Appraising the CEO

When Jasmine accepted the job as chief executive of Save Our Furry Friends two years ago, she brought with her an ambitious agenda of things she wanted to accomplish in her tenure at the medium-sized animal rescue organization. In two years, she'd managed to rev up the stagnating organization by implementing five new programs and coordinating two fundraising events. The financials of the shelter had never looked better, and staff morale, at a low point before she arrived, had turned a corner and was back on track, due largely to Jasmine's energy, enthusiasm, leadership skills, and commitment to the organization's cause. In fact, she had adopted three cats and a dog as proof that she "lived the mission," thus serving as a constant reminder of the positive difference one person's actions can make. Board meetings were cordial and, for the most part, productive. However, one member, George, was a bit of a thorn in Jasmine's side. Where other board members praised her work with the organization, George was the sort of person for whom the glass was always half empty. Since he was a wealthy donor as well as an outspoken, long-time board member, other members often gave credence to what he said, even if his comments lacked substance or proof. He was a walking illustration of the adage "if you don't know what you're talking about, just talk louder and people will listen." In her 20 years of experience leading a variety of service organizations, Jasmine had worked with many "Georges." Normally, she didn't let negative people dampen her enthusiasm or energy, especially when, as in this case, other board members were so positive about her performance. But she'd been chief executive for two years, and she had never had a performance review or received any formal or written feedback; nor had the board ever put her goals in writing. She wasn't quite sure how to raise the subject so that her request would be taken in the right light. She didn't want board members to think anything was wrong or that she was unhappy with her relationship with them. She had to admit to herself that she was also just a tiny bit concerned about George's influence on the evaluation process. She'd witnessed board discussions where George had prevailed because others (whom she knew disagreed with him) chose to remain silent. She wondered if she should wait until the next board meeting to raise the issue, or contact the board chair sooner. She wanted to be clear about her intent and what she hoped to get out of an evaluation

What should Jasmine do?