Quoting the poet Vivien Green, she stated: “‘Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.”
Dame Sharon added: “I love that quote. It says, in other words, it’s not the tough moments themselves, it’s how you respond to those tough moments that really counts. It’s a real test of your mettle and the strength of your partnership.”
Members of the staff council are elected by John Lewis staff, who collectively personal the enterprise.
The council votes on the chairman’s efficiency twice a yr, though the wording of motions isn’t at all times the identical and the outcomes are usually not at all times publicised.
On Wednesday, when requested if it had confidence within the progress of the partnership below Dame Sharon’s management over the previous yr, the council voted that it disagreed.
When requested whether or not it supported her efforts to progress the partnership in relation to its function, rules and guidelines, it voted that it agreed.
John Lewis refused to say how shut every vote was.
Though the votes are usually not binding, they’re anticipated to pile additional scrutiny on Dame Sharon’s efficiency as she races to revive the partnership.
Chris Earnshaw, president of the council, stated: “The council voted in assist of the chairman to progress the partnership in relation to its function, rules and guidelines.
“The council didn’t assist final yr’s efficiency, wherein we reported a full yr loss and no accomplice bonus.”
He stated the assembly was “central to how we train our democratic rules and possession of the enterprise”.
Analysts questioned the choice to make the result of the votes public at a time when Dame Sharon is already going through strain over her technique.
Mr Black stated: “It’s like washing your soiled linen in public when most personal firms would not countenance such a show.
“I’m sure it will be a really disappointing day for Sharon and you’ve got to hope the team regroup and start facing the right direction together, because if they keep going as they are they are just going to self-implode.”
A spokesman for John Lewis stated: “No one in our enterprise was proud of final yr’s efficiency and the Council was in a position to share that view – that exhibits our democracy working.
“There’s no backlash and everybody is targeted on pulling collectively to enhance our enterprise for purchasers.”
John Lewis has been battling inflation over the previous yr, which Dame Sharon stated had “hit like a hurricane”.
The firm has been racing to strip out an additional £600m of prices after losses swelled to greater than £230m in its newest monetary yr.