Woodward's management guide

In this piece in the Washingtonpost, Bob Woodward has outlined some lessons from the Bush years for Barack Obama. It makes a fascinating read.

We may quibble about whether Bush's failures are a nail in the coffin for conservatism, but there can be little doubt about the utter mismanagement of the Bush adminsitration. In his distillation of some key Bush failures, Woodward has identified some gems that are relevant not just for presidents, but all general managers. The list below is a distilled version paraphrased for managers instead of for the President:

• Managers set the tone. Don't be passive or tolerate virulent divisions among subordinates and team members.
• Insist that subordinates speak out loud in front of the others, even - or especially - when there are vehement disagreements.
• Master the fundamental ideas and concepts behind policies. Don't farm out the understanding of the ramifications and trade-offs.
• Draw people out to ensure that bad news surfaces in a timely manner.
• Foster a culture of skepticism and doubt. Doubt is not the enemy of good policy; it can help leaders evaluate alternatives, handle big decisions and later make course corrections if necessary.
• Be rigorous about reconciling differences in contradictory data.
• Be willing to tell the hard truth to stakeholders, even if that means delivering very bad news.
• Righteous motives are not enough for effective policy.
• Insist on strategic thinking - i.e. define where the organization should be in one, two or four years (depending on the level) and develop a detailed tactical plans to get there. It's easy to become consumed with putting out brush fires, but in the long run managers will be judged by the success of their long-range plans, not their daily crisis management.
• Embrace transparency.

Bushisms

Reading this article in Slate made me realize how much I will miss President Bush's wonderful turn of phrase. Rarely has there been a leader, let alone a leader of the free world, who committed so many oratory gaffes. Surprisingly though, while these were quite clearly unintended, some of them seem strangely prescient and insightful in the light of what followed or what was being referenced.

Fun stuff

With the economy tanking, consumer prices falling by the largest amount in 50 years, the Fed cutting rates to unheard of levels (apparently unaware of the complete failure of supply side economics over the last year), and Madoff adding to gloom and doom, I thought something more entertaining may be in order.

Dick Cavett recently got an earful for his amusing piece, "The Wild Wordsmith of Wasilla" where he explores gems such as: "My concern has been the atrocities there in Darfur and the relevance to me with that issue as we spoke about Africa and some of the countries there that were kind of the people succumbing to the dictators and the corruption of some collapsed governments on the continent, the relevance was Alaska’s investment in Darfur with some of our permanent fund dollars." It's stuff you can't make up.

His latest piece on Gov. Blagojevich is equally amusing, as he ponders, "The question overhanging this sordid mess, you might agree, is, “How did such a specimen ever get elected?”

It’s as if a soldier, tested for his fitness as potential combat leader, passed his physical despite scurvy, pyorrhea, Jake leg, leprosy, the quinsy, contagious influenza and at least two trick knees."

It's just what I was wondering.

And, if you missed it, President Bush provided his contribution with the famous shoe ducking incident, which just about summarises his presidency.

Sheer brilliance in comedy!!

Jon Stewart again. The Daily Show Team is brilliant. 4 mins 50 sec into the clip there is an brilliant juxtaposition of McCain and Bush. It shows better than I ever could what I was trying to express a few days ago, that McCain has no new ideas.




... and this is probably best introduction to McCain you'll see. Its irreverent, but very funny. Enjoy.