[ian@huth]

I have seen many a company where the upper management have been too busy building their empires, sucking up to their seniors and backstabbing everyone that appeared to be a possible threat to their progression in the company that working for them was hell.

I could never understand their idea that they always wanted their superiors to see a perfect workplace with no problems anywhere within it. I have seen these people waste a couple of days getting staff to make sure that the workplace was perfect with not a speck of dust to be seen and in so doing neglecting the work which should be being done when a director or very senior manager was due to call. Vans have been hired to temporarily move potentially embarassing objects out of view of these important visitors. Staff have been cut to such a level that work and staff morale suffered to make their budget prerformance appear better. My own view on all this is that hiding the real situation never makes it likely that improvements come about.

NTL is probably a little like this with the very top management not really being aware of the true situation of the company below their level and possibly not caring as long as their fat wage packets keep arriving.