New Operations Director

[Steven Antonucci]

Just curious; is the new director a woodturner? If not, why doesn't the AAW want a director who is a woodturner or knows about turning? Seems to me that would be the best person to promote us.

It's like I could hire a salesman to man my vendor booths but he can't sell my product if he doesn't use it.........he can only give a generic sales pitch.

Ruth

You should try hiring a professional salesman for your booth sometime. The results might be surprising. Some of the most successful sales people I know are not practitioners of the things they sell, but can relate to an audience on different levels and understand their requirements. Having a good product makes their job easier.

I don't disagree that being a woodturner would probably make the new director more efficient in the role of AAW director, but I do think that I'd hire a good ED who wasn't a woodturner over an average ED who was a woodturner. It's easier to teach woodturning than good org skills.

YMMV.

S

 

[Mark Mandell]

I don't disagree that being a woodturner would probably make the new director more efficient in the role of AAW director, but I do think that I'd hire a good ED who wasn't a woodturner over an average ED who was a woodturner. It's easier to teach woodturning than good org skills.S

STEVE! Sheesh, Man, there is no new Executive Director!

Phil is the D of O, a middle-level manager handling the office, the accounting, and coordinating the various programs and events from the financial standpoint. He is not the Executive Director and does not replace Cindy Bowden. THAT is why he needs to know organization and accounting, but knowledge of how to turn wood is pretty much irrelevant to his job. Phil is not going to be selling anything, least of all the AAW.

Last I heard, the BoD was restarting the search for a new ED.

Let's us all keep the situation in perspective.

Peace

 

[Steven Antonucci]

STEVE! Sheesh, Man, there is no new Executive Director!

Phil is the D of O, a middle-level manager handling the office, the accounting, and coordinating the various programs and events from the financial standpoint. He is not the Executive Director and does not replace Cindy Bowden. THAT is why he needs to know organization and accounting, but knowledge of how to turn wood is pretty much irrelevant to his job. Phil is not going to be selling anything, least of all the AAW.

Last I heard, the BoD was restarting the search for a new ED.

Peace
Let's us all keep the situation in perspective.ight

What I was trying to say is that "whatever Phil was hired to do and whatever they decide to title him with, it is more important that he is good at doing "it" than being a woodturner". I used Ruth's opening line to suggest that it is more important for a sales person to be competent at sales than it is for them to be a good woodturner if they are manning her booth. If they can do both, all the better...

I don't have a dog in the fight, otherwise.

S

 

[Brian McInturff]

This whole thread is such a joke. First, would the OD be better off knowing his way around a lathe and woodturning. Of course. Knowing the terminology is always a plus. Knowing where he can "optimize" is crucial in this day and age.Does he have to know? Of course not. knowing just makes his job easier. And that is a fact. The old concept that I truly believe in: " if someone else can do it I can too" holds true. It's the second part of that concept that people forget: "it will take me longer".
I'm a Construction Manager. Does that mean I can manage the building of a large airport? Probably not to the degree that someone who has built a few can.I wouldn't be familiar with the terminology and specs. I would pick it up pretty quick but at a cost. Now if that was a superfund site or large environmental restoration/remediation then I'm probably one of the best in the business. My project accounts personnel have to be familiar with the environmental business too otherwise it cost my projects additional billable time for them to learn. Time is money. Saved time is profit. For the AAW is it paramount for the OD to know woodturning, and again the answer is NO. It's just a big perk for the organization if he does. Obviously Phil was the best candidate for the job otherwise they would've hired someone else. Now can we let this thread die so it doesn't look like people have something against Phil?

 

[Mark Mandell]

No Dogs, Cats Either

What I was trying to say is that "whatever Phil was hired to do and whatever they decide to title him with, it is more important that he is good at doing "it" than being a woodturner". I used Ruth's opening line to suggest that it is more important for a sales person to be competent at sales than it is for them to be a good woodturner if they are manning her booth. If they can do both, all the better...

I don't have a dog in the fight, otherwise.

S

Hi Steve,

Just saw several posts that confused the point so yours provided the opportunity to correct the misconception.

The guy hasn't been with us but barely a month and it seemed like people were setting him up for criticism. With the IRS breathing down the AAW's back, Mr. McDonald has a huge job to do. Lets cheer him on without insignificant qualifications.

m

 

[Terry Martin]

This whole thread is such a joke..... Now can we let this thread die....?

We could read that as: "Why can't you all see that I know better than the rest of you and leave it at that?"
If the thread is such a joke, why are you participating Brian, other than insisting on having the last word?

 

[barbsiddiqui]

Five pages of debate

You people are the Toughest crowd ever! Seems to me poor Mr. McDonald, if he has time to read all this, may be wondering what he's gotten himself into. Has anybody here Welcomed him to the organization and encouraged him to get involved with the crafty side of it? Myself, I'm encouraged to hear the BoD selected a highly qualified accountant to handle the operations. it sounds like we're lucky to have him.

 

[Mark Mandell]

You people are the Toughest crowd ever! Seems to me poor Mr. McDonald, if he has time to read all this, may be wondering what he's gotten himself into. Has anybody here Welcomed him to the organization and encouraged him to get involved with the crafty side of it? Myself, I'm encouraged to hear the BoD selected a highly qualified accountant to handle the operations. it sounds like we're lucky to have him.

Hi Barb,

I did just that, and I'll bet he would appreciate hearing from you directly. You can call him in the office or clic on his name in the Staff page and send him a welcome email.

 

[barbsiddiqui]

Done!

Thanks, Mark.

 

[steelguy]

I turned a bowl today!

no headache, no indigestion, no stress - I had a lot of fun!!!!

 

[Barbara Gill]

You people are the Toughest crowd ever! Seems to me poor Mr. McDonald, if he has time to read all this, may be wondering what he's gotten himself into. Has anybody here Welcomed him to the organization and encouraged him to get involved with the crafty side of it? Myself, I'm encouraged to hear the BoD selected a highly qualified accountant to handle the operations. it sounds like we're lucky to have him.

Well said Barb.

 

[Ruth Niles]

Whoa!

Guys, guys, guys......... I asked a very simple question and Mark answered it perfectly in his first response:

"First, we need to remember that Phil McDonald is NOT an Executive Director.

Second, his job is to manage the internal operations of the organization. He is an MBA with extensive business management experience, but he will not be the "public face" of the AAW."

I am fascinated at how well all of you took the simple to all sorts of levels from:

how fast can someone learn to turn and be accomplished and safe....to

men giving birth to be a good OBYN........to

turning a bowl in order to better understand balancing a budget........to

CNC being the future of woodturning and artistic ability........to

turning techniques working 100% of the time turning bumps out........to

our board of directors keeps us in the dark and feeds us C***......to

I should try hiring a good professional salesman for my booth........to

someone who had "no headache, no indigestion, no stress"..............

I must admit you did provide a number of opinions; some good, some silly, some irrelevant, some right on and some right off. Guess that's what makes us a family?!? :cool2:

Ruth

 

[Jake_Debski]

Thank you Ruth......

you have been added to the list reasonable and reasoning voices.