It is this year's most resistible offer: an invitation to serve on a remuneration committee. You take intense flak when pay is in the spotlight and bosses are "greedy fatcats" receiving "rewards for failure".

Witness the surprise rebellion at BP's meeting yesterday, where a large chunk of investors voted against the remuneration report. At other times, you get little or no applause for recruiting a good leader and keeping him or her in place and productive.