Fragile Power by George D. Norris

Author:George D. Norris
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781876498719
Publisher: Ryan Publishing
Published: 2022-03-21T00:00:00+00:00

Leadership Lessons:

1. Always treat people with dignity and respect.

2. You never do business with companies, only people.

3. Leadership is making the tough decisions.

4. Protect your IP and reputation fiercely.

5. Stand up to people who try to bully you.

CASE HISTORY 12

Australian Vintage Travel

Chapter 1

Bouncing back Up

I never did sign a lease to run my own consultancy in the Rialto, yet it was to be valuable to see the building and store the experience in my brain for the future.

Then one day I saw an advertisement for a general manager for a tourism venture, and having such in-depth experience in the industry, I applied and asked to meet them. It was with some trepidation that I went for my first interview in 30 years, and somewhat confronting to be on the ‘other side of the desk’, yet thought I handled the challenge well.

The first interview was to check out if my application and the person matched, but the interviewer wouldn’t tell me what the tourism venture was that I was to manage. However, I must have impressed them as I was asked to attend a second interview. At this next interview they felt comfortable enough to say what the tourism venture was. I was excited to learn it was the restored ‘Melbourne Limited Train’.

When asked what experience I had with a similar product, I was able to draw on my experience and journey on the Venice Simplon Orient Express that travelled between London, Paris, Milan and Venice. I was able to explain how it operated, what level of opulence it exceeded, who owned it, the fact that I had met the owners, James Sherwood and his wife, Dr Shirley Sherwood, its high standard of service and how it was staffed and designed for the target market.

I was considered a fit with knowledge too good to be true and was asked to meet the new owner and his team at his offices in Newcastle. I made the journey the next week and was introduced to who I thought must be Australia’s version of Howard Hughes, Michael Wansey and his team.

This was not his only venture, he also owned the television station, NBN 3 and I also learnt in the briefing meeting that he had purchased the SS South Steyne Manly ferry, which was now moored at Ballina and was currently being refurbished.

After an intense day of meetings and a grilling by Michael’s legal adviser, a high-powered lawyer called Peter Cleaves, I had learnt that they had gained a $5 million loan from the Victorian Government’s VEDC investment fund. As the meeting progressed, I was finally told that they were satisfied with my business acumen and I was appointed General Manager.

However, when asked where in Melbourne I thought the new office could be located, I found I could pull another ‘rabbit out of a hat’, opened my attaché case and pulled out the beautiful, elegant brochure of the Rialto Towers and replied, “We should initially lease some serviced offices on the 44th floor until we are established.

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