GREAT LEADERS SPEAK ENGLISH: Ch. 6

CHAPTER 6
GREAT LEADERS SPEAK ENGLISH

Leaders are communicators. Good leaders are good communicators. Great leaders are great communicators. I have found that the greatest communicators and the greatest leaders use simple, direct and easy to understand language. A great leader does not need to overwhelm his or her followers with rhetoric that is both time consuming and hollow. In the leadership sprint there is no time for nonsense; there is only time for straightforward and honest communication. In the world of marathons there is ample time to use all the bureaucratic mumble jumble one can muster. The sprinter cannot afford the distraction.

There has been much discussion lately regarding the establishment of English as the official or national language for the United States. Usually, this topic is presented in the form of a debate as to whether or not the country is better served by having a common or uniform language to conduct all of its business in both public and private matters. Proponents of an official language argue that our nation was founded in English and that all of the official founding documents including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution etc. were written in English and that all of our official national legislation and official government business is also conducted using the English language. Opponents of establishing an official language counter with the argument of inclusion and multi culturalism and define our nation as a land of many diverse cultures, national origins and languages. Hence, to establish English as an official language, in this view, is to deprive non-English speakers of the use of their native language. This issue is the subject of a much larger debate that touches upon many more far reaching subjects such as immigration, public education and the like, all of which require a detailed discussion which is not our purpose here.

For our purposes here it will be argued that English should indeed be used as the proper language for conducting our public and official business. This is not to say that English should replace Spanish, Vietnamese or Portuguese but that it must replace Jargonise. Great leaders do not speak Jargonise. Consider this composite document being sent to you:

“We absolutely need to bring all the stakeholders to the table to dialogue cutting edge and replicable paradigms to leverage new funding streams and access new monies to craft a tapestry of seamless, strategic, synergistic, systemic, and sustainable modalities of holistic, wrap around services to impact all of our community partners in a proactive, inclusionary and collaborative manner. We must challenge ourselves to think outside the box and keep everyone in the loop; we need to be ahead of the curve and have a short learning curve; we must step up to the plate even though we may have a full plate; we need to hit the ground running and realize that it is marathon and not a sprint; we need to raise the bar but also level the playing field; we must avoid the slippery slope but be incentivized to get out of our functional silos, and we must realize that it is not a slam-dunk but a call to interface and carve out a model of best practices and visionary, state-of-the-art methodologies to go the full nine yards in addressing the huge challenges before us.”

Or:

“We will have a meeting of all interested parties to discuss new ways to increase funding.”

If effective communication is essential to success in the public domain, then the language used should be understood by as many people as possible. Great leaders are great communicators and they know that effective communication is an essential element of their leadership makeup. Most industries and service sectors have their own separate language nuances that are easily understood by the people who work there. However, it appears that more than ever we, in the public sector, the non-profit sector and academic worlds are replacing our use of English with the use of some hybrid form of a new-age American dialect that has only a faint resemblance to the original language. Great leaders do not fall into this easy trap; they distinguish themselves with the proper use of the language. Why not just keep the language, and therefore its meaning, as simple and understandable as possible? When did it become necessary to butcher the language and ignore any pretense to observing the rules of grammar? “What we have here is a failure to communicate.” These famous words may be better suited for America in the 21st century than they were for the nation years ago. In its most simple form, communication is the basic means by which one person makes his thoughts known to others. In a slightly more complicated form it is the means by which great leaders inspire others to follow. Should it not go without saying therefore, that those who follow should understand the meaning of the message from those who lead? I have been asked many times for the one magic elixir or most important rule of effective communication. Invariably, my response is a variation of: Speak English, use proper grammar and avoid jargon; i.e., keep it simple, clear and concise.

Can you imagine Thomas Jefferson writing to the British Parliament and telling them that “actually I’m not wanting to compare apples to oranges but our nations are way different and you guys have done some really mean stuff to us and we are so going to transition to a totally awesome nation with a huge paradigm shift without re-inventing the wheel. We are at the cutting edge of being transparent and after all the stuff that you’ve done we know that there is a disconnect and that you have held our freedom hostage and we are going to push back? Whatever.” (That was painful) Thomas Jefferson was a great leader and a great communicator. The leaders of today can distinguish themselves as different and more credible simply by the proper use of the language.

