Should councils assess the performance of their chairs?
Not the cigar-burned, port-stained, over-stuffed leather numbers that enfold and soothe us when we meet, but our 'talking heads', be they chairman, chairwoman or chairperson. We all do it, casually and incidentally of course, as we go about our business - chairs demand our attention with their throat-clearing, icy-stares, little gongs and so on, and can dominate proceedings, but are anecdotal ratings of their performance enough? I'd like to see a formalized process for assessing our well-paid chairpeople. Councillors too, should be measured, performance-wise.
Our council is persuing the idea right now, having had the concept presented to them yesterday. By me. I think it's very important that we scrutinize our chair and in turn be scrutinized by each other.I'll keep you up with the play, as it evolves.
11 comments:
PC, Rg.
Get on with the business in hand.
The under-performing will soon enough be found wanting.
One of the most effective methods of unsettling an over dominant "Chair" is to stare at them. They will 'blink' first.
Fascinating.
A legal colleague & I have delivered some seminars recently on the risks and rewards of governance, and have been amazed at the feedback.
Sometimes, under-performing is all relative to understanding the GOAL.
Or, in New Zealand's instance, having a goal at all.
It's a pity they've only little gongs..surely a free-standing one with an attendant whose sole job is to give it a mighty thwack when the Chair indicates it necessary, would be more effective?
Fred: a steely gaze can indeed be withering.
Some chairs are lazyboys Robert - what's yours?
I've heard of the Timms Trap but no one knows much about the Timms Chair.
Well you have already administered the evaluation, it works like this:
Suggest that the chair be evaluated; low-moderate distgruntledness = good, moderate-decent amount of disgruntledness = avearage, high-extreme disgruntledness = time for a new chairperson Hoorah!
Shane - your seminar sounds interesting. Got something e-mailable?
Suz yes! A mighty bronze disc reverberating fit to fell the temple and the exhausted, oiled Oriental giant standing panting, a-lean on his gong-striker, the chamber-pigeons deafened, councillors all a-cowered beneath their tables. Makes our debating pit seem very tame and our chairs tiddly-gong inconsequential ping-a-ling-a-ling!
Anon @ 7:06
No lazy-boy smelling of pipe-tobacco and lawn-bowl-wax, that's for sure. Ms Timms is female.
Ursula - ha! (Mind your fingers!)
Anonymous@8:36
The Southland Times is running the story today, so I'll be able to apply your process at around 10:00. If our chairman is fizzing in a bad way, I'll take cover in the communications bunker and post my evaluation. I'm certain however, that she'll champion the proposal and welcome the burst of disinfecting sunlight :-)
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