Small Business, Big Egos

With all the legislation and compliance on how to run a business (for profit, as a volunteer or a charity) today, it never ceases to amaze me when ‘giving back’ is grabbed by the throat and throttled by the so called do-gooders (who generally do no good at all). They prance around in their volunteer roles as if they own the business or company they represent and the little authority such folk temporarily hold goes straight to their head.

I have seen it a hundred times! I remember Bob Geldof inviting celebrities to engage in Band Aid and saying to the world’s most celebrated artists “leave your ego at the door” – that is how he got the job done.

I always thought that if you truly wanted to give back or make something better you sort of did it without the chest pounding.

I recently witnessed a situation whereby a residents block of flats required directors. Nobody needed any experience to become a director (which appeared to be very appealing to those who had always dreamed of being a director of a company) and in doing so, the ego got in the way of the compliance.

In another block a lengthy dispute – lasting several years – continued as egos also got in the way of compliance and the basic; doing the right thing for the greater good. Through these roles I often see residential folk, some are educated grandparents, behave appallingly.

Vanessa Brady – Keynote Speaker Kitchen Manufacturers Annual Conference

Then of course, there are the women. Now that is quite a different matter, their motives generally are not self promoting, personal financial gain and obtaining favours as some men indulge in. No, the women in this sector simply act as if they are ruling the land that leaseholders walk whilst often failing in any training or ethical business or financial knowledge at all.

Why do they do it?  It’s the glory, newfound respect and attention that has eternally evaded them. The received misinterpreted admiration goes straight to their head and a monster is created!

I remember when setting out the structure of training for the SBID, I consulted with lower educated professions to ask what they would have liked to provide for their sector had money and choices been available and they said ‘dignity’. Give a traffic warden, who the director went on to describe are usually of low education, put them in a uniform with the power to issue a £60 penalty notice and instead of feeling envy or even failure beside the owner of that Ferrari or Bentley, they find power. Watching drivers running out of breath and pleading for mercy over that ticket being issued whilst the warden stands in cool silence provides a power thrill that they perhaps feel has been suddenly reversed. That type of warden will continue to wield his self importance and authority for the sheer thrill and temporary power that role of office provides.

A gift I received after a dispute was addressed

Perhaps considering the risk to owners homes for misdirection of fees that appears to be more common than it should be, we need to make the quality agents that are available the trainers so that volunteer directors who offer their ‘time’ over ‘experience’ are reigned in to protect funds from those who love the power and authority that trading contracts appear to provide. Some engage at the negative expense of the collective fund owners.

I do hope so as the UK is one of the few countries remaining within the western world where the ownership of a property and it’s governance is still exposed to corruption and abuse. It’s 2022!!!!

On my journey I meet a few gracious people who try to uphold the values entrusted in them, and when I do I treasure them. The rest I go after and expose, but first, let’s have some fun as they wriggle and turn. After I have let them wriggle enough, I go for the jugular.