A good leader would rather invite people to a meeting than incentivize stakeholders to come to the table. However, once a good leader finds that elusive table he or she should ask those in attendance to explain when money became monies, when big and bigger became huge, when something definite became absolutely, when the nouns impact, access and leverage became verbs, and when did all the sports analogies creep into our everyday use? A great leader would then also ask them if they ever thought inside the box, and whether they even know what the box analogy is. (Most do not) I am not sure if I can slam dunk if the bar is raised any higher (unless the playing field is not level); and what if I want to sprint to a quick solution to a problem? Where is that slippery slope, and is it anywhere near the curve I am supposed to be ahead of? These, and many other equally inane, questions may never be answered (and probably never should have been asked.) Thus, I will stay with the recommendation to use clear, concise language and avoid the use of meaningless jargon. We can distinguish ourselves as communicators and, more importantly as great leaders, by employing the simple art of keeping it simple and understandable. After all, when we step up to the plate we want to knock it out of the park. Then again, the British Parliament could have responded to Jefferson by telling him that they could care less and that he and the other guys were a bunch of losers, and after all it is what it is, the King is the man and at the end of the day you’ll all be thrown under the bus.

GREAT LEADERS ARE FAIR CH. 5

CHAPTER 5
GREAT LEADERS ARE FAIR


Great leaders can be fair and still sprint to bold and decisive leadership decisions. Being fair is perhaps the trait most noticeable in great leaders and that which separates them from the ordinary, old fashioned status quo style of leadership. If people perceive a leader to be unfair or arbitrary in his or her judgment the inspiration to follow will slow the entire leadership process to a marathon pace.

Life is not simple, life is not easy and life is not fair. I have heard these phrases literally thousands of times in my own life and have begun to wonder which if any of them are true. Great leaders understand that many people hold this view; it is incumbent on the great leader to overcome it. I can begin with the oft mentioned point (or truism) that life does not appear to be simple. After all, in today’s high pressure and confusing world of rapid change, things are complicated, complex and difficult to understand. That is not simple. However, simple may not be defined as simply, so to speak, as that, and this is where great leadership takes over. I have lectured many a night on the topic of perception versus reality and the need to work on positive self images. It is imperative that the leader helps to improve the self image and life view of his or her followers. Thus, a good leader will focus the attention of the team on those things in life that are important to them. A great leader leads them to both accomplish and appreciate those things. We will not be able to do this if we are constantly telling ourselves that life is too complicated and we cannot change certain things. This again, is where superior leadership takes over and disperses this negative view of life.

If we see life as difficult and hard, if not impossible, to manage then we will have gone far in creating a life that is difficult and hard to manage. Many a good manager and leader have been confronted with this form of self fulfilling prophecy in a group. Life can be simple if we choose to make it so and if someone can inspire us to believe this. I have asked thousands of students to focus on those things in life that truly matter to them, spend a great deal of time and energy in those areas and let the other things go. Life can be simple; just devote yourself to the simple joys in life, to the people that make you happy, and the things that will always be important to you and matter for a lifetime. Again, an overly simplistic message and yet one that a good leader can implement. Everything else may in fact be too complicated. Simple rule I tell them; Keep it simple and it will stay that way; Make it complicated and fill it with high levels of stress, anxiety and tension and it too will stay that way. The choice is simple. A great leader can reduce the anxiety and stress of the team by being stress-free as well.

Life is not easy. I suppose not; but then again nobody ever said that it was. Great leaders have the ability to make life a bit easier for his or her followers. I have heard the “life is hard” speech so many times that I was drawn to ask why. Why is life not easy? Who made it hard? And where was I when these rules were made or the votes taken that declared life not to be easy? I jokingly tell my classes that I was absent the day that there was a universal declaration that life was hard. Therefore, as a rebel I can do my best with them to make life as easy as we can possibly make it. Sometimes leaders can be a bit lighthearted to lighten the mood. There are, however, some rules that I have asked them to adhere to in order to make life easy. These are the simple rules that a great leader employs as well. I have asked them to practice honesty and integrity in all that they do and always, always, tell the truth. It is just that simple and life can be made to be just a little easier if we tell the truth and practice honesty in all that we do. Life is easy. Great leaders make it a little easier.

