Tues 21st March: Elvin really is impressed by Holland...

Tues 21st March
Deceptively Dutch

I bumped into, quite literally, Tottenham Hotspurs' Dutch International yesterday evening, the bespectacled ball wizard himself, Edgar Davids.

As I was struggling to get through the security at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport and make a dash for the easyJet Gates, which I might add are at the ‘tradesman's entrance' of this cavernous aviation hub, when my flaying arm caught the soccer star across the chest. Obviously used to such bodily contact, the fleet footed footballer nonchalantly rode ‘the tackle' and kept jogging towards the easyJet flight bound for Luton. Yeah, easyJet! Cool, eh? A Millionaire footballer who has graced the world's greatest soccer stadiums, been on TV screens and advertising boards across the globe, uses the ‘web's favorite airline'. I was in exalted company.

Yeah, he is deceptive is Edgar. Not only does he fly ‘economy', but on TV he appears quite a sizable chap. Yet close up and in the flesh, he is actually just a little fella. You know, so short and insignificant that you would willingly volunteer to mark him at the corners and free-kicks.

There again, the country of Edgar's origin is deceptive too. Most English perceive Holland to be very flat, unadventurous and pure gibberish is the mother tongue. My mates ‘one liners' sum up the popular perception well, i.e. 3 statements you wouldn't hear in Holland, "that's a really steep hill", "No, I haven't got a bike" and "Yeah, Dutch is nearly everyone's second language." My daughter too, who is renown for her acerbic wit, offers this tourists guide to Amsterdam, "Just like Lewisham, save for the canals and trams."

Not very complimentary and actually wide of the mark. OK, the language is a tad difficult to fathom out and when you have had to reclaim land from the sea, it doesn't make for searing, alpine backdrops. Also, it cannot be denied that there are quite a few bicyclists on the streets. Thousands in fact. Maybe the TV series Van der Valk was filmed in south east London. But… what is also undeniable is that Holland has an extremely strong culture of creativity and possesses some beautiful landscapes, many which are man-made. Its people are highly imaginative, remarkably innovative and are doing a pretty good job as custodians of their nation.

Whilst spending four days in ‘The Kingdom of the Netherlands', I was really impressed with the quality and efficiency of their infrastructure, the effective design and production methods of residential developments, not to mention the marvelous sense of community their town centres generate.

The highways offer a smooth ride and flowing traffic, as does the rail network. The houses are largely prefabricated with the accent on being bright, airy and secure dwellings and essentially they form part of a connected community. Full marks in fact and, as my old Science teacher used to say, "keep up the good work". (Not to me of course, but to the kids who used to turn up for his lessons)

Yes, the Dutch are very innovative, which is not surprising really. As my host pointed out, when half your country lies below sea level and has taken a battering from the North Sea, as it did in the 1950s, the drive to overcome complex engineering problems is paramount for the country's very survival. Consequently, the creative problem solving processes used to resolve such life threatening challenges has been transferred very effectively to other parts of its property and construction sector's ‘knowledge bank'.

In fact, the nation is very much like its famous footballer, the one who are I encountered at Schiphol (which by the way is one, functional and extremely funky space), the deceptively deft Edgar Davids - understated, efficient and world class.

Thurs 23rd March
The Breaking (Up) News

So, lots of interesting breaking news today, no more so than Rod Aldridge announcing his resignation as chairman of UK support services group Capita. This follows suggestions that a £1m loan he made to the Labour Party resulted in the company being awarded government contracts. A not too inconceivable notion, considering in 2004, 52% of Capita's revenue came from public sector outsourcing, and its business has fairly exploded over the last 10 years from a turnover of £112m to in excess of £1bn. Chiefly on the back of being awarded local government contracts.

However, no direct link has been unearthed and Mr. Aldridge called these suggestions "spurious". Yet, he still ‘walked' because apparently he did not want the "misconception" about the company to continue because of his decision to lend money to the party. Perhaps an insipid action for a leader to take, yet potentially honorable at the same time.

It would appear that our illustrious Prime Minster, Mr. Blair, may be less fortunate when attempting to suggest that the widespread allegations that he has been selling peerages in exchange for money, are as bogus as Capita attaining contracts in exchange for ‘donations' to the party he currently leads. Maybe it would be best if he too were as honorable as Mr. Aldridge, and resigned now?

The smart money is on the local elections, due to be held in May, being disastrous for the Labour Party. Consequently, if Tony Blair has not stepped down by then, the nation's Mr. Nasty most certainly will have to by July at the latest. And not a moment too soon I'd say.

You see, I go with the school of thought that leadership, specifically in highly public, political arenas that Blair, and to some degree Aldridge, have to perform in, is transient. When such leaders come to the fore, they are often the best thing that ever happened to the organizational entity that they are guiding. Paradoxically, often their departure from power is also the best thing that ever happened to the ‘firm'!

At some point from commencing their journey till its end, they will illuminate the skies with their imagination, vision and sagacity. In the same token, as their tenure reaches its conclusion, they find it difficult to adapt to the changed circumstances that exists.

So, should the Party call ‘Time' on Tony Blair, if he doesn't do an ‘Aldridge' and resign honorably? The thing is; is now the right ‘time' for Gordon Brown? Or will we have that nice Mr. Cameron as ‘PM' at the opening of London 2012?‘

Talking major sporting events, and ‘breaking', literally, news, can you believe Martin Tidd's luck? No sooner has the dust settled on the Multiplex UK's Managing Director ruing the day last year when he told an Australian Radio crew that Wembley would definitely be ready for the 2006 FA Cup Final, than his company's ill-fated national stadium project suffers another embarrassing blow. This week a 50-tonne rafter broke its supports, forcing the evacuation of the site. Fortunately, no one was injured, but just as soon as you think 'it's all over', another untimely incident occurs; today it has been announced defects have been detected in the 90,000 seater stadium's sewer pipes. Potentially resulting in an eight-month job to rectify the faults.

I bet poor old Martin Tidd is playing over and over in his head, the hit song from the legendary Punk band, The Clash; "Should I stay or should I go?"

What was the John Cleese quote that I referred to in my last blog? Paraphrased, something along the lines of businessman being bland, rather cruel and incompetent wasn't?

Difficult to dispel such claims as ‘spurious' when applied respectively to the three above mentioned ‘gentlemen' isn't?

The ‘To Do List'…

Really disappointed that I haven't watched a recording of last night's edition of ‘The Apprentice' yet, so will review it, and hopefully next Wednesday's programme, in time for next week's blog.

Also, most definitely, I shall use the coming week to review the latest book from the skilled and dynamic hand of my OU Business School colleague, Peter Cook. Carrying the somewhat racy title of ‘Sex, Leadership and Rock 'n' Roll', uber-business guru Tom Peters has gone on record to gush that it is a "marvelous book, which closes the door on the tidy, hierarchical, know-your-place 'Orchestral Age' and ushers in a new, creative era of challenge and change. Hooray!"

Just up my ‘edge of chaos' street don't you think?

And finally…

The word 'politics' is derived from the word 'poly', meaning 'many', and the word 'ticks', meaning 'blood sucking parasites'.

Larry Hardiman