The Art of Fugue

In a change of format today we broke into small groups and discussed a case study, looking at a specific corporate failure to consider the reasons for the failure. We are mid-course. At a basic level, one could say that the sustained pace, along with the unrelenting heat has frayed a few tempers, however the underlying reason for the tension is a little deeper. We have quite differing cultural norms for group behaviour, and at the risk of generalising or stereotyping, I’m going to try and explain this further. Our Nigerian cohort members hold the floor for quite a long time when they communicate. There is a context setting part, then an opinion, then justification for the opinion. It’s very interesting, but it takes a long time, and they engage on almost every topic, so dominate the room. Our Eastern European cohort members communicate more shortly and sharply, interrupting, a lot, to clarify or focus the discussion on the main point. You can see where this is going….there was a fairly heated fight in my small group today… This small group tiff is representative of a broader tension in the wider group, and I’m finding it harder to learn in that environment. 

Tension aside, some of the topics today were really interesting. We had a behavioural economist talking about risk, starting with a discussion about why lottery tickets are so popular and then delving deeper and deeper into what makes people take risks. We had a fantastic lady who was the deputy governor of the bank of Ghana and a senior leader in the IMF (International Monetary Fund). Her talk was about emerging markets and she had an amazing ability to marry the perspective of the regulator with the perspective of the organisation. I know that sounds dull, but it was really really good. Also, she was an absolute master in managing the room and ensuring that quieter cohort members had input, and the more dominant ones were muted.

They had organised a weird “international festival” for lunch today. The unfortunate catering staff were in little booths outside in the courtyard in 35 degree heat, with sad, dodgy signs saying “Mexican” or “Lebanese” . We lined up in the sun to collect our international lunch/s of choice and then stood awkwardly balancing plate and cutlery and drink. It was purportedly a World Cup inspired idea, but the food options were not necessarily countries in the comp (looking at you Italy). It was one of those ideas that was probably better in concept than in reality and I couldn’t help looking longingly at the beautiful, air conditioned, comfortable space we could have sat down in just fifty metres away through a locked door. 

Our evening activity was a walking tour of Oxford. Unfortunately, we ended up with the most boring tour guide on the planet. I had told a few of my group that the walking tour would be great, and felt very badly that I had talked it up. Dinner at the Crown afterwards was fun though. We had a diverse group from Poland, Hong Kong, Croatia, and Czech Republic and we ended up talking about social policy. This dinner included my favourite conversation of the course with our Hong Kong friend coaxed into talking us through the cultural differences between Hong Kong and Mainland China and his take on global politics. There are no Americans in the cohort, but obviously the US leadership behaviour impacts everyone, so the conversation often strays to that impact. He told us that “the US leader is consuming his own fortune and the fortune of his descendants”. I don’t want political comments on my social media (take the hint blog commenters!),  but it was such an interesting idea and way of describing the behaviour. I’ve been thinking about it ever since. 

What stayed with my most today was the difficulty inherent in listening to a variety of separate voices. Individually they are coherent, but each voice feels a little out of step with the others. It was real work to understand  the larger picture made by the friction and the differences. I would like it to be easier and simpler but… learning happens in discomfort so I’m trying to learn. The title is a nod to my thinking that simple harmony doesn’t require you to listen so carefully or for such a sustained period to derive meaning.  I’m trying to listen to many things at once to understand patterns and fully appreciate the beauty of the complexity. 

No Wind in the Willows

This was a looong day. The temperature has been in the mid thirties for a few days and the aircon in many places doesn’t quite cope. We started off our morning with a presentation on strategy, by some McKinsey guys, who instantly irritated me by assuming success is measured solely by profit. Open to the lesson, I generously spent the second half of the session making other businesses successful by doing some online shopping. To make matters worse, in a session about strategy, they presented no strategy, just a lot of graphs and data. To add insult to injury, they went fifteen minutes into our half-hour break. Then, the rest of our break was used up by taking the obligatory group photo. We wandered out in the courtyard which was by mid morning a still, oven-like area, deserted by all but our gently sweating cohort. You can see most of us look dressed for climate optimism rather than a heatwave. The lecture room is very very is cold, so the jacket-on-jacket-off dance is constant. 

