Ashifromrockland,
“who is responsible to get the entire Kehila to join in for the singing of Lecha Dodi. Is it the Baal Tefila or is it each person’s personal responsibility to sing?”
It’s nobody’s responsibility. Singing is nice, but it’s not some sort of requirement.
“The reason why I’m asking you this is because last week I saw three people in my Shul making fun between themselves of the Chazan and his lackluster performance.”
We can hope that, though it looked like they were making fun of him, perhaps they were discussing something else. If they were indeed making fun, it’d probably be better for their olam haba to daven at home. The shaliach tzibbur was appointed by the kehilla to be their representative. It’s a good idea for someone who is well liked and has a sweet voice to be sent to the amud for Shabbos davening, but to make fun of him is lashon hara and public embarrassment.
“As an aside, as one of the Gabbaim of the Minyan I know how many people it took to finally find one person to agree to lead the congregation, our eventual Baal Tefila only went up to the Amud because no one else would.”
Could it be nobody wants to go up because of the mocking? What a shame if so.