I sure hope ITT does a feature on this, would love to see it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ariel/24162442


Brilliant idea actually, so well done to him for introducing it, the BBC needs to improve on so many levels, and this is a good start.

So, will he getting James Jordan's lunch on show day?

Aw gawd, another attempt at making some positive spin, for a network that's increasingly alienating a lot of the viewing public with successive revelations of scandals and evidence of poor financial control.

He's been in the business long enough to know exactly what goes on with this show.
"Everyone" at the BBC would like to be associated with it. Even the audience is packed with BBC people.

A better idea would be for him to shadow Alan Yentob for a day, to see just what we're getting for all that cash we pay him.

I suspect this is a cynical management attempt to repel possible discontent among staff. " I am one of you, I understand, my door is always open," etc.

It never works, people know why they are doing it, so they go down in their estimation.

I recall a former middle manager returning to our workplace as head honcho, after some years away. He was well liked when he left, so folk gave him some rope on his return. Sure enough he hung himself just as you describe.

Cohen should leave the work to those who are there to do it and help them out in other ways. Would make for a better workplace, better shows and a better Beeb.

FGS all these negative replies.

Its a great idea to have him get off from sitting on his backside all day to do some running around and taking orders .

What's the alternative that he just continues to sit in his office .

None of us know what anything is like until you do it .

It is something that is commonplace in large organisations - for example senior execs from Halfords (including the Chief Exec and the rest of the Board) spend a day in the stores restocking, in the warehouse at the back, serving on the tills, even replacing car headlamp bulbs etc.

Well said,.

Read his bio, he wasn't a "pen pusher" he's been in television production for a considerable time, not just with the BBC.

He knows what goes on, he'll learn nothing new spending a day on the Strictly set. Read the BBC release linked to the first post.
It's all about "they're gonna do this, they're gonna do that," etc.,
He's just using Strictly as a "vehicle" to attract some media attention.
It's the "same old, same old," to anyone who has worked in PR.

How do you know.

I see nothing wrong with him getting off his backside for a day and getting a different perspective as a runner .

All senior management should have a go at shop floor level on a regular basis and let what they learn influence their decision making .

I'm trying to get it across that he will know exactly what goes on already.
Like most people in senior management, if they are successful, "they've been there done that."

What he's doing is what has become common practice in big companies, the rank and file see it for what it is, a PR stunt.
If it weren't and he was serious, then he'd slip in quietly unannounced, not issue a naffin' press release about it.

Doh!

I'm aware of that. My view stands.

You still don't get it, unless you're saying he was a runner in the BBC .

None of us know what anything is like until we do it .

But the staff do. And him playing at it for a while at his rate of pay is hardly evening up the score. He could put his well remunerated time to better use.

But perhaps a few of us are just older and more cynical.

Humour me, I think in his position, with his experience, he'll know what a runner does. It ain't rocket salad.

On the original TV series where they did that, twenty or thirty years ago, the management learnt a lot from the experience.

When we used to be part of the BBC, we regularly saw and spoke to quite senior management but when we were sold off we never saw anyone senior and they lived in their own little bubble with no contact with real people.

I remember once when a senior manager had been with with our local manager somewhere for a couple of days but the local manager was ill when they returned so went straight home. I sat and chatted to the suit for the rest of the afternoon, I got a major change in one project by showing him some daft aspects of it.

You are quite right, we don't, I think its a great idea, given the opportunity I would have a go at it like a shot, I would like to have a go at being Vanessa's dresser for a day.

Actually, as a people manager, I was frequently talking to people at the "front end," about their views on the job. I took the attitude that "they'll tell you nine things about it you knew," but unless you listened to the nine they wouldn't tell you the tenth, which you didn't know. So you were glad to hear it and even if just in some small way, it might help the job or improve the working conditions of the person to whom I was speaking, it was worthwhile.

It's a common practice in many business.

"But I never issued a press release about it."

I still think it's just Danny trying to get a bit of "top spin."

He can walk into the studio of any production under his control at any time.

Playing at being the equivalent of a "milk monitor" won't impress anyone there, but it'll make a good story for the press.
He won't learn anything of importance he didn't know already, unless it's "one lump or two." To suggest otherwise, would be the same as saying he isn't qualified for his job.

The changes that are really needed are at the other end and they are all above his pay grade.

I did wonder if he was going to do this in order that the top brass can see for themselves how Bruce is on show day/night.

I'm sure a few who've run a business will be aware of the term "a visit."

So this may raise a smile.

"Even as we speak" I'd suggest there's meetings going on amongst small groups of people associated with productions. (Err.. it won't be an e-mail as the BBC have learned their lesson there).

"Right chaps, Danny Cohen will be with us for a day. I want every office that he might have to visit be really tidy and all the staff looking as if they are doing something.
It's essential to create an atmosphere of efficiency.

We'll try to steer him round, but be guarded if he asks questions about ways we could do things better or save money.
Remember, whilst you are attempting to earn Brownie points at possibly someone elses expense, they may also be saying the same about you.
Let's make sure he goes up stairs at the end of the day when this charade is over, satisfied that we're on the ball and he'll leave us to get on with things the way we like to do them.
Jobs may depend on it."

More likely a publicity stunt.