Governor Wanted

Poor Pay; No Friends; Lots of (Bad) Press
by
Jack Harding

Jim Douglas, Vermont’s CEO, has tendered his resignation.  Well, not really.  As an elected official he has employed the more graceful formulation of “Will not seek reelection” to describe his decision. Semantics aside, what we know for sure is that Governor Douglas has had enough and who can blame him?  In a literal sense no one can, but, figuratively, there may be those who feel like he is moving to the hills just as the flood waters are cresting the banks.  What is it they say about, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”?

I am quite sure this is not the “going” the author had in mind.

While I have been critical of the Governor’s true leadership – defined here as bringing prosperity to Vermont – I admire him for his indisputably critical trait that is lacking in many politicians today ... integrity.  Jim Douglas is an honest man.  He is the kind of person you’d want as your next door neighbor.  And in light of the White House agenda that has precipitated a national revolt, we may look back fondly and say that integrity is 95% of any public servant’s job description; “Jim, please don’t go” may be our statewide cry as Governor Douglas is packing up his office.

But, just in case he really does go and we really don’t stop him, it may be prudent to think about the qualifications of our next Snowboarder-in-Chief. In a corporation this process is called “succession planning.”  It’s the means by which the next leader, in this case, the state’s CEO, is selected – often being groomed from within but, in all cases, defined by the organization’s needs.

What does Vermont need from its next leader?  Certainly, we don’t want to take a step backwards so;

 #1) is the integrity of Jim Douglas.  Frankly, I can think of several folks, Republican and Democrat, who can leap over this bar and– no names quite yet – many more who can’t.  Vermont seems to have a unique way of ferreting out the bad apples.  And that’s a good thing because, yes, integrity matters.

#2) is a no-brainer.  Our CEO-elect must, must have what it takes to drive policies that create private sector jobs and raise the associated tax base.  Folks, in case any of you have been on Neptune for the last two years ... we need the money and national sentiment is not likely to yield another Vermont bailout from D.C.  Every governor in this country, except maybe one, awakes and thinks, “How do I get industry and jobs in my backyard?”  The answer is commitment.  Commitment of time, resources and political capital.  Ask the next candidates how they will resolve our looming financial problems.  If the answer is a bold, national marketing of Vermont’s limited but superb assets, this might be our guy.  If you hear things like, “Soak the rich!” or “Washington will solve it for us” toss ‘em back into the pond.

#3) is the right attitude.  Contrast that with the wrong attitude which is, “What does it take for me to get elected?”  In a state with the misfortunate policy of reelecting the governor every two years, our CEO is burdened with twice the campaigning and, therefore, twice the distractions.  Show me the candidate who says he or she will do the right thing; take on the union abusers, set the environmentalists back a few Birkenstocked paces, cut the wasteful K-12 budget and, otherwise, only spend the money we have. In turn, I’ll show you the worthy Vermont CEO with a party affiliation that is eclipsed by the burning desire to make our state great.  Vermont’s well-being cannot take another back seat to personal gain and ideological jousting. I am looking for the person, not the Republican or Democrat, who can act like a responsible adult.

There you have it; the honest, bold leader willing to put Vermont first will be our next CEO.  Before you think it can’t happen, think this.  No major corporation would even consider a candidate for the CEO post without these attributes.  Why should we?  Honest non-leaders get you the occasional veto. Leaders with bad attitudes get you Illinois style dirty dealing. Leaders without integrity give you scandal.

Jim Douglas has been – and will be – remembered for his integrity.  That’s good.  But while integrity is necessary, it is insufficient for times of crises.  Good intentions alone can’t cut it.  Our next CEO needs it all or we will discover what California now knows:  Hire the right leader now or pay the price, in pain, for the next decade.

Comments

[Allan LeBaron]

As a young man just out of the Navy in 1946, I worked for the then Auditor of Accounts, Dave Anderson, and learned just what integrity was! He was a fine man, and treated all his employees very well, but he watched every nickel for the State of Vermont. For instance, my immediate superior was Don Loukes - he and his wife fed me wonderful meals. But Don also told me to bring back the #2 lead pencils that I took to my rented room each evening in my stylish plastic container in my shirt pocket. Don said he realized I didn't realize I was taking them when I left the office, but they were the property of the State of Vermont and mine to use only at work.

[G. Cross]

"There you have it; the honest, bold leader willing to put Vermont first will be our next CEO. Before you think it can’t happen, think this. No major corporation would even consider a candidate for the CEO post without these attributes."

While the attributes set forth are all reasonable and I too hope our next governor will have same, to suggest that major corporations only hire such people is laughable at best. Anyone following the news and the business world over the last few years would have to find such a claim a very long stretch. Or maybe the claim was made "tongue in cheek" and I just didn't understand?

[Hugh Kemper]

Well said, Jack. Well Said.

[Skeptical]

George is right, free markets are easily corrupted by evil profit seeking motives. Government, on the other hand, is always benign and all knowing and should therefore appoint all CEOs.

Agents of the government that violate this axiom are corrupted by the free market which therefore implies the need for more government.

[Vermont Woodchuck]

The proof of Skeptical's posit is the Soviet Union, where no man, woman or child went without surfeit of daily need.

The Radiant Future ardently extolled by Comrade Bernie glows there to this day. Or not!

[GreggB]

Perhaps they will figure it out when the department of motor vehicles is in charge of health care.

[Ed G. Mann]

If your immediate superior, Don Loukes was truly taking care of the peoples' money Mr. LeBaron, he would have had you using #1 pencils for they last longer.

That's why the state is in the trouble it is in today, those postwar Republican spendthrift ways.