On Sunday afternoon I opened my pages on Facebook, as I sat waiting in a car park.
The first posting I read was from a speaker friend. It didn't make much sense to me, as it seemed to be referring to another speaker - Clive Gott - in the past tense.
I scrolled down, and saw another. And another.
It gradually dawned on me that my great friend, mentor, encourager, raging bull, and inspirational genius Clive had died suddenly on Saturday night. I was stunned. I still am, to be honest.
Clive himself would not recognise any of the descriptions I've used about him above. He used to talk about how he hadn't won any medals, hadn't climbed any mountains, hadn't done much, really.
What nonsense.
I'll leave others to list his achievements (they can start with Fireman, Marathon runner (Actually, 99 mile marathons. In the desert.), Fellow of the PSA (he was very proud of that, although he fell out with the organisation regularly). He was also proud of the fact that he had seen Status Quo live every year for the last four decades or something. Ah well, nobody's perfect.
What he did achieve was an effect on people. He moved people. He touched their sense of self. He inspired them. And me.
His big thing was "pay it forward". So Elaine suggests that you buy flowers for yourself, or send them to someone else, to pay it forward from Clive.
If anyone took the Nike slogan and turned it into "Just F***ing do it", it was Clive.
My last communication from him was on Friday night, when he told me that he and Elaine were coming to see me speak in Leeds on Thursday night. Then he sent me a joke.
There's a line in the Rocky Horror Show which says "What a guy. Made you cry. And he did."
Clive made us cry with laughter throughout his life.
He made us cry this week too.
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Thank you for this post, Kenny. Yes, Clive was a very good man who helped us all. He had that wonderful knack to see things differently and make us step back and think "That is great. I never thought of it that way." He was wise, kind and witty. He will be sorely missed.
ReplyDeleteNice article Kenny - AKA The Badger. We are all stunned and still in shock. I've seen Clive described as quite a few things in his time (!) but never this and I kinda like 'Raging Bull'...especially at the PSA NE (Leeds)! Clive introduced me to PSA and also became my biggest critic and challenger in the early days of my check out zones. The strange thing is his prescience and his TRUTH comments made a difference, to all of us. It was better when he was there and we missed him when he wasn't there. Perhaps he should have gone about certain things in a different way, but that was Clive, his way. (Raging Bull with no Bull lol!) Now that he has gone we are all (it seems) reflecting on what he said, what he did and how it changed our lives in some small or significant way. Paul The Bulletman from Bulletpoint Design - also a Taurus and a BULL in a China shop himself - carries the truth baton in life and business and will also remember Clive as The Raging Bull now. One with a smile on it's face at the legacy he has left and the difference he has made.
ReplyDeleteClive was a great guy and I feel very happy and privileged to have known him.
ReplyDeleteSo many conferences and events, so many laughs, so many drinks and late nights.
So much laughter and learning.
I often quote him and his 'the worst day of my life' talk, sharing his inspiration for how what seems awful can turn out better than we dare hope for.
Do you know what? I don't think I'll miss him because I know the impact he had on me will not only go with me but get shared around with others who were never fortunate enough to meet him and know him.
His legacy continues.
Thank you Clive.
Thank you Kenny for a great post.
Mary Collin
(Founder President, PSA Midlands)
xx