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Imagine…
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You work for a British firm with a handhold in New York. As always, your success, that of your business, depends on the relationship with your customer. Today you take an important American client, a ‘seen it all’ Manhattanite, to visit a ship on the Hudson river. You are not quite sure what this ship is until your cab clears the last skyscraper and there she is, four tall masts with a string of flags flying, her dark red hull almost glowing. You are greeted on board and while your client is whisked away to look around you are offered a drink by a smart young person in a blazer. It turns out from her name badge and discreet logo that she is from the UK part of your firm, one of ten new recruits fast tracking an NVQ in Business Management. It is easy to stand and listen as her enthusiasm carries you on: she hadn’t made it to university, but this has been an opportunity to shine. The easy friendship she shows with all the other trainees in attendance to the hundreds of invited guests is even more amazing given that until the induction course two months ago she had never met any of them; there is a casual esprit, an essence of teamwork, a positive ‘vibe’ from all these people. Your hostess is keen to show you a picture and she hands you to the care of another blazered trainee, from another well-known UK company. He explains that they arrived in New York the day before, having crossed the Atlantic in 18 days and in between his lectures and study time he had stood two four hour watches each day, sailing and steering the ship, day and night. The food was made by final year catering students; the invitations and welcome packs laid out and printed onboard by Graphic Design students. As you take this all in your hostess returns with the photograph – she wants to send it to her mum; it is a snap of her aloft, leaning over the yard that carries a massive sail, a 100 feet above the deck where you are standing, her hair ruffled: she is smiling, relaxed. You
can see this will be the proudest of memories. You want to stay and just listen
to both of them, to bask in their enthusiasm but your client is back – he has
been watching, of all things, dancers from the Royal Ballet in the ship’s 200
seat theatre. You know the names of his wife and three kids but never knew he
liked ballet; hell, you would never have guessed this big red tall ship even had
a theatre. |
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As
you go the Captain is at the gangway, shaking hands with everyone. Your client
is amazed just to meet the Captain; you are more impressed that he isn’t some
white-bearded old timer but probably not even forty. You guess at a lifetime of
worthy service on cruise ships but he says that after a standard merchant navy
cadet ship he has been on tall ships for 15 years, all of them British.
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Business is not just about costs; you want to impress your client, make him believe that every one in your organisation will be an asset to his; and it is not just you: you know that each cadet who passes the test of crewing this unique vessel will carry it with pride on the CV. They achieved academically but they also achieved as people; if they are part of your company then they have a core of self-confidence and an understanding of how to work with people that can only be a benefit. And if you are not that businessman then you will know someone who could be a trainee, who would thrive in this environment.
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If
you are a 16 and making your choice for further education and realise that who
you are is one of your hidden assets then you will have already read about this
ship. The scope is wide, it includes cadets from Britain, the Commonwealth and
beyond, the venue is unique, the educational possibilities all-embracing, the
intake is wide-ranging rather than exclusive, the benefits both individually and
on a national basis are like watching an accumulator bet hit the mark each and
every time.
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