In this blog, David Gumbrell author of LIFT, SPIN and RISK, asks you to step back and take some time to consider your qualities....
In the early 1930’s, a box of chocolates was a luxury that many could not afford. A certain Harold Mackintosh sought to change that and bring about a lower-cost option. Using a revolutionary ‘twist-wrapping’ machine, he was able to individually wrap each of his chocolates and add the distinctive shiny colours and the shimmering paper. This became the signature visual treat of opening a box of Quality Street for many at the time. Adorned with the figureheads of Miss Sweetly and Major Quality until the year 2000, when the design was changed, this Christmas ‘must-buy’ for many has given Mackintosh’s sweet a legacy that he could have only dreamt about.
An expert on Quality Street, Alex Hutchinson, suggests that less wealthy people usually ate toffee as opposed to chocolate. Quality Street, by mixing toffees and fruit creams that were coated in chocolate, made them more affordable to the masses. A small number of completely-chocolate chocolates, like the green triangle, meant for many that it was the first proper chocolate that they had eaten. That particular favourite has been part of the selection since the start in 1936, one year before the caramel cup - if that is your ‘go to’ Quality Street. The ones that lasted the least amount of time are the lesser-known Gooseberry Cream (sheathed in green wrapping), the Fig Fancy (in its light brown wrapper) and the Apricot Delight (strangely wrapped in blue)!
Having whetted your appetite for chocolate, I want you to consider other qualities that you may rarely consider. When was the last time you reflected on what your qualities are? What human traits are important for you to be known for? What are your qualities as a practitioner in the classroom? Consider them now ...