The importance of this point is that I strongly believe that if you are on a board for a length of time, then you should accept a degree of responsibility for the performance of that board. In particular, if you are on, or are Chairman of a committee of that board, then you accept even greater responsibility for the performance of that particular aspect of the Board's activities.
Back in my uni days I did a subject called Business Ethics and I read a book called "Above the bottom Line" by Robert C. Solomon (1994). From that book I took a saying that I have on a card that I carry around in my briefcase because it has and still is so relevant for me in my career.
"The key question of responsibility is not so much
who is repsonsible but rather
what are the responsibilities that
each person has." (page 261)
Maurice O'Shannassy is basically saying the same thing.
I find it ironic I have been harping for over 6 months about certain former board members not taking responsibility for their time on the board and now it is being highlighted it would appear almost everywhere. It's been an issue for me since the beginning: now it seems to be an issue for others and I say thank goodness.
Finger pointing will carry you so far. It so easy to throw your hands up the air and say "It wasn't my fault" or the classic "it aint my job". But in the end every person who has been a member of the RFC board for the last 2 years (remember we keep getting told the last 2 years we have lost $3 million) needs to take responsiblity - those who have chosen not too - never had any chance of getting my vote.
Maurice O'Shannassy would appear to have great credentials, an understanding of buiness and above all else he would seem to have a good handle on the faults of our club (this is highlighted by his comment about more positive decisions in the last 6 months than the last 20 years). I think you could call him a true Tiger because he can see that
