Is this an example of good management? What happened when George was sacked.

In the early 20^th century, Lord Northcliffe was the foremost newspaper proprietor and journalist in the country.

He was called ‘Chief’ by people in the business, and one of his papers was the Daily Mail.

‘The Daily Mail is the best-hated paper in the world,’ he once boasted. ‘On the day it ceases to be, I’ll change my staff.’

But on one occasion, a member of staff called George came to him…with six very sad looking children.

He’d been sacked by the editor, Kennedy Jones, and had come to plead his case.

‘Chief, if I’m sacked, these children will starve!’

‘What do you mean – sacked?’ asked Lord Northcliffe.

‘K.J. has booted me out.’

‘Well then, I boot you in again.’

The next day, seeing another member of staff, Lord Northcliffe said: ‘I didn’t know George had any children.’

‘He hasn’t,’ was the reply.

‘Well where did he get those he brought to see me?’

‘He borrowed them.’

And he had.

So what do we think of Northcliffe’s management on this occasion?

Commendably prompt decision making?

Foolish to listen to only one side of the story?

Kind to respond to a worker’s needs?

Impetuous to proceed without consultation with his leadership team?

Big-hearted in that George felt able to come to him?

All of the above?