Leadership by example

Iain Coucher has announced he will give up his annual bonus.

"I am mindful of current sentiment, so I have taken a personal decision to forego any annual bonus this year. The success of our company and its hard-working people must have the opportunity to be seen and heard.

“Our people have secured this success and every one – from signal box to boardroom – will deserve any bonus which may be awarded to recognise this. Incentivising our people makes sure that the company is focused on what it needs to do. Our people have delivered what has been asked of them and more. I believe we must honour the deal to reward their collective success."

Nice touch.

UPDATE: But is it enough?

Nigel Harris over at Rail has already issued a challenge to Coucher's board room colleagues...

Iain has set the route, will others follow?

UPDATE: The FT predicts growing pressure on other directors to do the same.

UPDATE: Industry rent-a-quote Gerry Doherty says in The Gruaniad:

"There is never any justification in paying bonuses for running a state monopoly".

That should please NR frontline staff (and TSSA members) who are still in line for their annual bonuses.

UPDATE: Captain Deltic muses.

In the armed forces, Leadership is defined as 'follow me'.

Is Iain going over the top on his own?

UPDATE: Railnews names those who have some hard thinking to do:

"Other members of Network Rail’s executive committee are still being considered for payments, which could total hundreds of thousands of pounds.

"Group infrastructure director Peter Henderson, operations director Robin Gisby, infrastructure investment director Simon Kirby, and planning director Paul Plummer."

UPDATE: This just in from The Raver:

One must ask whether Coucher thinks that earning a bonus gives him any incentive to work harder - and if so why?

Isn't £12,000 per week enough to get him to set his alarm early?

His interview with John Humphries on the Today programme this morning clearly shows he does not get it.

Surely trying to do the best and squeezing out efficiencies in a company that has no risks apart from a regulatory one is part of the day job!