Michael Nelson-A stressful first encounter

Michael Nelson was known throughout his career as a strict disciplinarian on corporate standards of all kinds, including key staff appointments.

I discovered this very early on, when I nearly failed to secure his approval for my very first solo posting.

In 1962, after two years as a graduate trainee in London and Geneva, I was offered a posting to Conakry, Guinea.  In those days, the preparation for correspondents going abroad involved about a dozen London briefings mainly by editorial specialists – and the chief cccountant who talked about pay.

Graham Lovell, a colleague of about my age, was being posted at the same time to Nigeria, so we arranged to do our briefings together.  

At the end of the list of people to see was a name we did not know:  Michael Nelson of Reuters Economic Services, in an obscure office on a lower level than the then powerful general news editorial on the 4th floor.

We were due to see Nelson at 2 pm, so we went along after a traditional Fleet Street pub lunch.  We were late, maybe by 10 minutes.  Admittedly, we were not taking this last briefing very seriously.

We knocked on the correct office door and a curt voice told us to enter.  As we headed towards the two chairs facing the desk where Nelson was seated, he stopped us with a gesture and told us not to sit down.  He carried on reading papers for a few minutes, leaving us to stand uneasily, in mid-stride.

Then he gave us a sharp, forceful dressing down about politeness, punctuality and respect, first for our late showing to his meeting and, more importantly, as future ambassadors for the company.  He said he seriously questioned our suitability for our assignments.

Finally he told us to sit and he briefed us on the Economic Services’ requirements for reliable, detailed reporting of West African commodities.

Our postings went ahead, but I never forgot Mike’s tough lesson in corporate behaviour.  Or the importance of Reuters Economic Services.

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