I went to a wonderful retirement party recently where my wife was among the honored retirees. She had not prepared a speech and did not think that she would need to deliver one. Needless to say, she was called to the microphone where, to a packed and fully attentive room, she delivered a magnificent, passionate and articulate speech. She spoke with sincerity, genuineness, and honesty and every word came straight from her heart. When she returned to our table I praised her speech and said “That wasn’t so difficult, now was it?” Life can be easy if we do it the right way and always do the sincere and honest thing. Public speaking is among the most frightful things that people can encounter. Add a large room filled with family, friends and co-workers and you have a recipe for disaster. Add sincerity and a simple straightforward and heartfelt message and you have made life easy and brought a tear to the eyes of your audience. These are simple, yet important recipes for success that a great leader uses every day.
A good leader must constantly work in a world where people think that life is not fair and specifically unfair to them. Why must I work so hard? It’s not fair. Why does he or she get away with murder? It’s not fair. This leadership challenge is one that is a bit more difficult. To be fair is to be honest. To be fair is to play by the rules. To be fair is to be truthful. To be fair is to be without prejudice, hatred, anger, and discrimination. To be fair is to be sincere. To be fair is to know that everyone is being treated equally. In all of my Human Resources and Management classes I have taught that to be fair is to practice equity in the workplace for all. Equitable treatment of everyone is one of the cornerstones of great leadership and is again, practiced daily. But fairness must certainly involve more. Here, I must acknowledge an obvious paraphrase from a biblical text and tell you that I have taught that fairness is often seen as managing, leading, teaching, and treating others as you would have them manage, lead, teach or treat you. What could be more fair? Great leaders lead others as they would have others lead them. The “golden rule” is a fundamental leadership value; great leaders know this and use it every day of their lives.

In a never ending quest to shock my students and test whether they are paying attention, I tell them that all of their communication and test case answers must include the four letter F word. A few seconds later I inform them that the word, of course, is fair. Is what they said or wrote fair? Was the resolution of the case a fair one? Can they show that everyone was treated fairly and did they arrive at their conclusions in a fair and equitable manner? I have found that Americans have an innate and strong sense of fairness. We can, and do, disagree on nearly every aspect of politics and public life. Yet, I still believe that we are united in our faith in fairness. I hope that in some small way that the constant and incessant call to be fair that I have harped to my students for all these years has added a measure of fairness to the public discourse. To be fair; it is not a difficult thing to do. Great leaders are fair and their followers know it.

GREAT LEADERS ARE G.A.S. GUZZLERS: Ch. 4

CHAPTER 4
GREAT LEADERS ARE G.A.S. GUZZLERS

We have seen that great leaders can sprint to great leadership decisions when they are well equipped, well trained and well developed with the necessary requirements for greatness. If a leader does not have the proper foundation for great leadership then he or she might just as well drag out the decision making process in a much longer marathon style of lethargy. Great leaders must inspire others to follow. This is as simple as the process gets. Yet, once again we are left with the need to find the traits that will prove to be inspirational.

We are living in a time when the high price of gas at the fuel pump is creating a national debate on a far reaching scale from big oil company profits, foreign oil dependency and the need for alternative non-fossil fuel and renewable energy sources. In my never ending attempt to use acronyms for memory purposes however, G.A.S. now has taken on a different meaning. Incidentally, I have found that the use of acronyms has proven to be a successful way of having students in leadership classes remember important concepts. I have previously used I.O.U. to remind my classes (the leaders of tomorrow) that they owe their audience the debt of being Impartial, Objective and Unbiased As good leaders they must strive to avoid prejudicial or extreme arguments as a means of establishing and maintaining credibility. I have also used H.I.T. to inspire students always to have Honesty, Integrity and Truth in all that they do as leaders as well as all that they do in life.

For our purposes here G.A.S. refers to the equally important need always to be Genuine, Authentic and Sincere. These are marvelous traits and characterize the nicest, kindest and most respected people that I ever had the pleasure of knowing. Moreover, they are traits that characterize the best leaders that I have known. When I think back on all of the people that I have been associated with in my life, I am instinctively drawn to fond memories of those people that are truly Genuine, Authentic and Sincere. They are among the people that I consider fortunate to know and whom I consider to be a blessing in my life. They also easily begin to be associated with terms such as role model, mentor, hero, teacher and people that I want to emulate. Most importantly, they are at the top of my list of great leaders from all walks of life. Genuine, Authentic and Sincere people are also very easy to like and tend to be the ones with whom I want to associate. Genuine, Authentic and Sincere people are also the ones whose lead I would follow. I have tried to explain this to many of my classes and determine why it is so important.

The first thing that I have tried to explain is why today it is so very important to identify and work with Genuine, Authentic and Sincere individuals and why they tend to rise to positions of leadership. The answer seems simplistic and obvious. Do we not live in a world where many people are quite the opposite of Genuine and engage in a mind-boggling array of unethical behavior almost always based on false premises or false promises? Are many of these people not in a position of leadership? How many people do you know that are not authentic, not “the real deal” or not what they pretend to be? How many of them can or have forged ahead on these not so real foundations? How many have we elected or appointed to top level leadership positions? Do we not live in a world of insincerity where it is easier to lie, cheat, mislead, deceive or otherwise be insincere all in the name of fame and fortune? The odds are that you answered most, if not all, of these rhetorical questions in the affirmative and have therefore, underscored the need to address them.

