Letters – Leading questions

From the Rt Hon Chris Smith MP, Director, The Clore Leadership Programme

Christopher Gordon makes a few good points (ArtsProfessional issue 59, October 6): his assault on management gobbledegook, his recognition that leadership is not the same thing as entrepreneurialism, and his sceptical approach to headhunters. But he ruins it all by some of the other things he says.

Quite apart from misquoting me, he appears to have the bizarre notion that having been a Secretary of State automatically disqualifies me from doing anything else well or professionally. Most importantly, however, he by implication disparages the whole Clore Leadership Programme, which is a sincere attempt – based on thorough research and consultation – to help a new generation of leaders to come to the fore in the cultural sector. We aim to invite applications for our fellowship programme in January; and I hope no-one will be put off from applying by reading Mr Gordon in the mean time