Evaluating the General Manager
By Mark Goehring, Carolee Colter 143 July - August - 2009 A board evaluating the general manager (GM) of a food co-op…now there’s a process that directors should be able to describe, defend, celebrate [...]
The Cycle of We
Some economists theorize that business activity runs in a cycle where the benefits of greater collaboration are embraced, but eventually shift toward greater individualism. When the self-interest model leaves too few with tangible benefits, the [...]
GM Evaluation
with guests John Hatton, board president, Brattleboro Food Co-op, and Sharon Murphy, GM at Whole Foods Co-op, Duluth CG -- Evaluating the GM by Colter and Goehring
Executive Sessions
An Executive Session (sometimes called a “closed session”) is a meeting, or portion of a meeting, open to only members of the board of directors and individuals invited by the board of directors. All meeting attendees are [...]
Taking Policy Governance to Heart
A great cooperative thinker, Sid Pobihushchy, wrote an article in 2002 to help us understand the 10 cooperative values, “The Cooperative Values: Their meaning and practical significance” (find it at The Columinate Library). In his [...]
Case Study: Rochdale Pioneers at Toad Lane — Change You Can Believe in
Rochdale Pioneers Toad Lane Store Founded: 1844 Number of members: 28 founding members Equity investment:Two weeks wages down, with 10 weeks total investment Retail square footage: Tiny On the longest night of the year, the [...]
The Rochdale Pioneers’ Message to the Future
We hear a lot about “hope” and “change” these days, but how does our vision compare with the kind of lasting change brought about by the humble men and women of Rochdale, England, a century [...]
Evaluations that inspire
Mary Jones had reason to look forward with optimism to her upcoming performance review. She felt that over the past six months she had built a track record of good solid performance working as a [...]
Evaluating feasibility and planning for success 2
Learning objectives: the components of a feasibility assessment learn what goes into business planning learn the difference between feasibility assessment and business planning and when each is needed which areas of feasibility and planning require [...]
Legal issues for new co-ops
Learning objectives: the options and recommendations for food cooperative legal structure the timing and steps of legal organization the purpose and role of legal documents