My handy Webster’s New World Dictionary defines Genuine with the phrase “really being what it is said to be…not counterfeit or artificial; real; true; authentic…sincere and frank; honest and forthright.” Wow. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could surround ourselves with those types of people that exhibit those kinds of characteristics? Would it not be equally wonderful to have a slate of candidates, a boardroom full of corporate leaders and a society of non- profit directors that all had these traits? Just imagine; no hidden agendas, no double meanings, no second guessing, and no wondering what the person actually meant. I continually strive to maintain those qualities in my personal and professional lives and to instill them in all my classes for all the students that I have the pleasure of working with. I know that they are the next generation of leaders and they will be challenged to hone these skills. Again, in the classes dealing with communication, both verbal and written, I have worked hard to have them perceived as Genuine so that the reader and audience will respond in an equally genuine manner. When the leader is seen as genuine the followers will respond in kind.

Back to Webster’s for the definition of Authentic to find the most curious entry. Here we find authentic as describing something “that can be believed or accepted; trustworthy; reliable [an authentic news report].” I think that it goes without saying that the leader needs to be believed and accepted. Let’s forget the fact that the editors of this fine dictionary may have used an oxymoron (authentic news report) to define the term, and continue with the definition; “authentic implies reliability and trustworthiness…” Again, these traits are stressed in all of the classes that I am fortunate to be conducting and serve as a basic foundation for great leadership. Students, as they pursue their careers are going to be confronted with people and situations that are not reliable or trustworthy. It is from this world of falseness that the new breed of leaders will emerge. From false and misleading advertising, promise breaking people in positions of authority, and people and products that cannot be trusted, we will all need to confront and overcome these traits and exhibit the higher and stronger trait of being Authentic. Great leaders know this and will simply sprint ahead because they are authentic.

Finally, we have arrived at Sincere, which Mr. Webster’s editors have defined as being; “without deceit, pretense or hypocrisy; truthful; straightforward; honest….an adherence to the simple, unembellished truth.” We are once again faced with a Jeffersonian type of self-evident truth: People that are seen as Sincere, and who are truly sincere, will go far in life and do better than their insincere contemporaries who will sacrifice long term success and happiness for short term financial or social gain. Great leaders will always be sincere because they have been trained to know that the short term insincerity will eventually implode. People crave approval but only if it is sincere; they want appreciation but only if it is sincere; they need to be respected but only if it is sincere; people need to be loved but only if that love is sincere. People will follow a great leader but only if that leader is sincere. There are many keys to a successful life and an equal number for happiness. I think that there are none more important than to be GENUINE, AUTHENTIC, and SINCERE. The keys to great leadership are no different.

The bold decisive leader of tomorrow will once again spring from the starting blocks with precision and grace because he or she does not need to worry about the genuineness of their decision, the authenticity of their decision making process or the sincerity of their motives. Even with the high price of gas great leaders are G.A.S. guzzlers.

The national campaigns and elections, especially the presidential election, of 2008 brought these vital traits to the forefront. From the primaries to the national party conventions, to the televised debates to the election itself, the American public was bombarded with a steady dose of campaign slogans, speeches and promises that tested the limits of genuineness, authenticity and sincerity. Most of the candidates, in my view, stayed true to the old fashioned, conventional partisan politics and, consequently, the sincerity of their message can be called into question. However, there was one interesting and different voice that was added to the national debate. It is safe to say that this voice was different than the establishment’s norm, went against the accepted conventional wisdom, and yet, was perceived as being quite sincere and genuine. Predictably, this voice was ridiculed, vilified, mocked and attacked by the mainstream political system, news media and entertainment world. She was different, and different is dangerous to the status quo establishment. She was down to earth and honest, spoke in a simple and straightforward manner, and used common sense. She was a new breed of leader and she was a threat to the old style marathoner.

The first paragraph of this manual indicated that there would be an onslaught of criticism aimed at those who, with the courage of their convictions, went against the conventional wisdom, were in the minority and were politically incorrect. The candidacy of Governor Sarah Palin was evidence enough that the old style brand of status quo leadership has a difficult time seeing something new as anything but a threat. The new breed of leaders, much like Sarah Palin, needs to be prepared to pay a price for sprinting ahead with a Genuine, Authentic and Sincere approach. They need to know that Common Sense may get lost in a marathon of empty rhetoric and that they will be denounced for being different. Undaunted, the new breed of leader will continue to sprint ahead and be a G.A.S. guzzler all the way to the finish.

