility. Bold decisions are taken, problems get solved, progress is made.

I've worked in enough organisations to see the difference, and I recognise the smell this whole "feedback" initiative is giving off. I hope one day you get to have a broader experience than hiding in a bureaucracy. The fact that you ask about my reputation as a "team member" tells me you don't really have experience of how a real team functions. Study it, it's really quite interesting.

Our football club needs people who understand football and fans making the right decisions and getting things done. Not talking, meeting, consulting and all that other crud that is just a smoke screen to hide inaction in.

Let's see what's actually changed a month from now shall we?

[Jordan Tansley]

It's really quite simple. The culture that underpins the type of organisation where actions, owners and delivery dates are deemed important is a culture where mediocre talentless nomarks can and do hide, where fear of failure is rife and perception is more important than reality. Decisions aren't made, safe options are pursued, nothing meaningful gets done. Lots of things get ticked off, but problems don't get solved.

In truly successful businesses of any size, this sort of management bullshit isn't necessary because people know their roles and aren't afraid to take the initiative and take responsibility. Bold decisions are taken, problems get solved, progress is made.

I've worked in enough organisations to see the difference, and I recognise the smell this whole "feedback" initiative is giving off. I hope one day you get to have a broader experience than hiding in a bureaucracy. The fact that you ask about my reputation as a "team member" tells me you don't really have experience of how a real team functions. Study it, it's really quite interesting.

Our football club needs people who understand football and fans making the right decisions and getting things done. Not talking, meeting, consulting and all that other crud that is just a smoke screen to hide inaction in.

Let's see what's actually changed a month from now shall we?

I'm not sure if we're talking about the same thing, Nibor, but surely if we're not told what the club intend to change we can't judge it to be a failure if less is done?

I think a lot of fans have lost so much trust in the club to do things properly that they want the promises in writing so that when they aren't delivered we can hold the right people accountable. I get what you're saying regarding a fear of failure, but in this sense a football club is slightly different to any other business because we will be able to judge whether the 'targets' go far enough and if they don't we won't accept it!

If the club was a properly functioning machine then I'd tend to agree with you, but in light of the last few years of mismanagement and poor decisions transparency from the board would surely achieve some level of appeasement to an already dissatisfied fan base?

[Nibor]

I'm not sure if we're talking about the same thing, Nibor, but surely if we're not told what the club intend to change we can't judge it to be a failure if less is done?

This is exactly the problem - you just defined success as "the club says what it will do and then does it".

So the club can say "we're having a meeting about flags" and then tick that off, and by your approach they've succeeded - whether flags are allowed or not.

Or they can "look into catering" and tick it off and we're still being served shite lager and food nobody wants to eat.

Success is actually reducing the gap between the club and fans, so we're not disenfranchised and disillusioned. It's correcting the concrete problems people have complained about, not giving the illusion of progress.

[CotswoldRed]

It's really quite simple. The culture that underpins the type of organisation where actions, owners and delivery dates are deemed important is a culture where mediocre talentless nomarks can and do hide, where fear of failure is rife and perception is more important than reality. Decisions aren't made, safe options are pursued, nothing meaningful gets done. Lots of things get ticked off, but problems don't get solved.

In truly successful businesses of any size, this sort of management bullshit isn't necessary because people know their roles and aren't afraid to take the initiative and take responsibility. Bold decisions are taken, problems get solved, progress is made.

I've worked in enough organisations to see the difference, and I recognise the smell this whole "feedback" initiative is giving off. I hope one day you get to have a broader experience than hiding in a bureaucracy. The fact that you ask about my reputation as a "team member" tells me you don't really have experience of how a real team functions. Study it, it's really quite interesting.

Our football club needs people who understand football and fans making the right decisions and getting things done. Not talking, meeting, consulting and all that other crud that is just a smoke screen to hide inaction in.

Let's see what's actually changed a month from now shall we?

If you ever want to implement a £2m software development you'll find it very difficult without any project management.

ALL of the world's most successful companies depend on it.

Done poorly it holds companies back. Done properly its the difference between success and failure.