Chapter 6

Nick had two internal interviews on Thursday morning, Harry and Norman. Harry's was quick and simple. He had already warned him about having his head in the clouds. He merely asked him to consider possible redundancies. Harry was totally down to earth on that.

"Do I take into account the port job?" he asked.

"Yes and no," was Nick's reply. "It's going to be a big project and I can see your whole team being used. On the one hand, it's not going to actually happen for at least two years. On the other hand, the planning and design work could start in six months. Use the redundancy programme to get rid of your weakest. We should always be able to recruit good people for such an exciting project. Having said that, we've got to win the contract so that means being able to put your best people onto it. And, Harry, we are going to win that contract so I'm looking to you. Any help you feel you need don't be shy about seeking advice from the other managers or me. No one will think you're being feeble. Someone who is strong enough to seek advice is nobody's fool."

Harry looked at him. He nodded and Nick could almost see his shoulders squaring.

"Thanks, Nick. That's good advice for starters."

His time with Norman was not an interview. To start with they looked at the fines and bonuses paid to sub-contractors and it soon became apparent when they compared project managers' reports with them that there was something fishy.

"Right," said Nick decisively. "I'm going to call in the police. I shall warn Arthur that I am going to do so. It's only fair that I do."

He smiled grimly. "It'll be interesting to see his reaction. I think he'll resign on the spot in the hope that we'll drop it but I suspect that a number of his minions have been part of it too. I hope Eric Fisher is clean. He stood out from my walk round yesterday."

"So what about George?"

"I can't nail him at the moment but he's clearly wet and inefficient. We may have a row about his redundancy proposals which will cause him to resign. If that doesn't work I'm going to give him the next big project and chase him into resignation."

Apart from his eyes twinkling Norman's lips twitched. "Poor bugger," he whispered. "He's on a hiding to nothing."

Nick nodded.

"Norman, we could have a problem with redundancies. I've got to talk to Melanie about redundancy payments and I've warned the CEO that we may need help to cover them without incurring bank charges on debt. The three of us will need to get our heads together over that."

Norman nodded. "Almost certainly we'll need central help. Unless we land a decent contract in the next three months we're going to be in the red anyway."

"That makes the council office job and the new office block at the port imperative."

"Yes."

"Do we need to tender at a loss?"

"Not at a loss but possibly at no profit on the council office. If we get that we can probably tender for a slight profit on the port office."

"I see."

"Again, the next two port projects are so big that we could well reduce the profit margin and still make some decent money."

"That makes sense but it's still some way in the future. We'll need to get our heads together with Eric before the tenders go in."

"Yes."

"Norman, I'd like to tap your brain on two other ideas."

"Feel free."

"We have three engineering branch managers based on professional lines. I think that is limiting. It seems to me that the majority of projects have building or bridging at the forefront with roads coming second and E & M a poor third. Even if we got a major generating project E & M would be relegated until the building and the access roads were complete."

Norman nodded.

"I think we should reorganise so that we have a project manager for each major project. If we have two or three minor projects they could be given to one manager to run. The project manager would have a project officer or supervisor for each of the disciplines."

"That makes complete sense to me, Nick, provided we get the big projects."

"Are you doubting me, Norman?"

Norman laughed and Nick was delighted. The man was really coming out of his shell.

"What are you going to pay them?" asked Norman going back to being the financier.

"The same as a branch manager."

"Might that not be a bit expensive?"

"Not if the project is big enough. If it isn't we tack a smaller one on for him to look after."

"I'll buy that."

"Which moves me on to the other idea. Sally Gardner is clearly very competent but raises hackles."

"Ye-es?"

"She has the ability to run a big project but is liable to foul up relations with the client and the sub-contractors."

"Ye-es?"

"I'm clearly going to have to become much more involved in the technical aspects of the job than Mervyn ever was."

"Yes!"

"So I need a technical assistant who can assess technical proposals and pull out the main points for me to hammer out with project managers and clients."

"Hmm. Don't you think that might cause friction?"

"No because project managers would always have direct access to me."

Norman smiled. "Even with Sally as your technical assistant?"

"Touché but at least I'd be putting out any internal fires and we stand to lose a very talented engineer if she upsticks and leaves us in frustration."

Norman looked at him speculatively.

"It would also relieve Jerry of a burden."

"But land you with one as she puts up the backs of all your project managers."

"That's certainly a risk but I would impress upon her that she would be acting in an advisory role to me and was not in a position to browbeat managers. If in time she earned their respect she would be allowed a more executive role."

Norman thought. It was clear to Nick that he was not that taken with the idea.

"I can see your need for a technical assistant. You will have to concentrate on the political and financial aspects of projects and not be pulled aside by engineering detail but that is what your project managers are for. Do you not think they might feel slighted that you do not fully trust them to come up with the right solutions?"

"They might and so I've got to make it clear to them that the technical assistant is not there to second guess them but to ensure that I do not spend my time wading through pages of stuff just in case I miss some vital point."

"OK but you're going to need to make that crystal clear to everyone."

"Absolutely and I'll bet there will still be some doubts remaining which only time will dispel."

"I'm not convinced that Sally is the right person to do it. She's a fiery little number and well known for her lack of restraint if someone disagrees with her."

"I know. Jerry described her as a shrew but both he and Melanie put it down to her having a chip on her shoulder about something. She is undoubtedly a very able engineer and a very bright young woman. I don't want to see that going to waste. Heatherbrow is a relatively simple project and Cartwright's have left her alone to get on with it because it is to time and cost. Get a big project and there will be constant hassles and changes of requirement which would drive her to fury and possibly our losing the job or me having to pull her off it and appoint someone else half way through with the consequent loss of continuity and momentum. It would also be a devastating blow to someone with a chip."

"That's hardly your responsibility."

"I beg to differ. I've got to pull this place up by its bootstraps and one of the ways of doing that is to inspire loyalty to and by my personal leadership. There are times when I shall have to ruthless, George and Arthur for example. The rest of the time I shall have to be positive: recognising and praising good work and encouraging the less successful. One thing I learnt in the army is that to inspire your people to be loyal to you you have got to be loyal to them. Sally has done nothing wrong other than get up people's noses from time to time. She's doing a good job at the moment but needs help and encouragement to get her PR right. I've got to be loyal to her."

"I accept that but have you got to do that by placing her in a position where she is liable to rile your managers and make them disaffected with you?"

"I won't place her in that position until she has proved to me that she can argue a case with me without boiling over. She will be allowed no direct contact with the managers other than to ascertain facts until she has convinced me that she can keep her cool in a discussion and not turn it into a heated argument."

"It's your decision, Nick. I hear what you say and I understand your needs and motives but I still have my reservations."

"Thanks, Norman. It's still only an idea at the moment and I will bear in mind all you have said before I finally decide even to go ahead with a technical adviser let alone appoint Miss Gardner to such a prestigious post."

Norman chuckled. "A smooth talker as well."

Nick cocked a snook at him and they both roared with laughter.

Nick looked at his watch. "Half past eleven," he said. "I think I'll make Mr Honey's day for him now and get it out of the way. Would you care to join me for lunch?