GREAT LEADERS ARE A H.I.T., CH. 3

CHAPTER 3
GREAT LEADERS ARE A H.I.T.

In chapter 1 we discussed the need for great leaders to be fully trained and developed to engage in the management/ leadership sprint. Great leaders, much like their world class athletic sprinter counterparts, must have developed the razor sharp focus and sculptured and firm muscular tone necessary to be able to bolt from the starting blocks. What better training can there be but to be fully trained in the art of honesty? What better muscle group to develop to a chiseled finish than the integrity muscles? Finally, for the great leader where better to target the razor sharp focus than on the truth?

When I discussed the I.O.U. chapter to this brief manual I received a number of inquiries from my classes on leadership asking why the truth (the T of H.I.T.) was relegated to the last paragraph and not placed at the beginning of the chapter where it belongs. Good question. The answer is that truth was not placed last; for it surely holds a place of preeminence over all other aspects of communication. However, the truth does not live in a vacuum, but rather, is a logical consequence of being impartial, objective and unbiased. When the person seeking to be a leader speaks, both verbally and in writing, in a biased and non-impartial manner he or she not only loses objectivity but loses the truth as well. To speak with an I.O.U. (Impartial, Objective, Unbiased) is to give the audience what is owed to it and to gain the means to make the message a H.I.T. (Honesty, Integrity, Truth). It seems paradoxical to think that a leader can be biased, prejudicial, and extreme in the communication process and arrive at the truth with any semblance of honesty and integrity. Most people that I know place truth and honesty at or near the top of all the lists of leadership traits. A truthful leader tells the truth; it is no more complicated than that. Telling the truth is paramount to any other aspect of leadership as it is in public speaking, writing and in every other leadership or communication class that I have taught. I am convinced that the leader cannot arrive at the truth if he or she tries to get there by wearing the blinders of preconceived notions, prejudices, biases or other communication and leadership truth blockers.

Truth, much like beauty, lies in the eye of the beholder. I can behold the wet rainy day today and state truthfully that it is a good thing as it is filling the reservoirs prior to the potential hot summer drought season. Another person can behold the same rain and be truthful in declaring it a miserable and depressing day. Neither of us has lied; we merely perceive things in an honestly different way. This leads to one of the contemporary problems with finding the truth. It is what I call the "Unholy Trinity" whereby Marketing leads to Perception which then leads to Reality. In this world of Madison Avenue, internet, cable and network television, satellite radios, and a seemingly endless array of technological "news" media sources it seems that the more something is said (Marketing), whether true or not, the more it becomes the general Perception and eventually the accepted Reality. This trinity can prove to be dangerous as it can be used as a manipulative tool to gain the favor of an audience without the necessary impartial, unbiased and objective approach. The leader knows this. The good leader acknowledges it. The great leader avoids it at all costs and reaches out to his or her followers with an unswerving bias for the truth.

Volvo is the safest automobile in the world, not because it really is (it may not) but because we have been told over and over that it is and, therefore we buy Volvos for safety. Research analysis may show that the newer models of other cars are actually the safest. Volkswagens were designed for driving enthusiasts not because they were (they were not), but because we have been told so repeatedly. The truth is that Volkswagens were designed during the Nazi regime and first driven off the assembly line by Adolf Hitler who praised the "Peoples Car "(Volks Wagon) as a noted accomplishment of his abhorrent Third Reich. Hitler, of course, was the most heinous villain in history not because he was (I think he was not) but because we have been told that he was. While a monster by any measure, Hitler’s evil is trumped in my view by Josef Stalin the murderous dictator who terrorized the Soviet Union and its people from 1924-1953 and is credited with causing the deaths of millions of his own people. All of this falls into the dangerous category commonly known as "conventional wisdom," the convenient (lazy?) way to get knowledge or wisdom; just be told what is "true" often enough and you will believe that it is true. Great leaders are not bogged down with this wasteful and time consuming need to acknowledge things as true simply because everyone else does. Great leaders challenge the conventional wisdom, seek the truth and sprint ahead with it.

