Should I take this as a compliment??

A couple of days ago I had a meeting with a potential new client in the construction sector.

The client's MD - who had made no secret of his dislike for health & safety - asked me to summarise what it was that I could offer his company, and to justify why he should engage my services rather than somebody else. So I did

When the meeting finished he asked me - with a perfectly straight face - if I'd ever been on "Time Team". Rather puzzled by this strange question I confirmed that I'd never been on the programme, and then asked him why he thought I had.

His reply was to the effect that I spoke so passionately about health & safety he thought that maybe I also worked as a TV presenter!

I took that as a compliment to my communication skills and professionalism - but maybe it was also a failed put-down?

Ain't clients funny people?

Ha! Well, passion about your business being generally a good thing, sounds like a compliment to me.

Talking of funny, and as I see from your site you do a lot of high profile presenting on your subject, I wonder if you'd be interested to know our resident cartoonist (Jim Barker) has a specialist line in Health and Safety cartoons which can help underline those sort of messages rather well - some off the shelf at bargain prices. (No, I'm not on commission with him...but maybe one day). 

Thanks for the comments and suggestion about cartoons, Ruth.

As it happens I'm working on a couple of projects (actually I'm looking at writing a couple of health & safety handbooks designed for managers in various sectors) and scattering the odd cartoon through the manuscripts might not be such a bad idea ...

Of course, as ever a lot depends upon price ... but you never know!

Definitely a compliment, Andy. In the years you have been on here, you have established yourself (to me, at least) as 4N's voice on all things H&S. No matter how dull many people find the subject, you are always there chipping away at it with sound and well-given advice.

Thank you for that, Steve!

Aw shucks, I've come over all unnecessary

Andy that has really cheered up my morning and I'm glad it cheered yours up too!

Purely for purposes of comparison, I paste herein a photo of Time Team's Professor Mick Aston and wonder if you too have ever been seen in the same place at the same time?

Thanks, Stef

Do you think the stripey sweater suits me? Not too over the top?

And it is most definitely a compliment! Mick Aston is a hugely respected expert on landscape archaeology plus is widely credited for popularising archaeology through both appearing on and co-producing Time Team, with the genius to get Tony Robinson to be the presenter. His enthusiasm and passion for the subject is enormous!

As my long suffering family will tell you, it is my favourite television programme!