For whatever reason, evaluation of Chief and Senior Administrative Officers (CAO / (SAO) is an item of interest among some who have been in recent contact with me. In a 2012 handbook for briefing council members (The COSEMA Approach) I suggested there were a number of performance elements a municipal council may wish to consider when evaluating a CAO’s effectiveness and capability. They include:
- knowledge of the job; quality of decision making; commitment to teamwork
- ability to manage employees; communications and presentation skills – verbal, non-verbal and written
- relationship with council; entrepreneurial ability; productivity and work ethic
- approach to conflict resolution; dependability and willingness to accept responsibility
- effective use of technology; planning and leadership abilities; financial acumen
- conceptual and analytical abilities; tactfulness, diplomacy and confidentiality
- awareness of council’s needs; motivation and coaching effectiveness
- budget preparation and management ability; willingness to accept direction and advice
- human relations skills; problem solving and change management skills
- commitment to public service and the profession; commitment to customer service
Please feel free to connect with me if you would like to share additional performance elements that are important to consider when evaluating the performance of a CAO. I will make reference to comments or suggestions in a future post.
