My first boss

The job
I was a researcher at a company called Probe Market Research. My boss there was David Murray, senior research manager.

The boss
He was a charming Northern Irish gentleman. Not scary at all. He had spent many years in research and helped me hone my skills and develop. He is still a good friend, and wrote me a reference for my job at Hanover.

What did you learn?
If it hadn't been for him, I wouldn't be where I am now. He enabled me to get my market research certificate, and I worked with him on environmental and housing research for Wirral and Liverpool councils. That gave me the background I needed for the Hanover job.

I've come full circle really – after leaving Probe, I was in commercial research but now I've come into the public sector. I'm really enjoying the mix of a commercially aware business with socially responsible aims.

The most important thing he taught me was to be honest about the results you get.

If people don't like the results, there is a tendency to shoot the messenger, but you have to stand firm, otherwise you'd be in trouble in the long run.

He taught me to be honest. If people don’t like it, there is a tendency to shoot the messenger, but you have to stand firm

I think he's pleased to know that I've put the experience of working with councils to good use at Hanover, and that I've stayed in the research field. Hanover is more commercially aware than many of the private sector companies I've worked for, so it's a great experience.

Would you treat your staff the same way he treated you?

Absolutely. I think you can have a working environment without being a slave to it. You should be able to have an element of fun, otherwise you won't want to come in. There has to be a strong sense of teamwork.

The boss says …
It was a great pleasure to work with Mike. We had a very useful and constructive working partnership and have remained friends.

Mike was very dedicated and conscientious in all the work that he did. It's nice to know he has stayed in the market research field and feels he has learned something from the time we worked together. I was happy to be able to give Mike a reference.