One more review

2012 was an extraordinary year for the BBC. But Lord Patten (and/or his successor) might like to consider commissioning one more piece of consultancy - an examination of how changing a CEO slowly created organisational (not output) paralysis.

Here are the bare bones. Ben Fenton outlined Patten's main task as early as December 2010 (before he got the chairmanship). I fleshed out the timetable in December 2011.  These were not necessarily searing insights - probably obvious to many more.

From the official "off" of the DG Stakes, you had an executive led by a man who did not want any late blots on his CV, and staffed by at least four people who thought they had a chance of the succession - and didn't want any late blots on their CVs. The boss didn't want to hear tales of failure, danger, risk - and the management team weren't keen to tell them.

So listening mode was off as the Executive drifted over and above problems with not just DMI, but Savile, bullying, pay reform, restructuring, who next to send to Salford, closing an orchestra and many more. Memos and letters in the DGs office went unread by Thommo, executive conversations were brief and elliptic, and unions were promised jam tomorrow.  Not long to Wimbledon, the Olympics - and the next big job.

Some of those too-hard decisions are still in the new DGs in-tray. Cancelling DMI was an important sign from Lord Hall about waste - but the consequences will play out for some time. It would be good to get out a few more before Glastonbury.