The Day the Music Died- II
Wednesday, December 27th, 2006 by Mark | Posted in Business, Celebrity Branding, Management, Public Relations, Unconventional Thinking | Comments
All of a sudden the US, the longest enduring republic in the world, no longer has a President. Sure a suit sits at the historic desk in the Oval Office, but suits don’t Presidents make. And the best way I can express how disappointed I am at this, is that I voted for this suit twice.
What a pseudo leader. What a miserable marketer. Every nation, every company, needs a leader. He or she is the exponent that makes everything-the hard assets, the people, the ideas-greater than the sum of their parts. Right now, the US-the finest nation in the world-fails that test. Like Ford and GM and countless other companies that are essentially leaderless, it is twisting in the wind relying on committees to make decisions and we all know committees are the folks who turned the horse into a camel.
Leaders have more than power, they have humility. They have the guts to admit mistakes. They have the agility to make mid-course corrections. They have the brains and the determination to find a way out of the inevitable setbacks that befall every nation, every company. They are never imperious. They are smart, shrewd and always pragmatic.
You don’t have to be a Harvard political scientist or a Wharton management guru to know when the person on top is simply a placeholder – in fact, the oft-quoted professors haven’t a clue about anything in the real world. All you have to do is drive your Chevy to the levy and you’ll see the levy is dry.
And you can listen to the Sounds of Silence. And it will be deafening.
It’s The Day The Music Died.
Mark Stevens
CEO
What do you think? Post your comments…
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December 27th, 2006 at 3:43 pm
Mark, I am seeing sentiments like yours coming more and more frequently from business leaders around the country — which I applaud.
But I have to point out that Bush hasn’t changed: he is exactly the same man who failed in businesses and other endeavors all his life, and his approach to governing isn’t any different as president than it was as governor of Texas.
The man has a long-standing, public record of consistent failure: and yet intelligent and accomplished people, like yourself, voted for him once or even twice.
How on earth did that happen? I’m asking because I’m genuinely interested in your answer.
What has changed so that you now perceive Bush differently?
How did our extended political system (in which I include the fourth estate) fail you such that you perceived him as a good choice for leader at the ballot box?
December 27th, 2006 at 5:29 pm
Shaula,
I believe you need to see a leader over time….in good and bad….so I changed my mind as I saw the world evolve and leave him behind.
Mark Stevens
CEO
December 29th, 2006 at 2:40 pm
Suits are just Suits. They are not what make or break this country. While everyone loves a quarterback like Joe Montana to rally behind and cheer on to victory, the unmemorable, uncharismatic, and moderately skilled quarterbacks still make touchdowns. We, you and me, are what make this country great and successful. People who are involved, informed and determined to make a difference are what drive this country.
Our downfall is not one misguided boob in a suit occupying one office for a handful of years; our downfall is that here are not enough CITIZENS in this country anymore. And I am not referring to one
January 2nd, 2007 at 4:12 pm
Very thoughtful. And interesting. And as much as I agree with you generally, we must look at our leaders, evaluate them and hold them accountable…..particulary when they are not acting as leaders.
Mark Stevens
CEO