Not THAT sort of English Garden; the Richard Corrigan/Malcolm Starmer place
There was some feedback the previous year that the event in Efes, while most enjoyable, had been a step down in food quality from the previous few years. There were also mumblings about the quality of song lyrics from one or two of those who had been around long enough to remember the last time I had put pen to paper in that regard.
Thus it was Janie to the rescue, if I remember correctly, in the matter of restaurant choice. I think she might have consulted Elisabeth on the topic too. Which explains how we ended up at a place that both of them happened to want to try and which also happened to have a private room our size.
It had rave reviews, not least this one in the Guardian, lauding Richard Corrigan and his star chef Malcolm Starmer for the high quality and yet value for money this place provided. Good choice, then.
It was a “no holding back” era at Z/Yen back then – we had our last Board meeting of the year that day (quite normal) plus a staff symposium to launch the employee share ownership scheme (less usual)…
…ahead of traipsing across town “en masse” to Chelsea for the wonderful meal.
And I do recall it was a truly excellent meal. Janie and I for sure returned there with friends subsequently and were sorry to learn that the place had gone when it closed down.
I think Linda might have launched Secret Santa that year, but perhaps she launched it a year or two later. For sure there was some sort of Z/Yen gimcrack…I mean hugely valuable gift…that year, as Linda promised by e-mail that Santa would be attending.
As for the song – one of my more enduring Z/Yen seasonal hits was born that year.
THE TWELVE DAYS OF Z/YEN TRAINING
Ian Harrisand/or
(Song to the Tune of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”)
On my first day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
A Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
On my second day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
On my third day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
On my fourth day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Four risk rationalities,
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
On my fifth day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Five forces.
Four risk rationalities,
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
On my sixth day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Six thinking hats,
Five forces.
Four risk rationalities,
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
On my seventh day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Seven S’s model,
Six thinking hats,
Five forces.
Four risk rationalities,
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
On my eighth day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Eight steps to success,
Seven S’s model,
Six thinking hats,
Five forces.
Four risk rationalities,
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
On my ninth day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Nine PEST-expanded forces,
Eight steps to success,
Seven S’s model,
Six thinking hats,
Five forces.
Four risk rationalities,
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
On my tenth day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Ten Vision Into Action themes,
Nine PEST-expanded forces,
Eight steps to success,
Seven S’s model,
Six thinking hats,
Five forces.
Four risk rationalities,
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
On my eleventh day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Eleven: viable systems plus SWOT,
Ten Vision Into Action themes,
Nine PEST-expanded forces,
Eight steps to success,
Seven S’s model,
Six thinking hats,
Five forces.
Four risk rationalities,
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And a Z/Yen Z/Ealous Risk/Reward tree.
FINALE
On my twelfth day of training, my Z/Yen boss gave to me;
Twelve Clean Business Cuisine chapters,
Eleven: viable systems plus SWOT,
Ten Vision Into Action themes,
Nine PEST-expanded forces,
Eight steps to success,
Seven S’s model,
Six thinking hats,
Five forces.
Four risk rationalities,
Three critical sets,
Two by two grid/groups,
And
A
Z/Yen
Z/Ealous
Risk/Reward
Tree.
Classic. The whole event. Classic.