Old habits die hard

Dr John Reid's leadership style is clearly sticks rather than carrots. But I rather doubt if this is the way to motivate the staff of the Home Office. The BBC website reports:

"Home Secretary John Reid has damned his department as "not fit for purpose" with "inadequate" leadership, management systems and processes.
He made the assessment as he was grilled by MPs about a series of recent scandals at the Home Office.
"I share with you and probably also the public the frustration at our failures," he said."

He may well be telling the truth but was it advisable or tactful to say so? He has only been in post for two weeks. Would it have been inappropriate to suggest that he was reviewing the situation in consultation with senior staff and that both he and they recognised the need for improvements? He needs the Home Office staff - he can't sack them all - but giving them the managerial equivalent of a Glasgow kiss is unlikely to help.

Update: The BBC's article has now been amended so that the first sentence reads:

"Home Secretary John Reid has damned his department's immigration system as "not fit for purpose" with "inadequate" leadership and management systems."

So, it's not the department itself, it's the department's immigration "system" that is not fit for purpose. An interesting downgrading of what was previously a rather all-encompassing criticism.