How on earth can I be writing about 1970’s children’s television in relation to business trends?
“As a child TV did not really play a particularly large part in my life. I was much more likely to be out on my bike, in the garden or racing around the local park. However, there were a few programmes which I regard with the very fondest memories, namely Bagpuss, The Clangers, Mr Benn & The Wombles. Now, at the risk of ageing myself, I am sure that the names herein illicit a nostalgic sigh from many of a similar age & we remember with fondness the simple messages these television shows of yesteryear brought to us.
Therefore, how on earth can I be writing about 1970’s children’s television in relation to business trends I hear you ask? Well it all comes down to metaphors. Whether you are an avid reader or you consume film & television; the messages we absorb & maybe resonate with us, are most likely deliberate metaphors to help us think beyond the written word, the visual image. Therefore, while engaging in a nostalgic conversation recently & with the heightened media coverage of all things ‘Green’ I began to initially consider how The Wombles were our first eco-warriors & up-cycler’s! This notion drew me to contemplate how other childhood classics, both on television & in books, could be seen as metaphors for business models & what we can learn from these seemingly innocent stories.
‘Bagpuss’ created by Peter Firmin: Compassionate Management.
“Bagpuss, dear Bagpuss, old fat furry catpuss, wake up and look at this thing that I bring, wake up, be bright, be golden and light, Bagpuss oh hear what I sing” The resonating tones of Emily still ring as true today as they did so many years ago. Upon hearing her rhyme, Bagpuss would awaken, stretch & let out a long & distinctive yawn. Of course, when Bagpuss awoke, so did all of the other creatures in Emily’s shop & together they would, through a series of discussions & group actions, enliven the dilapidated ‘thing’ Emily had found, ready for it’s owner to see it in her unique shop window & claim their lost property.
This ability for these diverse creatures, the Mice on the Mouse Organ, Gabriel the Toad, Magdaline the rag doll & the dynamic book end, Professor Yaffle, were enabled by Emily to collaborate & use their diversity to carefully & considerately regenerate the ‘thing’ Emily had placed before them.
Compassionate Management at it’s core, is a way in which Managers, CEO’s, Founders, Directors can be more connected to their work force & in turn, see greater productivity as a result. There is no denying the love the character of Emily has for her pink & white fluffy companion, described at the beginning of each episode as “the most important, the most beautiful, the most magical … saggy old cloth cat in the whole wide world” However, as the owner of the shop, she neither forces nor demands in her requests to her “saggy old cloth cat” companion. She encourages, knowing through the magic of childhood innocence, that Bagpuss & his team will magically bring the lost ‘thing’ back to life. This ability to encourage a diverse team to collaborate & communicate, is the underpinning of compassionate management in modern business models. The ability for CEO’s and Directors to lead from the front, whilst also remaining understanding of the challenges faced by their employees & the everyday needs of their workforce; just as Emily did with Bagpuss.
‘Mr Benn’ created by John McKee & ability to change your outward appearance to remain competitive in an employment market.
The premise of Mr Benn seemed relatively simple. Each episode Mr Benn would don another ‘costume’ disappear through the door of the costumers & embark on an adventure linked to his attire. The childhood innocence of these adventures was captivating. However, in a modern business context whereby competition is rife; this need for adaptability suddenly takes on a whole new meaning.
Flexibility in business & the ability to adapt in the fast paced world we live in, is the only way to keep up with the competition & remain relevant & current. Some business models still work on the ‘if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it’ ideal. With social media advertising machines placing businesses in front of the masses 24/7, the ability to adapt & remain current in such a vibrant & diverse world, is imperative.
‘The Wombles’ created by Elisabeth Beresford: the ever-growing need for up-cycling, recycling & keeping our planet clean.
The Wombles spent their nights collecting the rubbish humans dropped & up-cycled & recycled it in to the burrows they lived in.
“Elizabeth Beresford reportedly got the idea for the Wombles, bear-like (later raccoon-like) creatures who live beneath Wimbledon Common and scurry around picking up human rubbish, during a Christmas walk in Wimbledon—a place one of her children called “Wombledon.” Intended as merely a humorous children’s story about the delightful Wombles, the book instead became more of a commentary on human society as well as a passionate cry for saving the planet.”
The message taken from the innocent Wombles story, has become one of the most potent from childhood story telling. We look back on the stories written by Elizabeth Beresford & realise that even in the late 1960’s, these metaphoric messages about how humans were slowly destroying the planet, were hiding in the literary world. With the ever increasing pressure to become zero emissions spreading globally & the expectation on businesses to respond to the ever increasing need for a low carbon existence; we look back on these humble stories & realise that the answers have always been there, hidden away, quietly in the fictional characters of children’s literature.
The Clangers: how outside influences in business can disrupt & cause harm to harmony of the business models.
“The Clangers concerned a colony of mouse-like creatures who lived on an unidentified alien planet, where they and their friends the Froglets, the Soupdragon and the Iron Chicken were forever finding their peace and tranquility disturbed by items of space debris that clattered onto their homeworld. To the viewer they were readily identifiable as teapots, television sets and the like, but to the space beings they were noisy, seemingly purposeless items that wreaked minor havoc before being ejected back into space.”
When you consider how easy it is for businesses to be influenced by outside intrusions, the metaphor of The Clangers is not as seemingly far fetched as it appears. In business we all strive to protect & defend our vested interests, yet there are always those who would look to try to unseat us. The damage social media can do to businesses is a prime example of this ‘Clangers’ metaphor. The way people can take to social media & through their own personal attacks & disgruntled behaviours generate a negative & sometimes viral response. Outside intrusion upsets the harmony in business, whether you are sole trader or a multinational corporate giant. Remaining true to your belief, ethos & ethics, is how you avoid this from upsetting the balance & flow of your business.”
Written by Katy Jane for & on behalf of Virtually Smart Ltd.
