The "best executive for the job" is nearly always a current employee of
the organization. Hiring some puffed up egomaniac from Harvard Business
School (or one of the many other "business schools" that specialize in
bottom line management) will _*always*_ be bad. These cons go to
business school to learn politics, showmanship, how to evade taxes, how
to screw employees, how to screw share holders, how to inflate the
bottom line through manipulation of books, how to cut R&D for short term
gains, how to fiddle while Rome is burning, how to cut payroll while
getting a raise, how to declare bankruptcy and get the federal
government to cover the pensions (while you keep yours) and the list of
atrocities could go on and on. They don't know the unique personalities
that make a business work (or not work, if that's the case), the
processes involved, the company history, the suppliers, or anything else
that makes the company work. American business has been "competing for
the best executives" for several decades. That's why Toyota is about to
be the largest (and best) car company in the world. The execs at Toyota
don't get the ridiculous pay that our convicts, I mean executives, make
here. They even have to park in regular parking and eat with the hourly
employees. That may not be true for everyone at Toyota, but it's the
general rule for the company. Everyone should ask this question: how
often do I see my "leaders"? If you never see a leader lead, they
aren't doing their job. Herb Kelleher was a constant physical presence
at Southwest. His visibility and leadership made Southwest the dominant
company it is. Ultimately, someone has to hire these SOBs. That means
the board of directors are to blame. There is absolutely no way Small
could merit nearly $1,000,000 in compensation. Justify it. Did he get
the museum $1,000,000 more in receipts? Did he do $1,000,000 of
restoration? What did he do every day to help the museum flourish?
Phillip

Steven Smolian wrote:
> Sionce the Smithsonian is at leat 30% privately funded (which makes
> for interesting "which pocket" problems when dealing with their
> financial staff), your suggestion doesn't apply.
>
> Actually, I see nothing wrong with competing for the best executive
> for the job in the open marketplace. Why should a public institution
> have to settle for lower quality personnel anyway? Perhaps the issue
> is in defining "best" for the search committee and having draconian
> penalties when they violiate it. The same holds true for the board.
>
> Steven Smolian
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Fine"
> <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2007 10:30 AM
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] well, this might explain why so many sonic
> treasures languish in government warehouses
>
>
>> Yes, like I said, someone expecting CEO style compensation should go
>> work as a CEO in the private sector. The problem with universities,
>> museums and other institutions is that all too often you get (mostly)
>> guys who can't cut it in the private sector but expect to be
>> compensated like they work for GE. And, they are able to build
>> feifdoms around them and live even larger, awarding their friends and
>> punishing those who call for accountability. I can cite many a PBS
>> station, for example, that have wasted millions on monuments to pure
>> ego. Museums and universities are just as bad. If you're not into
>> public service, you should stay out of the public sector.
>>
>> -- Tom Fine
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Richter" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2007 10:04 AM
>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] well, this might explain why so many sonic
>> treasures languish in government warehouses
>>
>>
>>> Tom Fine wrote:
>>>> http://tinyurl.com/27man8
>>>>
>>>> This guy is allegedly a "public servant." He should be fired and
>>>> the office put under very strict oversight, with the executive
>>>> budget cut to the bone. Someone wanting to get rich and live like a
>>>> CEO doesn't belong in charge of the Smithsonian, or the LOC or any
>>>> other government institution. Such jobs are not for those in it for
>>>> the rich and famous living large life.
>>>>
>>>> No wonder so much audio material in the hands of the Smithsonian
>>>> will never be conveniently available to the public (public = owners
>>>> and funders of said museum). Disgraceful!
>>>>
>>>> -- Tom Fine
>>>
>>> Bah, humbug.
>>>
>>> $90K over 5 years -> $18K / year -> ~2% of his compensation,
>>> $900K/year according to that article.
>>>
>>> I grant that waste of that sort should be stopped, but the greater
>>> 'sin' would appear to be his compesnation, not his expense account.
>>>
>>> The argument will surely be that he is executive officer of an
>>> institution with X employees managing Y megabucks per year and that
>>> a million dollars a year is appropriate under those circumstances
>>> given corresponding salaries in industry.
>>>
>>> Mike
>>> --
>>> [log in to unmask]
>>> http://www.mrichter.com/
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
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>>
>
>
>