John Timpson: honest mistakes can cost companies dear Most people learn their biggest lessons by making mistakes but it is worth emphasising the experience by showing a yellow card. Some make too many expensive errors before they get the message - issue a red card before their incompetence does real damage to your business. Q We are undergoing a review which I happen to know will see my manager's role become redundant. What's slightly disturbing is that knowing that my boss knows, it seems difficult to accept attempts by the management to orchestrate a series of strategy days, "Belbin" assessments and team bonding sessions when the structure and reporting is all likely to change. I have quietly pressed management to come clean, but they just make ridiculous excuses instead which are insulting. The situation is untenable - the sector we work in knows more than we do. What's your advice to those of us in the heart of this muddle? A Your dilemma shows the problems a process causes when executives don't feel they can tell the truth, or indeed when they try to run a business during the period of 30 or 60 days while everyone waits for an already cut and dried consultation to run its legal course. Whenever reorganisation is in the air, progress is put on hold and, to my mind, strategy days and bonding sessions are a waste of time and money. You have already pleaded for a more open approach from the top team, but they are probably sticking to a script written by their employment lawyer. So you have no choice but to keep your head down and run in neutral until the new structure is in place. If you reckon that the new regime, when appointed, will be a success, be patient and wait for the big day. If, on the other hand, you are fearful for the future, perhaps this is a good time to start looking for a new job. Q When I was skiing in Austria recently nearly half the guys on the chair lift were tapping away at their BlackBerries. Do you think it is right to mix business and pleasure in this way? A Posers using BlackBerrries on the button lift can be pretty irritating, but I bet it gives a lot of pleasure whenever an unfortunate captain of industry drops his vital little device in the snow. I suppose some may simply be arranging to meet with the rest of their party for lunch but most will be addicted to open every e mail from the office within seconds of seeing the flash of a red light. I feel sorry for the poor PA who was hoping for a week of peace but instead is pestered by a paranoid boss who delves too deep into the detail. The chair lift communicator may impress some fellow skiers, but in reality he is showing a sign of weakness. He clearly hasn't created a team he can trust in his absence. He would be much better keeping the BlackBerry in his pocket, take in the alpine air, and show he hasn't a care in the world by looking cool and totally relaxed. It is good to let go, feel far away from the office and stop constantly turning business problems over in your mind - that is what holidays are for, to give you a break. But I also think it is good to keep in touch once a day. It reduces anxiety and avoids the trauma of coming home to a mailbox full of surprises. Some skiers will never be able to resist checking their emails every time they board a cable car but the smart executive waits until he is back at the chalet so he can read his Blackberry in the bath.