[Speed Gibson,
Thursday September 21, 2006 at 8:36pm]
Governor or Prime Minister?
Craig Westover has posted another interesting question, on the concept of Governor as CEO.
This is the role that Westover contends Governor Tim Pawlenty is now playing. Rather than be a manager, administrator and comptroller concerned with the bottom line, he really likes working the top line byinvesting in spending on new and fun things to do in Minnesota. He is selling convertibles on the showroom floor while Sue Jeffers takes inventory in the body shop, Becky Lourey raises prices to pay living wages, Mike Hatch sues the dealership next door and Peter Hutchinson audits the books.
Eric Escola noticed this last year, asking Pawlenty on Almanac if he really wasn't acting more like a Prime Minister than a Governor. I wrote at the time that Escola was right. I've always felt Pawlenty never really did give up his old job as a Legislative leader. With the added powers of being Governor, he is indeed the very model of a modern Prime Minister - and not a CEO.
For despite the popular wisdom born of some high profile exceptions, real CEO's live and die by trust. They cannot afford to frivolously disappoint their investors, customers, suppliers, or employees. CEO's that play word games like "tax vs fee" or arrogantly flip-flop on "fun stuff" like stadiums are soon dispatched by their boards.
Real CEO's are also hard-nosed, effective negotiators. Pawlenty's collapse in the face of the orchestrated DFL shutdown last year wasn't even good politics, and we, his customers, got stuck with the bill. Ditto his signing the billion dollar bonding bill.
I didn't really intend to simply pick on Pawlenty here but I won't apologize for how it came out. The larger point I think Craig Westover was exploring what the job of Governor should be. On this, I'm probably in the minority: keep the lights on and the checkbook balanced.
This is the role that Westover contends Governor Tim Pawlenty is now playing. Rather than be a manager, administrator and comptroller concerned with the bottom line, he really likes working the top line by
Eric Escola noticed this last year, asking Pawlenty on Almanac if he really wasn't acting more like a Prime Minister than a Governor. I wrote at the time that Escola was right. I've always felt Pawlenty never really did give up his old job as a Legislative leader. With the added powers of being Governor, he is indeed the very model of a modern Prime Minister - and not a CEO.
For despite the popular wisdom born of some high profile exceptions, real CEO's live and die by trust. They cannot afford to frivolously disappoint their investors, customers, suppliers, or employees. CEO's that play word games like "tax vs fee" or arrogantly flip-flop on "fun stuff" like stadiums are soon dispatched by their boards.
Real CEO's are also hard-nosed, effective negotiators. Pawlenty's collapse in the face of the orchestrated DFL shutdown last year wasn't even good politics, and we, his customers, got stuck with the bill. Ditto his signing the billion dollar bonding bill.
I didn't really intend to simply pick on Pawlenty here but I won't apologize for how it came out. The larger point I think Craig Westover was exploring what the job of Governor should be. On this, I'm probably in the minority: keep the lights on and the checkbook balanced.