Truth is an absolute; it is not interpretative, subjective or variable. Something is either true or not true; there is no third choice. Great leaders do not seek to find that third choice for the sole purpose of acknowledging political correctness or the conventional wisdom of the day. We may disagree on whether something is right or wrong, good or bad, beautiful or ugly, but still tell the truth in offering our opinion. The opposite of the truth is dangerous, hurtful and, unfortunately, prosperous for some. I can tell you first hand of the pain that can be caused by lies and I can also tell you of the profit that all of these lies have gained for the perpetrators. Does this mean that the truth loses to a more aggressive and dominant force? Should great leaders tell the truth only when it benefits them? Does this mean that we should discard the truth as a phenomenon that has outlived its usefulness and replace it with the more politically correct doublespeak and sound bites that gain us fame and fortune? Should the great leader lip synch the popular verses of the day so as to avoid controversy? It has been said that the future of this nation will be determined by the moral values that we carry forward from one generation to the next. If that is the case, one can argue that the nation’s future is not a bright one as we continually push the truth further back in our list of positive and productive virtues. Great leaders push the truth forward and do so at an impressive speed. Great leaders constantly strive to be Impartial, Objective, and Unbiased. It is for that reason that at the end of the sprint they have broken the tape of Honesty, Integrity, and most importantly, the Truth.

Great leaders always tell the truth and sprint ahead with it. Great leaders are also very often criticized for doing so. Telling the truth is a risky venture. While truthfulness yields marvelous leadership results, it also has the potential of upsetting those who are quite complacent in a world of customary and institutionalized, beliefs and habits. Great leaders challenge such behavior and often pay a price for doing so. This, however, is the new breed of leadership so desperately needed today; leadership that will not compromise the truth regardless of the consequences. The great leadership sprinter holds his or head up high at the finish line because the truth propelled him or her down the track.

CHAPTER 2: GREAT LEADERS HAVE AN I.O.U.

CHAPTER 2
GREAT LEADERS HAVE AN I.O.U.

Great leaders communicate in a manner that deserves respect. This respect comes from many sources, not the least of which is credibility. To be a great leader one must be believable and have the ability to inspire his or her followers. This is done by virtue of the leaders’ ability to judge each and every issue on its own merits and not be guided by the old fashioned need to stick to the predictable language of the status quo- driven conventional wisdom of the day.

I have had the great pleasure of teaching many classes at both the undergraduate and graduate level on the topic of communication. Thus, at a number of fine colleges and universities I have been afforded the opportunity to explore in depth those critical ingredients that are crucial to effective and persuasive communication styles for leaders. In each of these courses, whether a class on leadership, public speaking, writing, business communication, and effective communication for managers or a host of other classes, the need to be audience-focused is given a level of paramount importance.

It seems obvious that the leader, writer or speaker should ensure that the message is centered on the audience and that the message addresses the audience in such a way as to yield the most favorable results. What is less obvious, however, is just how to go about doing that; how to get the attention of the audience, whether an individual or group of followers, maintain their attention and end with a favorable response. More importantly for our purposes then, is how a great leader can communicate in such a way as to inspire his/her followers. The answer lies in giving the audience exactly what is owed to them by every great leader, writer or speaker. Hence, the I.O.U., which is due to every audience and which is employed by the best leaders. In this case I, the author, owe you, the audience, the promise that my message will be Impartial, Objective, and Unbiased. (I.O.U.)

It may seem rather simplistic to state that being impartial, objective and unbiased can yield positive results and hold an audiences' attention or can motivate a team of individuals. However, consider the alternatives. Typically, when the leader, a speaker or writer is seen as biased, overly opinionated or extreme in his or her viewpoints the message is often given less credibility and credence. This is so because, quite simply the author or potential leader is seen as more narrow minded than broad minded and incapable of offering a fair and balanced analysis of the subject matter at hand.

We see this every day with the polarized political commentary to which we are constantly exposed. Extremist arguments at both ends of the political spectrum often become no more than predictable partisan diatribes that are written with ideological blinders so as not to drift too far from the dogmatic and inflexible "party line." When we know the leaders’ view before the message is delivered and can predict the response to every question, then we have lost the feeling that the leader has given us our just due; the ability to have an honest difference of opinion and have an objective discussion of the issue being discussed. When the leader loses the perception of being impartial, objective and unbiased he or she loses the ability to be a great leader as well.

We live in a Republic which can be argued is that form of government that affords its' citizens the greatest opportunity for individual freedoms. Likewise, our political system, a representative democracy, can be seen as the most appropriate mechanism established to preserve our personal and civil liberties. It is important to know that the heart of that democracy beats to the rhythm of free speech and is nurtured by the ability of each of us to share our opinion and state our point of view without fear of recrimination. This heart becomes stronger and healthier when we can engage in an honest and open debate, offer constructive and helpful criticism and have competing and non-conformist thoughts. This heart of our democracy can also become weak and unhealthy when we are constantly bombarded with extremism and polemics where a difference of opinion is not tolerated. A great leader understands this.

So often I have heard students lament the polarized lectures, the lack of audience opinion and the closed mindedness of the presentations from which they learned little, if anything. Equally as often, I have heard the praise of audiences that, while not entirely in agreement with the speaker, appreciated the fairness of the open minded and inclusive presentation. When the speaker and the potential leader gain the perception of being impartial, objective and unbiased he or she gains the respect of the audience as well.

