Derek Laud, was evicted from Channel 4’s Big Brother reality TV programme on Friday. What he had to say once he left the house was somewhat inspiring, and he said it with considerable eloquence, grace and civility.

First and foremost:

…team effort is absolutely everything..and that’s fundamentally what works

Unfortunately, I’m not sure his housemates really grasped that concept on the whole (irony accepted). Team effort is everything: in a group of 10 or more people, it’s not worth being the only person, or the only two people trying to do all the work. Delegation is part of the game, but so it responsibility – it’s no use just sitting watching one or two people trying to do all the work, chip in a help them (especially if they ask you to!)

“team effort” == community.

Followed closely by:

it’s a lack of selfishness that’s very very important in life

The World doesn’t revolve around you. If you didn’t do your job, it wouldn’t be the end of the World. It’s not about “me me me” [cf].

I found this quote interesting and somewhat close to home:

other people are much better about making their problems seem more important than anybody else’s

Me me me. My problems are more important than yours ,listen to me, let me talk your ears off. Yes, a lack of selfishness is important, but so is taking your turn. Everybody has their problems, we just have to prioritise the solutions by importance and need.

And to finish:

listen more, talk less

Feedback is important, there’s little point soliciting feedback if you don’t listen to it and act upon it. Similarly, there’s little point in a one-sided conversation (which by its very nature is at least a two-way thing). And if team members bring problems to your attention, they’re doing it for a good reason, be sure you listen to them and act upon them.

Politics aside, a combination of Derek and Boris Johnson would revive the Tory party, perhaps? Just a thought.