Comment: Green shows merit of being a go-getter

Harriet Green's revelation this week that she cold-called Thomas Cook chairman Frank Meysman and told him that she was exactly who he needed to transform the ailing travel giant will have raised a few eyebrows.

It takes a fair degree of self-confidence to do something like that. Some may think she was arrogant. But why shouldn't she have done it, if she felt she had the knowledge, business experience and ideas to turn Cook around?

Agents, after all, are always being told not to wait for customers to just walk through their doors or for business to fall into their laps.

If you want something enough, whether it's a new job or a holiday sale, you've got to put yourself out there. You've got to do whatever it takes to get noticed by whoever it is you're trying to impress, show them what you've got, and then – crucially – deliver what you promised and close the deal.

And customers will feel much more reassured spending hard?earned cash on a dream holiday if they are doing so with an agent who is strong, confident, passionate and keen.

With so much competition in the market, anyone who stands in the shadows is always in danger of being beaten to the prize by a more proactive go-getter.

I'm sure Green's story and management style will be among the points of discussion when she makes an exclusive appearance at our Travel Weekly Business Breakfast next week.

Check out our coverage over the coming weeks to find out how Green feels she is backing up that initial approach with action – and results.