Car 7

231
Mr Thomas Miley

Outward appearance

Casual labourer? Striped shirt, bulging tummy, jeans, orange anorak, thinning hair. Reading some kind of briefing document. Sticker on brown briefcase says "Temporary Pass London Weekend Television".

Inside information

A professional mentor. He coaches middle managers, giving them advice on office politics or career strategy. To do that he must gain access to their places of employment in the guise of being a potential customer or supplier. Currently pretending to be a camera assistant in order to advise a producer at LWT. The terrible truth is, the producer isn't very good.

What he is doing or thinking

Reviewing the proposed charter for a new professional body, the Institute of Mentoring ("to guide, to advise, to nurture"). Some thorny professional issues are being faced.

  • If a Member discovers that mentoring one individual brings the Member into the position of potentially advising against the interest of another client, the case will be referred to second Member.
  • Members are encouraged to become experts in the cultures of particular companies. This is to limit the need to access company realities under false pretences.
  • The bloody puritans are saying that the clients should openly introduce their Mentors to the company. But the whole point for clients is that their Mentor is a secret weapon. And, they're ashamed of needing one.

    If the Institute tries to make Mentoring open, it will create a second, secret profession. Like Thomas, it will gain entry under false pretences.

    On the other hand, how else are they to get a Royal patron?

    And what is he going to tell his client?


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