If you're a manager/supervisor/whatever you'll regularly have encounters with those who's work you oversee. In each of those encounters you can encourage, inspire or challenge (in a positive way), or you can do the opposite.
I have a suspicion that BT is a company in crisis. It isn't necessarily reflected in their financial performance (yet) and they probably don't know it; at least senior management probably don't. So where do I draw such a conclusion from?