Is the honeymoon over?, page-29

Actually my preference is and always has been to engage in an open exchange. It's usually far more productive for everyone. I may sound combative sometimes but I always do my homework - and usually lots of it if I am likely to present a counter argument to the status quo - before I form a view.

I'd still happily meet with the board if they approached me to try and understand why I have formed the views I have, but I'd now have to feel that there was a real willingness to be open to suggestions and input. I have tried by the way.

I might not have sat on a Board before - and neither have all of them - but I know that there are plenty of CEOs out there (and - if you count the prime minister and finance minister in NZ when I was there -them too ) who believe I've made a real difference to the organisations I've worked with as an insider and as a consultant. I also know that there are some with whom I've worked who hate change or feel threatened by me. That I guess is inevitable when your work focuses on organisational change and performance improvement.

Parsifal