29 Apr 2011 Royal Wedding Fever – catch it if you can
The world of commerce is all about the numbers. Top line, bottom line, FTEs, KPIs and ROI but, to borrow and paraphrase the words of the great Albert Einstein – not everything that counts can be counted.
In London today – the streets are filled with people from all over the world – from the United States, from Germany, Australia and New Zealand, Canada and Brazil as well as all corners of the British Isles – all coming together to celebrate the wedding of a young couple. It’s an unparalleled media event – The Mall is swarming with news readers, surrounded by revelers, somehow maintaining a degree of dignity as they report to the folks back home the party atmosphere. Good Morning America broadcast live from London.
The feel good factor is palpable. Even a miserable old git like me that hand on heart believes the monarchy to be an anachronism that’s unlikely to survive long enough to see Charles on the throne never mind William, is prepared to put his cynicism to one side to celebrate a great day. We may be in the middle of a recession but even that can’t dampen the enthusiasm of the crowds.
And after the excitement settles down it will be back to the numbers. The impact on the British economy of having four public holidays in two weeks. The money spent on security and the cost of clearing up.
To paraphrase Albert Einstein’s words: Not everything that counts can be counted – there is sometimes a better reason to do something than making the numbers work. Ethical sourcing – it’s not just guilt offsetting, it’s the right thing to do. Environmentally friendly electronic invoicing aimed at eliminating the use of paper. The business cases don’t always stack up. But sometimes we need to say: “f**k the numbers – just do it”.