Following our non existent break, we had a session on bank regulation and supervision, which sounds dull but was interesting, due to the lecturer. This was followed by a session on financial crime, which sounds interesting but was dull, due to the lecturer. Both sessions went overtime and stole our lunch and afternoon tea break time. It’s not that we are missing out on food - there’s a lot of it and it’s good (and beautifully presented, check out the juice bar) I resent this, because the cohort is fascinating. The chats in the breaks are fantastic and worth every bit of effort to get here to Oxford. 

Our evening activity was canapés, Pimm’s and punting at the Cherwell Boat house. It was still incredibly hot, without a breath of wind, and the humidity near the river was nasty. No mosquitoes though! There was some reluctance by the group to punt, but I worked the room and our eventual group of six splashed and laughed and managed to have a ball. It was a shared experiment in incompetence, but we were clearly having enough visible fun that another six joined us, although they were smarter. Correctly assessing that the pole work is harder than it looks, they conscripted a boathouse employee to handle the pole while they relaxed in the punt. 

We walked back to Oxford (about a 40 minute walk) through green lanes and past beautiful buildings, chatting and enjoying the views, stopping for a pizza dinner on the way. It was 9.30 by the time we ate so it was a quick dinner, before the older and wiser of us went back to the hotel to sleep and a hardy few went to a pub to watch the England/Ghana soccer match.

Hullo Gov(ernance)

 Well , day one was fabulous. 

It started off with an impromptu breakfast group discussing careers in art v engineering. My favourite comment was from one of our Nigerian cohort, who told us his personal view that interest in anything qualifies you to try it. A deep discussion ensued (technical expertise? The impact of rejection on your wellbeing? ). Quite an intense personal discussion for a group of strangers at 6.30 am without decent coffee. 

A minder/wrangler met us at the hotel to walk us to the campus in a straggling crocodile, much like a school excursion. The group is diverse, engaged and interesting. Class topics today covered world mega-trends, digital currency, climate finance and capital allocation. We questioned, we challenged, we ate (food was excellent) and we connected. The break conversations ranged from values to global warming and everything in between. 

In an affirming moment, despite my lack of technical knowledge, I won the global bank trivia competition with a complete correct score at the fastest answer rate for every question. The prize was a book I may never read but the glory was real. In a 100% brag, nothing humble about it, I’ve included the email from the lecturer: “congratulations on being top of the league throughout the quiz (I have never seen that before) !” You can see my rainbow unicorn avatar in the photo.

We finished off the day with a “bbq” dinner. It was a sad, UK interpretation of a BBQ. Firstly, it was indoors. More importantly, there was not a single bbq’d item of food. The curry and salad were good though and the wine options were varied and free flowing. 

I’m exhausted, slightly overstimulated and not sleeping well, but this is really fun. I also managed to score a loaned Nespresso machine for my hotel room. My basic room doesn’t have one but the reception crew are very accommodating. At 4am coffee option is less of a luxury and more survival equipment. 

Bus Class

 A few months ago I applied for and won a scholarship to a Governance course at Oxford so here I am back in the UK. The course does great things for my board director CV and Oxford is a safe bet to deliver a high quality course, but…. Governance. I’m not quite really sure how many posts there will be this week! 

Although it’s a familiar trip by now, the transit is still brutal. A train to Sydney, a plane to Singapore, then London, then an hour by road to Oxford. My flights were in the good seats, but thirty five hours door-to-door takes the glamour out of drinking champagne while flying over Venice. Still, there were some nice moments- a hot stone day spa treat in the First lounge, delicious prawn wontons in Singapore, with silky casings and crunchy chilli oil dressing, and a handwritten welcome note from the customer service manager on both flights. 

In a moment of frugality, clearly reflecting the hazy decision making that comes with exhaustion and minimal sleep, I elected to catch the bus from Heathrow to Oxford. This is not a mistake I will repeat. The bus station was not salubrious and it was a 45 minute wait for the bus.  Quite a contrast to go from my lux plane nest to a tatty bus smelling faintly of chips, vinegar and unwashed socks.  To add insult to injury, the cost saving wasn’t even material. Damn. I did get 2000 steps in walking from the terminal to the bus station, so there’s that. 

