I know it’s not exactly fashionable nowadays for a Labour member like myself to welcome with open arms a policy of a Conservative Mayor of London. But I’m going to go ahead and do it anyway. The Barclays Cycle Hire scheme, launching next Friday (July 30th) has the potential to revolutionise the way we get around this great metropolis. How long have we looked on to cities like Copenhagen, Amsterdam & Zurich with their fancy bicycles and cycle-friendly policies, while we put up with uncivilised busses & tubes?

That it took Boris Johnson, London’s somewhat entertaining, but according to some a serious thinking, Mayor to bring a London-wide cycle scheme which will be accessible to millions of people, is a shame. That doesn’t mean we should look down our noses on it though.

From next Friday, people all over London will have access to bicycles in many local neighbourhoods across town. I’ve already spotted two of them very close to where I live. For an annual membership of £45, users can take a bicycle from their local “docking station”, cycle to their place of work, a restaurant, the shops or a meeting with friends for up-to half an hour completely free. When you consider the amount of London that can be covered in 30 minutes by bicycle, it’s clear that this scheme has the potential to replace thousands of bus & tube journeys per year, and simultaneously improving the health and well-being of Londoners.

As the London Cycling Campaign points out here:

…cycling reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke and promotes good mental health.

Everybody recognises that London is oftentimes a grumpy, frosty city, home to millions of people in too much of a rush to smile, take a deep breath and enjoy the wonders that wandering through this amazing city can bring. If cycling improves the general demeanour of even a small percentage of our commuting population, it will be a great benefit to us all.

Ken Livingstone and Oona King, who are both running for Labour’s endorsement for 2012’s mayoral election should recognise the benefits that this cycle scheme should bring, regardless of the fact that Boris Johnson brought it into being.

This Londoner for one, can’t wait to give the new scheme a spin.

Two conversations tonight had me thinking about what makes a good (or bad) manager, and more widely about what work means to our lives. Firstly I was speaking with an old colleague, who is now a good friend about work-life balance. We concluded that it’s okay to work all the hours God sends if the job you do is something you are passionate about and interested in. If you wake up each day excited to go to work, then you probably wouldn’t mind working long into the evening on that same job, although perhaps not every night.

I believe that we should all do, or at least be working towards, a job that makes us feel this way. I think that’s how you find happiness in life. Even if you don’t earn as much as you perhaps could in a job which makes you unhappy!

The other conversation took place late at night in a central London office of one of my close friends. I can’t name this friend for reasons of anonymity. You see, I think this person has a bad manager. What kind of company keeps a potentially vulnerable person in an office, alone, late at night when a client of the opposite sex will be in the building late into the night? Really I think it’s irresponsible. In situations like this, there should at least be another member of staff around, even if it’s just to make sure that if any problems arise they can be dealt with. So I decided to keep this friend company, and thus missed my TV programme (iPlayer here we come)!

What makes a good manager? Any manager will surely be more successful in his role if he spends time making the people he manages feel at ease. Feel at ease enough to mention when there are problems, not to feel afraid of rapprochement for speaking out – where appropriate of course. And they should spend a portion of their time thinking openly and honestly about how they can be better in their jobs. Making people work bank holidays, even when there is no real work that needs doing – effectively making their staff show that they’re committed despite the fact that there’s no work, will kill the morale of their staff quickly. As will keeping your staff late into the night without urgent need to do so.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe in hard work. I’m completely happy to work long, long hours, weekends and bank holidays if necessary to get a project finished. I believe in delivering on promises and doing the best quality work that I can. But to get the best out of our staff, managers should make an effort to make their employees feel valued.