No Way to Select a CEO

We've been pretty clear about our feelings regarding "open" executive searches. You know...the kind where the finalists are outed to the media. And, even more bizarre, are put on parade in a public reception like so much livestock on which bids should be made.

Honestly? And this advances the community's interests how?

I have the utmost respect (and sympathy) for Searchwide, the firm that is handling the search for the new CEO of the Daytona Beach CVB. They would never divulge the short or long list of candidates to me. And, I certainly don't know whether the search committee asked Searchwide to bring a slate of candidates that ignored the best and brightest DMO pros in the nation.

But, that would be kinda odd, don'tcha think?

Nonetheless...that's pretty much what the final four looks like. With all due respect to the finalists, there are no instantly recognizable "name" candidates on the list. Which is odd for a "name" destination like Daytona Beach.

Only one in four is currently employed as a DMO CEO. To be sure, one used to be a DMO CEO. But the other two are from outside the DMO industry.

Not to be an "I told you so," but this is exactly the candidate pool I predicted a few weeks ago. Very few (as in ONE) sitting DMO CEOs would put their hat in such a dysfunctional ring. And, thus, Daytona Beach may well have forfeited its chance to lure a significant talent to their destination.

One of the four still in play may well be exactly what the destination is looking for...and I wish the ultimate CEO all the luck in the world. But the community will never know if it could have done better, thanks to its (and clearly not Searchwide's) hamhanded handling of the search process.

Sigh.

Comments

[Bill Baker]

A CVB here in Oregon held one of these beauty pageants last week. I totally agree with you and have always had this feeling about this approach. One of the Board leaders proclaimed how successful they have found the process. But as you correctly point out, they don't know what they don't know. They can't assess the people who stepped back from being exposed. To me it all smacks of very misguided and weak leadership. A big CYA exercise by the board.