1922 and all that
I have known 2022 would be a significant year for a long while. Decades in fact.
On Friday we shall be celebrating my mother’s 100th birthday, even though she has not been physically with us for over 10 years.
Then in a few weeks’ time we shall be celebrating the centenary of Stratford Musical Theatre Company, which I Chair, and have been a part of since 1995.
This has put me into a reflective mood. How different was life 100 years ago, where are we now – and where (might) we be heading?
In 1922:
- My mother was born in a house without running water, electricity or gas. She was born at home, not in a hospital, by a local midwife – normal for then.
- Musical theatre was not even a ‘thing’ then: SMTC was called Stratford Amateur Operatic Society and performed ‘light opera’ – Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado, which by then was itself 37 years old.
- The country was still recovering from a pandemic – Influenza. Not sure they called it a pandemic then either.
- The memory of the First World War was still fresh: a significant number of those involved in the Mikado in Stratford on Avon had military titles –all Army or Navy. (The Royal Air Force was 4 years old).
Since then both my mother and musical theatre saw both triumph and tragedy:
- The main theatre in Stratford burned down in 1932. (Some conspiracy theories about the cause too: not sure they were called conspiracy theories then)
- War again 1939-1945: but technology – air power – bought it much closer to home. My mother’s sister lost her husband on the ‘Dambuster’ raid in 1943: I recall my mother telling me how they heard by telegram.
- But the war meant my mother went to work on a farm, where she met my father. That turned out well – especially for my sisters & I.
- The ‘Operatic’ resumed shows in 1947, performing at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre until 2005, and at various venues since then. They became SMTC in 2006.
Look at the progress:
- Ordinary homes with standards of comfort beyond even the most luxurious of 100 years ago.
- Healthcare providing life expectancy way beyond what was ‘normal’ then. Have a look at the graph – link below.
- Educational opportunities for all (my father went straight into farming at age 14). My mother did not ‘matriculate’ ( think gaining GCSEs & A Levels)
- I have flown over the Mohnesee Dam (where Uncle John was lost in 1943) at great height on a routine flight to Munich.
That progress has come despite all the events of the last century. What has enabled us to enjoy what we have in 2022 – I know we also have challenges to face – has come through steady progress, development & improvement. Not a straight upwards line on a graph, but a saw tooth pattern.
Which means that what we work on today is imperceptibly improving life for you and others. The progress will be imperceptible today, but in 2122, someone will be looking back and admiring the progress.
We know there are some massive issues to address – peace, climate, resources – and past performance is no guarantee of future returns. Yet the past 100 years provides plentiful reasons to be optimistic about life in 2122.
What we do today will contribute to that.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1040159/life-expectancy-united-kingdom-all-time/
Buzzword of the Week – Fixed Costs
Definition – Costs that do not change with an increase or decrease in the number of goods or services produced or sold. Fixed costs are expenses that have to be paid, independent of any specific business activities. They are generally indirect, in that they don’t apply to a company’s production of any goods or services. Broadly, there are two types of costs—fixed or variable costs—which together result in total costs.
Alternate View – Another example of vague language in finance. The term fixed does NOT mean the amount of money spent remains the same: it is just that the connection between the cost and the output is indirect. Think marketing costs: there is no limit to what you can spend, and spending more (despite what some marketing people may tell you) is no guarantee you will sell more as a result. Control of fixed costs is essential to ensure profitability though – craft your budget with care.
Coming Up…
Last chance to book: Rewards in the era of the Great Resignation, interesting session featuring Christina Jones : https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/managing-rewards-in-the-great-resignation-era-tickets-242425379837?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
Busy day on Monday 7th: I will joining CIPD Coventry & Warwickshire Special Interest Group for Self Employed professionals in the morning – talking sales. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-assignations-group-thrive-and-survive-together-tickets-251995404037?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
Then later with the Professional Speaking Association in Birmingham: https://www.thepsa.co.uk/regions/birmingham-region/#book-your-ticket-birmingham
CIPD HR Hot Topics is on Friday February 11th an informal free flowing discussion about what’s hot in HR right now. This week it is about handling the absence caused by the omicron wave – what is working and what can we manage better? Free to join https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-cipd-cov-warks-hr-hot-topics-networking-meeting-tickets-251979315917?aff=ebdsoporgprofile