College of Fellows Annual Lecture In this feature l making a difference l taking the initiative l developing self-awareness CONFERENCE 2017 Just do it! Wendy Martin told the inspiring story of the joys, trials and triumphs of her varied career in trading standards for the College of Fellows annual lecture. louise Parfitt reports M y 32 years feel like a heartbeat, said Wendy Martin to a packed auditorium during her College of Fellows lecture at Conference, which she described as less of a lecture, and more of a look back through her working life, with a few pieces of advice if anyone wants to take them. Born on a Sussex farm in 1966, Martin realised at a young age that she wanted to change the world. She sat her A-levels in 1984 and carried on thinking about what she could do that shed enjoy and where she could learn. How she ended up in trading standards was pure chance. It was in the old days of the dole but, because I was under 18 when I finished my A-levels, I wasnt allowed to sign on without a letter from the careers office, she explained. So I went there, and they said I could only sign on if I applied for a job as a trainee trading standards officer. Smiling, she quipped: I suppose motivation is motivation! It was the day of the diploma in trading standards. There were only 23 students in Martins year; she was the baby, having just turned 18, and one of only four women in the room. I loved the eclectic mix of the course, and it was really great having so many different people coming in to lecture to you, and seeing the enthusiasm people had. Despite Martins tutor telling her shed never make a career in trading standards and here, many listening laughed Martin qualified in 1988. From strawberry fields to the big city What I loved most about those early years was the massive variety that you could get. I spent a huge amount of time in the summer in Sussex ranging from picking strawberries to test for pesticides, to hiding in motorway service stations trying to catch counterfeiters. I loved the difference just not knowing when you went into the office in the morning what you were going to be doing. Martin then moved to London against the advice of some of her county colleagues to a tiny department in a pretty small authority, where there was a bit of everything that you want to get involved in. After three years, she decided to try to get a promotion to team leader and went to Surrey. Six months later, in 1994, she was back to London where she stayed as head of Environmental Health and Trading Standards for Merton until 2002. This is where my first piece of advice to you comes from, Martin said. Dont act illegally, dont act immorally, and dont act against a direct instruction youve been given. Other than that, youre clever, professional people. You know what needs to be done. Just do it. Ive heard too many people say, Ive got to get permission for that or what will my boss say? I reiterate, it has to be legal, but the worst thats going to happen to you is you may have to say, look, Im really sorry, I thought it was the right thing to do for these reasons, I accept I was wrong, I wont do it again. But 99 times out of 100, you will have done the right thing. As a manager, Ive always preferred my staff to be like that than to keep running to me and asking if things are OK. Another piece of advice is: always be safe pretend you know at least 20 per cent less than you actually do. Ive known people do it the other way round and it never ends well. In 2002, Martin became director of policy at Local Government Regulation, where she stayed until early 2011. I wasnt doing the investigations, but seeing them through the court process was brilliant, she enthused. I absolutely loved it. I did nine years, [but then] the organisation was to all intents and purposes closed. [I had] no pension, no job to go to, and children still in school. At that point I chose the biggest risk of my life. Pretend you know at least 20 per cent less than you actually do. Ive known people do it the other way round and it never ends well Breaking new ground Martin set up her own consultancy business, undertaking a range of interim management, policy and shared services work for regulatory services and taking the risk turned out to be one of the best things she ever did. I learned you dont have to stay in the house to win you can choose different things, she said. In September 2012, she was appointed as the programme director for the National Trading Standards (NTS) board, and director of policy for the Association of Chief Trading Standards Officers (ACTSO). I dont do any doing these days, but my job is to manage the politics, relationships, and money. The real work is done by the teams the regional investigation teams, e-crime, estate agents, scams all the core people, fantastic trading standards professionals out there in the local authorities. I get a vicarious enjoyment from seeing the results that those guys get, if I can get money to them, she explained. Occasionally, I look at my figures and have a massive panic. But it does show what trading standards our profession can do when its properly supported and properly funded. And, actually, everybodys up for doing different things. This year weve been taking on work about secondary ticketing getting a bit left field. People basically come to me with some money and say can trading standards do this?. The answer has to be yes, because we can. One of Martins old bosses was the first female head of service, and she thinks she was the second. Its very different these days. Ive spoken about gender because its the one thing that affected me, but this profession has a whole plethora of paths that can suit everyone no matter what your style, background, commitment or personal choices, youre the key asset. You. Its all about people. My biggest piece of advice is that you must be self-aware. Try to understand how you seem to other people. You cant change your basic personality, but you can be a good leader and manager if youre self aware. People react to you and your manner, and your reputation. So, if you know how you come across, you can make it work for you. I know Im decisive, I know Im overly assertive Ive regularly been referred to as a bull in a china shop but, because I know I come across like that, I have made it work for me where I need to, and knocked the rough edges off where I dont. One of the other things Id say to you is please, please, please, get involved in the regional and national stuff whether its National Trading Standards or not I dont mind, but get involved. Theres so much out there and it provides you with a network of people who will always be there to help and advise you. Martin concluded: I want to say to you especially the new guys among you be honest with yourself and with other people. Be selfaware, build your strengths, mitigate your weaknesses. But, more than anything, decide what you want from the job. Theres a whole list of stuff there trading standards can do it all, and plenty more. Were not all the same; different paths are right for different people. Get out there, enjoy it, enjoy yourself, enjoy this wonderful job, and make a difference to people. Credits Louise Parfitt is a writer for TS Today. Images: Sam Atkins To share this page, in the toolbar click on Get out there, enjoy yourself, enjoy this wonderful job, and make a difference You might also like Across the pond July 2016