Shooting down the cowboy myth
Page 37
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I READ with great interest and at the same time great concern statements contained in the article (CM, February 16: ADDed value consultants), in particular the statement by Mr Brian Smith, One of the offending paragraphs reads as follows:
Membership of the ADD is "by invitation only" and only consultants who are personally known to existing members and who have a proven track record are eligible. Brian Smith sees this as a way of keeping out the "cowboy" consultant, those who have drifted into the business after retirement or redundancy for example.
As one of the gang of four, and soon to be a gang of possibly 12, his views on byinvitation only one must accept, as this is still a free country to some degree. However, I can see no difference here from established "consultants" who have various professional members of their staff to call on, as and when specific guidance is required.
So according to Brian Smith, after spending 50 years in many aspects of all branches of transport, together with many years of active service in two professional Institutes, and what is more achieving the highest class of membership, I am now classed as a "cowboy'' I have been called many things in my time, especially when trying to deal with "bolshie" shop stewards. Never did I think I would live to see the day that people who claim to be "professionals" would label every "consultant" as a "cowboy."
Should Brian Smith be a church-going individual, I suggest he prays that he will not find himself out on his butt when he is past fifty years of age. Whether a person is classed as redundant or given early retirement does not automatically mean he was found wanting in his previous employment. In many cases the fault lies with the most senior management. The Dunlop tyre organisation is a case in point; some 10 years ago they were a force to be reckoned with, but today you only have to read the papers to see the problems.
Why should a fully qualified person who is looking for the means of keeping his family together after being made redundant be classed as a "cowboy?"
W. J. EDBROOKE
And just for the record, Hon F1RTE, FC1T Mansfield Nottinghamshire