John Courtis joined the finance staff of Ford of Britain where the foundations of his management skills were laid - mostly by observing others' mistakes. Since then he has accepted directorships in management selection, manufacturing and headhunting, the common factor being that at the time he joined each board he knew virtually nothing about its business. Elizabeth B Ratcliffe qualified with a doctorate in hydrochemistry but, while collecting rainfall samples in a hurricane, decided to switch to a career with a better survival rate. Her time in management has covered a wide variety of roles and her mission is to hold every possible management title (to prove that bluffing applies effectively to all).