Accountability from my 'Marketing Department' head honcho

[Fransisco]

So not telling the truth is in the best interest of the board? Good luck with that.

[agstar77]

Maybe you could get retiring execs from GM to run the CWB, GM used to be a big corporation. Competence doesn't seem to be abundent in the private sector.

[Kodiak]

Prior to entering the building Mr. White talked about the importance of the CWB and its single desk bringing real value to farmers. Now that he's on the inside, when its value is scrutinized or benchmarked all we get is the same old predictable instantaneous press releases we've always gotten. The assumptions were invalid. The numbers were too simplistic. The premise was flawed.

Any fresh new perspectives that could have been brought to bear, any objectivity that comes with a different background has taken a back seat - replaced with the same old pattern that has existed since 1998. Anyone of us could write his press releases for him. We've heard it all before.

Parsley's (qand other's) no nonsense questions about overhead reductions, improved efficiencies and accountability? Nowhere have I seen even an acknowledgment that that's part of the job. Only defensive reactions to the legitimate questions anyone dares ask.

Where's the vision? Where's the leadership? Where's the change?

Puppet strings? Yes, they're being pulled alright.

[bucket]

They already have execs with the same mindframe as gm running the cwb. Why do you think the comments you read are being written. The ceo's are useless at both corporations.

And as far as giving anyone a severance for underperformance parsley - thats bloody nonsense.

[agstar77]

And who would you appoint to run this ship? The Gene pool seems to be limited.

[Kodiak]

The gene pool is not limited. I think it’s just that anyone with the smart genes knows the ship is sinking, and aren’t interested.

The problem is structural. Dramatic re-engineering is the only thing that will keep it afloat. Much more flexibility in the design is needed - plus an off-ramp. When, or if, the Feds and the BOD ever recognize that, the CWB will have a future. Competent management will be found. But if neither the government nor the BOD does anything with it, it will drift aimlessly about and eventually sink under the weight of controversy and irrelevancy.

[parsley]

LW,

I'm afraid I'm not diplomatic enough to be in the ag minister's small group, nor am I interested in fawning for favor or placement. But the voices carrying the message from the West needs their vocal chords (not cords) severed because the music is out of time. Pars

[bucket]

Well anyone that has a genuine interest in doing the best for farmers would be a fine candidate. Let's see, if you gave a shit about the job you were doing and the morons below you didn't would you:

a. Let them write submoronic press releases and sign your name to them.
b. Fire them and fill them with like minded hard working individuals.
c. Lower yourself to their level and feel good about becoming incompetent and wonder why people want you displaced.

Its not hard to motivate people given the current economic conditions - do your job or find a new one and the best of luck to you.

Its too bad white a lame duck useless ceo. His qualifications should have allowed him too evaluate what is going on in the canadian grain industry and make improvements.

[Kodiak]

It would be interesting to compare the Board of Directors’ list of deliverables and the CEO scorecard to a similar list and scorecard that I might come up with. The CEO’s failures on my list could be brilliant accomplishments to the directors.

But regardless, the tactic of instant condemnation of each and every outside assessment of performance looks like desperation. And for the CEO to be coerced - or volunteer - to get into media arguments lacks professionalism. Companies first of all usually don’t engage in media battles. And secondly, if they have a need to make a public statement they have designated spokespeople for that, and 99% of the time it’s not the CEO - or members of the Board of Directors. We all know they’ve got plenty of people in the PR department.

LWeber - as far as the Minister and his advice; I’d be surprised if he asks for any, and if he does, I’d be surprised if he listens. The evidence that he isn’t getting any or listening is in how the CWB issue is being handled by Ottawa. In a word - ineptly.

[TOM4CWB]

BOYS BOYS BOYS...

If the majority of the B.O.D. of the CWB required you to do what White has done... HOW COULD YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE?

uNTIL the BOD are fixed... noone can do anything to even start the process... let alone overhaul the CWB.

If the 'majority' rules... White can do nothing more than he has done... defend the majority position on the CWB BOD.

What do you expect him to do... shoot himself in the foot... and get instantly fired?

As far as I can tell.... White has given the CWB BOD their own way... the 'single desk' majority have obtained the results they set out to achieve... almost perfectly.

WHY not give these guys enough rope to hang themselves?

[bucket]

By the time they hang themselves the entire western canadian grain industry would be screwed.

[LWeber]

Kodiak:

So the Liberals pander to their constituents and the Conservatives pander to no one...

I was told that Ritz gave White's name to the CWB and for months they debated Ward W. and what tradeoff occurred for White - the rest of us will never know.

Great system.