All change

No 'inquiry' type lawyer to lead the BBC's latest workplace culture review - instead they've lighted on a change consultant, presumably in the hope of embedding some real change that clearly didn't follow the Dame Janet Smith post-Savile Review, published in 2016. Hang on a moment - there was also the Respect At Work Review of 2013, er, with research and recommendations from Change Associates, who have been, er, appointed to lead this latest piece of chin-stroking.  

The man in charge at Change Associates is Grahame Russell, 61, who formed the company in 2010. The company website cites with Respect At Work Review with pride: "His work on the BBC's Respect at Work Review following the Savile scandal attracted positive comments from staff, unions, and the independent chair. Grahame believes in the benefits of leveraging the talents of freelance consultants and then harnessing the value of a truly connected team."

The Change Associates 2013 report is stark, e.g. "We heard from a number of people about how they fear being the one that gets picked on (and in some cases targeted) today. During interviews multiple members of staff in different parts of the BBC reported being bullied by a ‘known bully’ . These individuals create a climate of anxiety and participants described how they live in fear that it will be their turn to be verbally abused today. People used very emotive language to describe how over time this affects their ability to do their job, as they actively avoid discussion for fear of confrontation and are reluctant to challenge any decision put forward. Comments were made that in some teams, the only common bond they have is ‘the fear of the one who calls the shots.’ People also cited the fact that they were ashamed about how this made them behave – when they feel relief that it’s someone else’s turn, they keep their head down and squirm and then are full of shame at how they have just watched their
colleague take a verbal beating. Such public displays are most often conducted by senior staff, managers, programme makers or others who are sufficiently confident of their position and reputation to give such a performance. They have learned the signals of authority and power it can send. Visible behaviour such as this has, by definition, a public impact. It intensifies the pressure on the victim and acts as a warning to others."

If I were Change Associates, I'd just re-submit the 2013 report - nothing has changed in 10 years. Its recommendations were accepted by the whole Executive Board, then led by Tony Hall, and at that time including Tim Davie as CEO Worldwide, Rhodri Talfan Davies as Director of Wales, and David Jordan as Director of Editorial Policy.

• Grahame was brought up in Nottingham, went to Bilborough Sixth Form College, studied economics at Leeds, and later got an MBA from Warwick.  He joined Commercial Union as a trainee, then moved into Ford Motor Company’s finance and leasing arm; then worked as HR Director of UCB pharmaceuticals in Sutton. In 1999 he moved into Organisation and Development consulting, and eventually joined KPMG. As well as Change, Grahame also set up a technology consulting firm called Preos. He lives in East Grinstead, and is currently Chair of the East Grinstead Business Association.