Business Opinion/John McManus:Farewell then to David Dilger, who announced his departure last week after 12 years at the helm of Greencore.
How are we to judge the record of this man? Was it really time for him to go or not? Did he have more to give? Only time will tell, but in the meantime, help is on hand from Dr Terry Leap, professor of management at Clemson University in South Carolina who conveniently published a list in the Wall Street Journalof 12 tell-tale signs of how to spot a good chief executive gone bad. The temptation is too hard to resist. So here we go:
1. "An overt zeal for prestige, power and wealth. A manager's tendency to put his or her own success ahead of the company's often is evident long before that person is ready to assume the CEO post."
Well, the Greencore boss did apparently let his name go forward for the top jobs at Bank of Ireland and was also linked to Aer Lingus. But Brian Goggin and Dermot Mannion would no doubt argue that prestige, power and wealth might be pushing it as a description of what they get in return for a day at the office.
2. "A reputation for shameless self-promotion. Executives who constantly seek publicity are always looking for a better job or trumpet their successes, while quickly distancing themselves from setbacks, are sending strong signals that their egotistical ways may eventually cause major problems."
There is the matter of the Commander of the British Empire (CBE) he got from Queen Elizabeth, but as he said last week: "I'm not one for honours and titles, but if they are good enough to award it to you, it's good grace to accept it."
3. "A proclivity for developing grandiose strategies with little thought toward their implementation. These executives may assume that others at lower levels will magically turn strategy into reality."
Dare we mention Imperial Holly, Greencore's disastrous foray into the US sugar market in 1990s? But on the other hand, the decision to turn Greencore into Europe's biggest sandwich maker was not grandiose, and more to the point, was implemented. Mind you, the plans for the Mallow and Carlow sugar factory sites have a touch of Ceausescu about them.
4. "A fondness for rules and numbers that overshadows or ignores a broader vision. This is the flip side of the preceding problem."
He has been obsessed lately with the minutiae of the EU rules on how the €130 million compo for the closure of the Irish sugar processing industry should be divided. At the same time, he could not be accused of letting the Greencore share price cloud his vision!
5. "A reputation for implementing major strategic changes unilaterally or for forcing programmes down the throats of reluctant managers. CEOs have to be consensus builders."
The Irish Farmers' Association would certainly have their own unflattering take on his ability to build consensus.
6. "An impulsive, flippant decision-making style. CEOs who approach decision making with clever one-liners rather than with balanced, thoughtful and informed analyses can expect to encounter difficulty."
Calling it a day after 15 years with the company and 12 years at the top is is not exactly what you might call impulsive.
7. "A penchant for inconsiderate acts. Individuals who exhibit rude behaviour are apt to alienate the wrong person at the wrong time."
Politely supports Leinster when his Limerick background gives him Munster bragging rights.
8. "A love of monologues coupled with poor listening skills. Bad listeners rarely profit from the wisdom of their associates."
He does go on a bit about his golf handicap.
9. "A tendency to display contempt for the ideas of others. Hypercritical executives often have few stellar accomplishments of their own."
He was not exactly keen on Dermot Desmond's move to oust his mentor Bernie Cahill as chairman of Greencore. Equally nonchalant about Liam Carroll, but Carroll has not exactly communicated his vision for Greencore either.
10. "A history of emphasising activity, such as hours worked or meetings attended, over accomplishment. Energy without objective rarely leads to improved organisational performance."
That golf handicap is coming back to haunt him.
11. "A career marked by numerous misunderstandings. There are two sides to every story, but frequent interpersonal problems shouldn't be overlooked."
Hmmmm . . . said some cruel things about sugar farmers, but it was never personal.
12. "A superb ability to compartmentalise and/or rationalise. Some executives have learned to separate, in their own minds, their bad behaviour from their better qualities, so that their misdeeds don't diminish their opinions of themselves. An important internal check is missing. Others are always ready to cite a higher purpose to justify their bad decisions."
Two quotes from his valedictory interview last Friday in Business This Week: "There was not a single low point during my time at Greencore" and "I am not saying I did everything correctly".
