Even now, I can remember how flattered I felt. The partnership had decided to appoint its first managing partner. A number of partners declared an interest, but I was not among them. To avoid a formal election, a long-serving partner took soundings from us all to see if a consensus might exist. Remarkably, mine was one of two names to emerge. The solution? The other (more senior) partner would take office, with me working alongside as his deputy.
The honeymoon period was brief – and there was no time for our unholy union to be consummated before reality struck. What on earth did I know about management?