QF1 gets in at 6.30 in the morning, so I had tried by a series of emails and phone calls to secure a room at my Oxford hotel either the night before or via early check in, so I could shower and rest once I arrived. After five “Not possibles” I gave up, sweet talked the last person into leaving a note at reception about it and entrusted it to the universe.

The universe smiled on me, and the delightful man at reception called housekeeping and asked for a rush job. I was a bit teary with gratitude and then somehow was telling him about my wedding anniversary (today/yesterday depending on where in the world you are ) and Jason and he came around the counter and gave me a big hug.  

 Within half an hour I was in my room for a shower and a little nap. I’ve had a good wander around the town and am out for dinner tonight with my course cohort. More about that tomorrow. 

Sing-Star(rett)

This year has been pretty wild so I deliberately booked a few days of decompression for time in Singapore on the way home. Raffles Sentosa looked good online - and really, who can say no to a private villa with a pool? The reality is even more spectacular. 

A butler escorts you to your villa and mixes up a fresh Sentosa sling (their twist on a Singapore Sling) while he finalises the check in process and shows you around. Two separate beautifully appointed glass and timber pavilions - a living room and a bedroom, with the pool between them, all surrounded by high walls. Inside my little oasis I have fresh flowers, lush greenery, a 24 hour butler, and complete silence except for the peacocks and the parrots. I want to bring everyone I know here to experience it with me, and I equally want to shut out the world and just sink into the privacy and the stillness. 

Breakfast can be served at your villa, but I’ve chosen to eat both days by the main pool. They wheel over little carts of fresh juices, then cereal and fruit, then a bread and pastry basket before handing you a menu to order the main event. Kind of a buffet that comes to you. I tried a delicious “ green fritter” made with zucchini, carrots (not green) and ginger, served with a slightly bitter lime zest ricotta. One evening I was driven in a Rolls Royce buggy (yes really!) to the Sofitel property next door for a nice dinner at the bar). It was less flash than Raffles but I had excellent service from my waitress and good food. Two days of swimming and reading has given me a reset, ready for reentry to my normal life. I know I’ve missed a chance to explore Singapore, however I’ve spent time in Singapore before and this relaxation time is precious. 

On the last day, I checked out late and spent time with a very dear friend and his hosts for a walk and then lunch. We wandered through little India and tried Appam - a lacy pancake made with ground rice and coconut milk. It’s fried in a wok into a little basket shape and then dipped in coconut milk and sugar. Delicious. Lunch was at a restaurant on the water and we tried Chilli Crab, with golden fried Mantou buns. Also delicious. The poor crab was live before we ate him for lunch, and I was just glad I didn’t have to choose him specifically from the tank. This day out was an unexpected bonus of stopping in Singapore and made for a lovely social finale before flying home. The Singapore stopover was a wonderful chance to eschew any decision making, logistics planning, and indeed any effort at all. A few quiet days to let the noise fade and the tempo slow. A few perfect rests before the rhythm of normal life returns. 

Thistle-stop tour.

My final stop in the UK is Edinburgh. The train from York, efficient but expensive,  was packed and it was a struggle to find space for the luggage. Although I haven’t done a lot of shopping, I seem to have acquired a surprising number of bits and pieces along the way and my two bags are both full and heavy. Luckily the hotel is right outside the train station, another ex railway building - Victorian, Grade 5 listed, and beautiful. I’ve included a photo of the outside. Inside, the Scottish theme is strong with all the staff in “costume” and a bright tartan carpet throughout. Jason bought me a Scottish title some years ago and I AM in Scotland, so…. in a moment of whimsy I MAY have signed up to the hotel loyalty programme as Lady Anna Starrett. Anyway, the front desk and the breakfast check in team addressed me as Lady Anna and it’s on my invoice too.

