I have no political aspirations whatsoever. Never have had. Didn’t even want to stand for the school council, till the teacher told me I’d get out of lessons and free chocolate biscuits.
I think to want to be a politician reveals deep and tragic personality flaws. Of the ‘please like me’, type. I’m sure that many start with high ideals, which get knocked out of them by the sheer boredom of endless meetings and discussions about planning permission and parking permits.
But right now, you really wouldn’t want the gig. Whatever you do you are absolutely pilloried. The government are chastised for doing nothing, then threatening to do too much. Close pubs, open gyms. Work from home if you work in the office. Eat out for free, but only on Wednesdays as long as it's not a pub. Good grief.
But rather like many of us at least they have still got jobs (for now, elections a way off in the UK), unlike many of the UK population. Predictions that literally millions will be left jobless by Covid have left many people thinking about their choice of career and thinking about what to do next.
The Government appear to have put their foot in it again (both of them) by running a free online survey to help people identify new career ideas based on a simple survey. You can do it here. https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/skills-assessment
Millions of people already have.
The rush to take the quiz was prompted by an ITV News interview with Mr Sunak, in which he suggested that people should retrain and find new employment if they lose work due to the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing restrictions
It suggests I would make a great Football referee or Beekeeper. I was a bit disappointed that it didn’t suggest professional boxer as it did for my 62-year-old mate (very overweight he is too).
But it did get me thinking. What would the questionnaire look like to identify someone whose job would be to negotiate great deals?
I would say the traits of a good negotiator would be curiosity, creativity and empathy. Combined with an ability to be clear, direct and assertive.
On top of that, you need to have a toolbox full of techniques and processes to guide you through the apparent chaos of the dealing with conflict.
I’ve got a good idea where those can be developed. I do it for a living. Currently at least.
Covid permitting.
