Day travelling to Southampton and fighting Xitan staff problems and counselling Geoff Lynch on how to avoid them before home to get Diana out for a while, as the current political problem is security leaks with the Official Secrets Act being criticised for its gagging effect.
A remarkable day at Xitan with Geoff Lynch. Each contact is a revelation and adds at least a month to my age! An early start, just catching the 6.57am train from St Neots to London. On this journey good progress in making up the CCL 3 year plan as regards development policy. Then across London by tube and by a slowish train to Southampton. On by taxi and to meet the Xitan staff at about 10.30. First a few pleasantries with Geoff Lynch and relaxation over coffee and the next hour and a half meeting each member of staff and hearing what they now do and listening to their comments and work patterns.
A sandwich lunch with Geoff and down to business. I have been deliberately cool to him lately and unwilling to discuss staffing until today’s visit. I now begin to tell him why but was immediately hit with the news of his latest two resignations – both of key people and direct subordinates: Peter (his new accounts supervisor) and Barbara his secretary. All of which reinforced the points that I had to make with regard to his competence and abilities in planning, managing and controlling his people and working in harness with others. A long and difficult meeting where he has trouble agreeing the points and responds if only he has more resources, more discretion…… However, I lay it on the line that he will have to retain a will, determination and commitment to making the role of chief executive in the larger organisation and to undergo intensive training and be prepared to accept advice and counselling. We shall see. A quick 40mins to follow before my train where I manage to turn round both resignations and get them withdrawn. They both have their roots in the fears of continued disorganisation and opportunities that will be present to contribute positively to the solving of present problems. The second time I have persuaded Barbara to stay – we’ll have to stop meeting like this! A mad dash by taxi to catch my London train and a trying train journey back through the London congestion to St Neots. On arrival a tour of the garden with Diana who I forced out. We discuss the gardener’s poor performance and then take off by outboard dinghy to retrieve our 13th duck again, who has taken to independence and hanging around the lock island! Then an hours conversation with John Lamb, updating him on the events of the past two days – I may well need his efforts diverted as a result of all this. Then a late tea and a further upset Diana on the delay before the rest of the evening writing up my journal for these past two days. Lastly to phone Geoff late in Manchester to try to update him on my success on getting the resignations withdrawn. News today of further demonstrations in the miners strike and more revelations of security leaks in MI5. The Official Secrets Act is coming in for a fair deal of criticism under section 2 which is said to be used by government to suppress political information.