Remedial leading
Can you believe that Multnomah County taxpayers are shelling out thousands so that the chair of the county commission can have an "executive coach"? Ah, executive coaches. At best, a confirmation that the person being coached is not qualified to hold their job. At worst, a scam. Portland area government has had its share of both over the years.
In this case, the coach is someone named Kathleen Holt, who from her LinkedIn page looks to be a lifer in the nonprofit industrial complex. Her latest specialty is diversity training, but I guess even she knows more about managing something than Jessica "Chevy" Vega. Holt reportedly bills out at $200 an hour. She's got a master's degree from Portland State in creative nonfiction, which who knows? May come through on the invoices.
The O has some hysterical material behind the Paywall of Pity, here.
In an interview, Vega Pederson, who took office in 2023 after six years as a county commissioner, praised the professional development she’s received in her new role and suggested that it’s been money well spent.
“I’m the chief executive officer of a 6,000-person organization with a $4 billion budget,” she said. “This is about making sure that I have the skills that I may be able to do the best job possible for the taxpayers in my county and for the initiatives that we’re driving forward at the county.”
Holt was first wheeled in last fall, to try to teach the county commissioners how to get along. They had some "retreats" at the Kennedy School. That went so badly that the effort was abandoned before the Communication Breakdown Burgers even came out of the kitchen.
Assuming that Holt is qualified to do whatever it is that "executive coaches" do, it's highly questionable whether the taxpayers should be paying her fees. If Chevy Vega didn't have the skills needed for the job, maybe she should have paid to acquire them before she clocked in.
But before the laughter fades and the disgust sets in, here's a parting giggle: The person who has transformed the once-universally-beloved Oregon Food Bank into a far-left political action committee thinks the whole coaching thing is wonderful. She's got a letter to the editor on the subject posted here.
What a circus. If you see any level-headed people left in Portland, please let me know so that I can take their picture before they're gone.
There's history here. Maybe 15 (or more) years ago, Multco's former HR director returned on a spendy personal services contract. (Yvonne something or other.) I think it also involved "executive coaching."
ReplyDeleteShe's a noxious person. I don't say this about too many people, but she's a pathetic M.U.P.P.E.T.
ReplyDelete"I'm the chief executive officer of a 6,000-person organization with a $4 billion budget". I almost vomited after reading that. I've known CEOs of companies that size and larger who were promoted based on results over decades of delivering exceptional results. With her evident lack of skills and ability to generate results, she never would have risen to a managerial position of a private organization of any size. She's not even close to competent. Only in Multnomah County/government,where the bar is so low, could someone who is so far below any acceptable standard get elected.
ReplyDeleteAt least we have Serena Cruz as chief operating officer.
DeletePortland and Multnomah County are done. Stick a fork in ‘em.
ReplyDeleteAnd those communication breakdown burgers are $18.75 each these days, three times as much as 10 years ago.
ReplyDeleteThe ninny must be recalled, to allow the more intelligent and competent commissioners to do their job. The County continues to hobble the City with her negative stance. She's a disgrace and embarrassment!
DeleteThe county would be better off just kidnapping a local meth addict off of the street, cleaning him/her up, and letting them have a go at it. They would likely have more common sense.
ReplyDeleteShe’s awful and incompetent. But, what’s worse are the brain donors that support her
ReplyDelete