What do you think a general manager does?
FYI I quote the following from Wikipedia:
"Management comprises planning, organizing, staffing, leading or directing, and controlling an organization (a group of one or more people or entities) or effort for the purpose of accomplishing a goal."
and
"Basic functions
Management operates through various functions, often classified as planning, organizing, staffing, leading/directing, controlling/monitoring and motivation.
- Planning: Deciding what needs to happen in the future (today, next week, next month, next year, over the next five years, etc.) and generating plans for action.
- Organizing: (Implementation)pattern of relationships among workers, making optimum use of the resources required to enable the successful carrying out of plans.
- Staffing: Job analysis, recruitment and hiring for appropriate jobs.
- Leading/directing: Determining what needs to be done in a situation and getting people to do it.
- Controlling/monitoring: Checking progress against plans.
- Motivation: Motivation is also a kind of basic function of management, because without motivation, employees cannot work effectively. If motivation does not take place in an organization, then employees may not contribute to the other functions (which are usually set by top-level management)."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ManagementWell I suppose though, that considering he is the man solely responsible for all those things going wrong and not following the plan, then should not the buck stop with those that he answers to, the board and the CEO. There you go again. As the most senior football manager he bears not sole but final responsibility for results, good and bad. If things go wrong in any section (eg Recruiting, Fitness, Welfare etc) it is his job to fix it so they don't recur.
I mean, really if he is so derelict in his duty then surely those higher up should see it and sack him.
the fact that they don't can only mean that they are also derect in their duty.
I never realised he had veto power either. Thats what you mean by final decision maker isnt it? that if the rest of the list management committee agree to a decision he doesnt like, he can override it?
Cameron was hired by Miller on a five year contract as List Manager. When Miller left (or was pushed) as GM of Football the Board looked around for a replacement and finally Cameron took over that job as well, still on a five year deal. IMO the Board was derelict in his appointment under those terms.
There can be many reasons why a person keeps a job he is unable to competently perform. In the Richmond case I think it is because he provides cover for the board (March) and is a patsy when things go wrong in their duties. It is ironic that a board decision to replace a senior manager is more dangerous for them than keeping a failing one because then it is their heads directly on the chopping block for the success of the move.
Does he have veto power as the "final decision maker"? I'd say yes, ignoring any CEO or board override.
If you then believe a competent manager would implement any decision in the face of unanimous opposition of his staff then you really don't understand anything about management. Please take note of "Motivation" in the above Wikipedia post.
As another example of Cameron's work look at the Wallace resignation debacle.
Newman and King approached Wallace with complaints from the playing group, Wallace clains they told him to resign, it reached the press almost immediately and there was a crisis that required the President to hold a meeting with the entire list to resolve the issue while Cameron held his coat. Presumably March also had meetings with Wallace in which Cameron would have held no power since Wallace, like all senior coaches, is hired and fired by the board (not by the Footy GM as stated before).
Two points:
What the hell was Cameron doing as regards communication with key personnel (Former Captain, Captain and Young Player Leader) that this issue ever reached this degree of conflict?
How much trust do you think Newman and King have in Cameron (or March) after they were hung out to dry after that crisis? And their motivation?
Getting back to the thread topic I'm glad Batchelor was signed.
Now what's happening about Campbell's contract and the new development coaches - you kbnow the difficult stuff.