My days here have comprised two separate walking tours, a few fabulous meals and a good deal of wandering. I feel like I’m in a beautiful sandstone storybook - the architecture, the accents, even the inescapable sound of bagpipes from the buskers. I had a good look through St Giles, the church where Queen Elizabeth lay in state (picture of the floor tile included). The gift shop carries themed religious socks called Faith on your Feet. Think loaves and fishes, Jonah and the whale, seven fat cows and seven thin. You name a bible story, it’s on a sock. I also went to the “Georgian House”, a restored period house, run by the National Trust. It’s in the New Town, which is actually old, but not as old as the Old Town.

I’m frustrated by the lack of time to do everything I want. The more I see, the more I want to explore. I wish I had the luxury of long blocks of time to wander. I’m also still juggling work and study commitments. Numerous work emails where people are actually expecting a reply, a 5.30 am meeting that needed an hour of prep prior, a dissertation proposal for Oxford due early next week (which I haven’t started yet!)- I can’t quite escape and it’s impacting my ability to completely relax. People are always saying to me that they don’t know how I fit it all in. Right now I’m not sure! 

Leaving Edinburgh was sad but I have booked a few final days in Singapore on the way home. When I arrived at the Qantas lounge in Heathrow, I was escorted to a reserved table for dinner. All this travel has landed me at Qantas Platinum One level, leading to some special treatment. Fancy! 

In true team Starrett style, I’ve taken advantage of the proximity of my birthday and mentioned it when booking meals and hotels all week. This is a family tradition, started by Flynn, age five, to get a free birthday sombrero at a Mexican restaurant in New York. That success was followed by Starrett boy birthday claims (both accurate and spurious) during our trips to Walt Disney World. On this trip three free desserts have appeared at last count. My birthday itself is a casualty of time zones — the 14-hour flight and the calendar flip wipe out the 31st — so I’m happily taking the wins now. 

Layers

My final Master’s class featured a thought provoking one man rendition of Henry 5th - part script, part story, with side discussions about leadership resilience throughout. I didn’t really know the history or the play, but it was a compelling session and a good soft landing for our last day. The after class activities included a scavenger hunt (21,000 steps!), a dinner, and many, many hugs. I’m not a hugger so this was challenging, but it was sad to say goodbye as we won’t see each other in person till July next year. A few last Oxford pictures- Balliol seen from my hotel window, Christchurch seen from my College. 

One of our cohort gifted a beautifully embroidered piece of fabric to some of the women. I had wanted to wear it as a wrap at the formal dinner on Thursday night but was worried about showing up in homewares. Fortunately one of the ladies wore it to class on Saturday, helping me determine the appropriate use - #NOTatablerunner. The colours are lovely and it’s very warm and goes perfectly with the clothing I brought. Picture below. 

I’m spending time in York and Edinburgh before leaving the UK. This is my second trip to York having visited once before while I was living in Leeds for work. I chose to stay at same hotel as last trip, a beautiful building which was originally the railway company’s headquarters - loads of history and charm. Think sweeping staircases, high ceilings and beautiful old details everywhere you look. It’s lux and cosy and relaxing. Last time I stayed, the restaurant was booked out (see the 2021 blog for the dramatic tale) and I made sure to book in advance for this visit. It’s a big call, but the lasagne was the best I’ve had in my whole life. The description on the menu is “ fifty layers of pasta, rich bolognaise sauce, aged cheddar bechamel, grated parmesan and pecorino, smoked tomato sauce and basil oil”. Nothing here sounds unique, but wow. Just wow. Somehow I have a photo of the carrot and apple soup, not the lasagne. I was probably too busy eating it. 

A walking tour of York (I love these things) proved insight into the history of the place, with evidence all round of the five invasions, from the Romans to the Tourists. It’s a beautiful city, and the weather was uncharacteristically sunny. There are so many places that are familiar from historical books and shows, for example the house where Henry VIII stayed with Catherine Howard while on the King’s Progress, apparently the place where she started secret assignations which eventually culminated in her beheading. York Minster is spectacular from the outside although I am yet to make it inside. A lovely tea stop at Betty’s,complete with Wedgewood and silver plate, capped off the York experience. 

I’m thinking a lot about layers — of time, of place, of self. Life, like history, isn’t one clean story — it’s a collection of layers, stitched together over time. Some are hidden, some fray at the edges, and some — like my beautifully embroidered wrap — are meant to be worn and shared, warmth and meaning intertwined.