Governor Easy
The News & Observer wrote last weekend what
Actually,
The Governor says measure me by what I do, not how I do it. And he’s right. Results matter, not style.
He has been effective with the legislature, he says. For that he can thank Jim Hunt, who bequeathed him and all future Governors with veto power, which Hunt never used.
But there are three ways Easley’s style does affect results:
- Economic developers say he has not been an aggressive recruiter of new business.
- He has only sparingly used one of the Governor’s greatest powers: the big public microphone – and listening post.
- His desire not to be “hot-boxed” (a term I’ve never heard before) means he, in fact, does get hot-boxed.
Easley says he does not like to get surprised by people coming to him with bad news. But that has the unintended effect of insulating him from bad news.
An example: When I was Governor Hunt’s press secretary (1977-1984), I sat in on his weekly Cabinet meetings every Monday morning. That’s about 400 meetings. At every one, Hunt would ask his Cabinet to report on their departments. Never, in those roughly 4,000 Cabinet reports, did I hear one of his appointees say anything like: “Governor, I need to let you know about a real screw-up in my department.”
No, it was more like watching the TV news in
The Governor only heard the bad news when somebody “hot boxed” him – or when a reporter asked an uncomfortable question at a press conference.
Franklin Roosevelt was famous for having multiple sources of information about was happening in Washington and across the country, including his wife Eleanor. A chief executive has to, because nobody wants to be the bearer of bad news.
Easley’s style has worked in many ways. But it has left him vulnerable to crises like the one in the mental health system.
Click Here to discuss and comment on this and other articles.
Governor Easy
The News & Observer wrote last weekend what
Actually,
The Governor says measure me by what I do, not how I do it. And he’s right. Results matter, not style.
He has been effective with the legislature, he says. For that he can thank Jim Hunt, who bequeathed him and all future Governors with veto power, which Hunt never used.
But there are three ways Easley’s style does affect results:
- Economic developers say he has not been an aggressive recruiter of new business.
- He has only sparingly used one of the Governor’s greatest powers: the big public microphone – and listening post.
- His desire not to be “hot-boxed” (a term I’ve never heard before) means he, in fact, does get hot-boxed.
Easley says he does not like to get surprised by people coming to him with bad news. But that has the unintended effect of insulating him from bad news.
An example: When I was Governor Hunt’s press secretary (1977-1984), I sat in on his weekly Cabinet meetings every Monday morning. That’s about 400 meetings. At every one, Hunt would ask his Cabinet to report on their departments. Never, in those roughly 4,000 Cabinet reports, did I hear one of his appointees say anything like: “Governor, I need to let you know about a real screw-up in my department.”
No, it was more like watching the TV news in
The Governor only heard the bad news when somebody “hot boxed” him – or when a reporter asked an uncomfortable question at a press conference.
Franklin Roosevelt was famous for having multiple sources of information about was happening in Washington and across the country, including his wife Eleanor. A chief executive has to, because nobody wants to be the bearer of bad news.
Easley’s style has worked in many ways. But it has left him vulnerable to crises like the one in the mental health system.
Click Here to discuss and comment on this and other articles.