The Style and Tone of A Presidency, Obama Management Style, Team Of Rivals, Team of Americans, Media Mediocrity.
Monday and Tuesday May 4,5 2009
Today's Zinger:
Monday Morning Quarterbacking
Commentary:
President Obama gives good speeches. He stands tall and delivers with great confidence his beliefs, decisions and proclamations in a very rhythmic and deliberate manner. Many see this as great “leadership”. There is no question that we need a leader with “the right stuff” now more than ever. As Zinger pointed out last week, this president has an agenda second to none (see ZingerKing: Friday May 1, 2009). With the looming crisis in Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and immigration, to the current crisis in war and terrorism, the economy and the national deficit, this President has lots on his plate.
To address these challenges President Obama has assembled a cabinet that he describes as a “team of rivals”. Based on the novel by historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, Team of Rivals, describes how Abraham Lincoln assembled his team to address the many crisis and challenges of the 1860’s, none less than the potential breakup of the Union and the Civil War. Lincoln’s team of rivals was to be the best and brightest working together to solve the most intractable problems of the time.
The truth is the book was a better read than the reality of the team of rivals assembled by Lincoln. The concept of the best and brightest coming together to solve the most difficult problems while leaving their own ideology and beliefs behind is compelling. However, what was achieved was less compelling. The cabinet was filled with infighting. There were firings and defections. There were those, like Secretary of State Seward, the republican candidate that ran against Lincoln, who never accepted defeat and continued to position himself for the presidency.
Then there was Atty. Gen. Edward Bates. Bates never felt at home in the Lincoln cabinet and played only a marginal role. He resigned in Lincoln’s first term. His diary reflects deep discontent with what he considered the relentless political maneuvering of his cabinet peers and even the president. Bates wrote in1864, "that I should live to see such abject fear -- such small stolid indifference to duty -- such open contempt of Constitution and law -- and such profound ignorance of policy and prudence!"
Has President Obama really brought together his team of rivals? Can President Obama manage his team in a more effective manner than Lincoln? In all of the fanfare by the Administration and the media about the Obama cabinet, what hasn't been discussed is the presidents’ ability to bring together this diverse team and achieve specific results.
President Obama places much of the focus on himself. When there is a swine flu crisis his administration doesn't defer to Health chief or the Surgeon General to lead the charge, but rather President Obama personally held two news conferences to discuss his opinion and what to do. When he talks about the future role of Wall Street he talks about what “his economy” will look like and how Wall Street will play a lesser role going forward. When he holds a news conference about the auto industry he talks about how “I have decided to push forward with the Chrysler bankruptcy and how it will be done quickly”.
For a president that talked about team he has spent much of the time in the spotlight talking about “his” decisions, “his” proclamations and “his” beliefs. Unfortunately President Obama does not know very much about economics, Wall Street, the car industry or swine flu. Despite being a smart constitutional law professor, he does not have the knowledge, education or experience to speak with authority about most of these subjects. Therefore he must get his information from his advisers. Any deep, penetrating questions would expose the president to his lack of knowledge. Fortunately for him the media has not challenged the President with deep, thought provoking questions. The 100 days press conference held by President Obama only reinforced how the media deals with this president. The questions were predictable. Most were superficial and some were embarrassing to the point Homer Simpson could have answered these questions.
The role of a leader is not to teach or demonstrate how smart they are but rather to set the values, principles, direction and goals to be achieved by the team. It is good for a leader to be confident and well spoken. We have had some that were confident but not well spoken (George W. Bush). We have had some that wanted to be involved and represent every decision of the Administration (Jimmy Carter). We have had many that ignored the Constitution (Nixon, Kennedy, FDR, et al). As President Obama pushes forward with the robust agenda in front of him we can only hope that he doesn't confuse confidence with leadership. We can only hope that President Obama relies more on his talented team and less on himself. We desperately need a media to finally challenge this President on his policies, decisions and proclamations rather than gawking in admiration at his every word.
I have personally worked with the very best and brightest from the most prestigious universities in United States. I have taught at several universities in America and I have managed large corporations and major change initiatives. I have learned a lot over my 30-year career. One thing that I learned is great leaders are not always our best and brightest from our best universities. Even some of our smallest liberal arts colleges (like Eureka College) produce great leaders. Pedigree does not guarantee success for a president or a cabinet.
Conclusion:
We do not a team of rivals. We need a president that will manage a team of Americans dedicated to doing the right thing for all America. There are a lot of very significant decisions that will be made in the next four years and I am not “enchanted” by the daily presidential proclamations or media mediocrity. If this president is going to ultimately go down in history as a great president he must earn it. There has been a lot of activity in the first 100 days of this presidency. Activity is not to be confused with results. The true measure of success will be achieving measurable results such as:
An unemployment rate approaching 4.5%
A viable social security system sustainable into the future
Health care access for our citizens that is affordable
A deficit that does not burden generations in the future
Growth of Gross National Product to a 3.5-5% level
Stability in the Middle East
Successful conclusion, or at least significant progress, of the wars
No attacks from terrorists on America
Continued progress, and hopefully transformation, or our education system
Reduce our reliance on foreign oil
Extraction of the government from equity and decision making in major corporations
These sound like large and difficult goals. President Obama is in the best position to achieve these objectives of any president in the past 50 years. Now lets all focus on results and not activity. Lets push the media to challenge this president.