There are many techniques for effective communication in the world of leadership. Countless books have been written on the topic of the best style of communication for leaders. These works emphasize everything from brevity, clarity, audience focus, dramatic openings, thunderous conclusions, grammar and spell checking etc, etc. Few books, however, have fully addressed the issue of honesty. Yet, it is that issue; the perception by the audience that the leader is being fair and honest that, in my view, is the attribute that the audience considers to be of utmost importance. Communication, both verbal and written, involves contact with the audience. Great leaders are not only audience centered, they are audience involved.

I have found that passionate, focused and honest contact with the audience will almost always gain the attention and respect of those receiving the message and inspire them to listen to and follow the leadership message. When the leader is seen as communicating in an impartial, objective and unbiased manner the message will most assuredly be a HIT. In keeping with our acronyms a HIT stands for Honesty, Integrity, and Truth. These three simple words are lacking altogether too much in our public dialogue, in our corporate boardrooms and non-profit sector. An individual, group or team deserves the truth and has the right to know that the leader has high levels of honesty and integrity.

When a leader gives the I.O.U. that is owed to every audience, the resulting message will be a H.I.T. A respected marketing genius told me recently of the virtues of "High Intensity Marketing." I would like to speak of the virtues of "High Intensity Truth." Together, they would make an unbeatable combination. A great leader knows this, has put it into practice and is ready to sprint because the message is credible and the approach is honest. The great leader is not involved in a bottleneck of non-credible language; he or she is sprinting at a breakneck pace to excellence.

Stop and think if you will, of those great leaders that you have encountered in your lifetime. Think of your perception of their credibility, their believability, and your willingness to think of them as honest and truthful. Would you follow their lead if asked to? Typically, we follow those with high levels of credibility and tend to ignore those who are unwilling or unable to break from the mold of predictability with philosophical blinders or a politically correct bias.

A great leader can sprint because he or she is not chained to the starting blocks with the need to monitor a decision with a public opinion poll. The great leader sprints with the knowledge that the decision is fair and just. The great leader sprints like an impartial, objective and unbiased rocket.

The Leadership Sprint: Chapter 1

THE LEADERSHIP SPRINT: CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

There perhaps has been no other time in our history when great Leadership and great Leaders have been needed more than they are today. Today’s world presents a complex and complicated mix of issues, problems and challenges; a world that constantly demands bold decisions from bold, decisive leaders. The number of articles, books, and courses on “leadership” is evidence enough that a new breed of “leaders” is in demand. Today, we need more individuals who have the courage of their convictions and are willing to withstand the onslaught of criticism that will surely be aimed at those who are willing to step forward and do the right thing at the right time. These leaders, in short, need to be different and need also to be unafraid of being in the minority, contrary to the conventional wisdom or politically incorrect.

While this observation and uncomplicated prescription seem overly simplistic, they are not, and represent a not so ordinary or easy task. In every area of our society, and at all levels within those areas, we are confronted with a seemingly endless barrage of ever more difficult dilemmas and pressures that require our immediate attention, focus and decision-making. Leaders at international mega corporations, small, family-run businesses, our schools, churches, non-profits and, of course, our governments at the local, state and national level, are continuously seeking new and creative decision making processes to thrive and sometimes just survive these turbulent, and potentially opportunistic, times.

This is not to say that there have not been other times when there was a convergence of social, political, economic and international factors that forced other generations to find the great resolve needed to overcome overwhelming obstacles and achieve tremendous success. What Tom Brokaw has crowned “The Greatest Generation” certainly qualifies as a group of Americans who answered the call for greatness and led this nation through a very difficult time. My parents and their siblings and friends were part of that team that was born and raised during the Great Depression, fought and won the Great War and went on to build a Great Nation. That generation was blessed with great leaders who regularly had to make
monumental decisions that have molded and shaped our world to this day. From the domestic plans for economic recovery, to the momentous military decisions to win the war, to the post-war recovery plans, Korea, communist containment and much more, these leaders exhibited the very characteristics required for extraordinary people to achieve extraordinary success in the most difficult of times.

One could also argue that the First Generation of American citizens did the same. The Founding Fathers and the great patriots of the American Revolution managed to challenge and then defeat the most powerful military force in the world. They shocked the world with their military success, and continued to shock it by creating and succeeding at something bold and different: a Republic based on the principles of equality and liberty. That generation also was blessed with extraordinary and courageous leaders. From the eloquent prose of its greatest commentator Thomas Jefferson, to the common-sense reasoning of Thomas Paine, to the military genius of George Washington, this nation was extremely fortunate to have had some of the best, brightest, and courageous leaders that the world had to offer.