Today's Zinger:
Monday Morning Quarterbacking
Commentary:
President Obama gives good speeches. He stands tall and delivers with great confidence his beliefs, decisions and proclamations in a very rhythmic and deliberate manner. Many see this as great “leadership”. There is no question that we need a leader with “the right stuff” now more than ever. As Zinger pointed out last week, this president has an agenda second to none (see ZingerKing: Friday May 1, 2009). With the looming crisis in Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and immigration, to the current crisis in war and terrorism, the economy and the national deficit, this President has lots on his plate.
To address these challenges President Obama has assembled a cabinet that he describes as a “team of rivals”. Based on the novel by historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, Team of Rivals, describes how Abraham Lincoln assembled his team to address the many crisis and challenges of the 1860’s, none less than the potential breakup of the Union and the Civil War. Lincoln’s team of rivals was to be the best and brightest working together to solve the most intractable problems of the time.
The truth is the book was a better read than the reality of the team of rivals assembled by Lincoln. The concept of the best and brightest coming together to solve the most difficult problems while leaving their own ideology and beliefs behind is compelling. However, what was achieved was less compelling. The cabinet was filled with infighting. There were firings and defections. There were those, like Secretary of State Seward, the republican candidate that ran against Lincoln, who never accepted defeat and continued to position himself for the presidency.
Then there was Atty. Gen. Edward Bates. Bates never felt at home in the Lincoln cabinet and played only a marginal role. He resigned in Lincoln’s first term. His diary reflects deep discontent with what he considered the relentless political maneuvering of his cabinet peers and even the president. Bates wrote in1864, "that I should live to see such abject fear -- such small stolid indifference to duty -- such open contempt of Constitution and law -- and such profound ignorance of policy and prudence!"
Has President Obama really brought together his team of rivals? Can President Obama manage his team in a more effective manner than Lincoln? In all of the fanfare by the Administration and the media about the Obama cabinet, what hasn't been discussed is the presidents’ ability to bring together this diverse team and achieve specific results.
President Obama places much of the focus on himself. When there is a swine flu crisis his administration doesn't defer to Health chief or the Surgeon General to lead the charge, but rather President Obama personally held two news conferences to discuss his opinion and what to do. When he talks about the future role of Wall Street he talks about what “his economy” will look like and how Wall Street will play a lesser role going forward. When he holds a news conference about the auto industry he talks about how “I have decided to push forward with the Chrysler bankruptcy and how it will be done quickly”.
For a president that talked about team he has spent much of the time in the spotlight talking about “his” decisions, “his” proclamations and “his” beliefs. Unfortunately President Obama does not know very much about economics, Wall Street, the car industry or swine flu. Despite being a smart constitutional law professor, he does not have the knowledge, education or experience to speak with authority about most of these subjects. Therefore he must get his information from his advisers. Any deep, penetrating questions would expose the president to his lack of knowledge. Fortunately for him the media has not challenged the President with deep, thought provoking questions. The 100 days press conference held by President Obama only reinforced how the media deals with this president. The questions were predictable. Most were superficial and some were embarrassing to the point Homer Simpson could have answered these questions.
The role of a leader is not to teach or demonstrate how smart they are but rather to set the values, principles, direction and goals to be achieved by the team. It is good for a leader to be confident and well spoken. We have had some that were confident but not well spoken (George W. Bush). We have had some that wanted to be involved and represent every decision of the Administration (Jimmy Carter). We have had many that ignored the Constitution (Nixon, Kennedy, FDR, et al). As President Obama pushes forward with the robust agenda in front of him we can only hope that he doesn't confuse confidence with leadership. We can only hope that President Obama relies more on his talented team and less on himself. We desperately need a media to finally challenge this President on his policies, decisions and proclamations rather than gawking in admiration at his every word.
I have personally worked with the very best and brightest from the most prestigious universities in United States. I have taught at several universities in America and I have managed large corporations and major change initiatives. I have learned a lot over my 30-year career. One thing that I learned is great leaders are not always our best and brightest from our best universities. Even some of our smallest liberal arts colleges (like Eureka College) produce great leaders. Pedigree does not guarantee success for a president or a cabinet.
Conclusion:
We do not a team of rivals. We need a president that will manage a team of Americans dedicated to doing the right thing for all America. There are a lot of very significant decisions that will be made in the next four years and I am not “enchanted” by the daily presidential proclamations or media mediocrity. If this president is going to ultimately go down in history as a great president he must earn it. There has been a lot of activity in the first 100 days of this presidency. Activity is not to be confused with results. The true measure of success will be achieving measurable results such as:
An unemployment rate approaching 4.5%
A viable social security system sustainable into the future
Health care access for our citizens that is affordable
A deficit that does not burden generations in the future
Growth of Gross National Product to a 3.5-5% level
Stability in the Middle East
Successful conclusion, or at least significant progress, of the wars
No attacks from terrorists on America
Continued progress, and hopefully transformation, or our education system
Reduce our reliance on foreign oil
Extraction of the government from equity and decision making in major corporations
These sound like large and difficult goals. President Obama is in the best position to achieve these objectives of any president in the past 50 years. Now lets all focus on results and not activity. Lets push the media to challenge this president.
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