We would do well to learn from these generations of Americans that have laid the foundations of excellence in decision-making for us and have shown by their example the power of bold and decisive leadership to change their world. Many of these leaders were mercilessly criticized in their lifetime, but are respected and revered by future generations.

While the obstacles they overcame were intimidating, if not overwhelming, it can be argued that the challenges and threats that we face today are equally, if not more, daunting. In fact, the world in which we live today presents us and our leaders with an unprecedented slate of disheartening and discouraging spectacles. The constant threat of global terrorism and its frightening prospects of violence and death, the global spread of disease and the equally demoralizing potential of widespread death, the global food crisis and the spread of famine, a wide range of pandemics both natural and manmade, global warming and the fear that our planet may not survive a rapid climate change, the widespread globalization of business that threatens the very existence of international commerce as we know it, and the ever present threat of a global nuclear confrontation all represent global challenges
that are unique to our generation. Nationally, we are again confronted with new and unprecedented threats, problems and opportunities. With a national debt well over ten trillion dollars, a potentially bankrupt Social Security system, some twelve million illegal immigrants, costly and often unavailable health care, a national recession, an unpopular war and the rising economic and environmental costs of energy are just a few of the crises that leaders in the US face today. They are facing a world of leadership decisions that are unique to our time and magnified in the fall of 2008 with a financial meltdown on Wall St., a 700+ billion dollar federal bailout, faltering financial institutions, a collapse of the U.S. auto industry, rising unemployment and much more. Closer to home the situation is much the same: in our classrooms, churches, charities and social service networks we must seek leaders who can provide the vision, inspiration and passion to guide us through a maze of rules, regulations and laws that seem to make success a most difficult goal to achieve.

None of this is to imply that we are entering a new Dark Ages or that doom and gloom rule the planet. Yes, the crises and problems besetting the world are unique and numerous but so too are the opportunities. History has shown that great leaders emerge during a time of crisis and the greatest of those leaders emerge victorious because they have seized the incredible opportunity for greatness that the crisis presented. We have all seen the bumper stickers and motivational posters telling us that “crisis = danger + opportunity” or that “out of danger emerges greatness,” and so on. There is much truth in these slogans and the challenges we face today do, in fact, afford us a once-in-a-lifetime chance to implement new and exciting changes. Great leaders do not get bogged down or throttled by pessimism. Great leaders are optimists and inspire that optimism and hope in others.

If today’s challenges are unique, then it is imperative that today’s breed of leaders engage a new brand of leadership that is as different and unique as the challenges confronting them. The following pages examine what I think are the necessary ingredients for great leadership in our world today. These ingredients will be different from most of what you have probably read about leadership to this point and will underscore the need for new and innovative approaches to new and challenging experiences. First, I will discuss exactly what leadership is (and is not) and what proper leadership training is.

The literature on the subject of “leadership” abounds. It seems that every politician (especially Presidential candidates), professional athlete, corporate leader, and management guru has become a leadership “expert.” I have had the honor of teaching leadership classes and seminars at both the graduate and undergraduate level at a number of colleges, and have found this topic and its literature to be a bit overwhelming. Suffice it to say that the sum total of all these books and manuals offer hundreds of the “most important” traits for good leadership. We will not examine all of these traits and characteristics since most of them represent the status quo version of leadership with all the requisite political correctness and jargon that has become the hallmark of contemporary writing. Rather than begin with a long list of necessary traits for great leadership let us begin with a few examples of what makes for a great leader.

GREAT LEADERS ARE SPRINTERS

IT IS NOT A MARATHON…IT IS A SPRINT

I have been told, and undoubtedly you have as well, that “It is not a sprint…it is a marathon.” The thinking behind this statement is quite simple; success takes a long time, and managers and leaders should not rush into things; after all, “Rome wasn’t built in a day” and so on.

This advice is probably appropriate for long term strategic goals or for setting benchmarks for achieving objectives well into the future. However, it is perfectly inappropriate for the kind of leadership that is needed in most instances today and the type of leadership that we will be discussing in this manual. The metaphor of a marathon and a sprint is, in itself, quite telling.

A marathon is a long-distance, time-consuming, endurance-testing race; the best-in class marathon-runners will take more than two hours to complete the more than 26 mile-race. A sprint, on the other hand, is an exhilarating dash that in its most exciting form, the 100 meter dash, is over in fewer than ten seconds. A rough mathematical calculation shows that we can complete some 780 such sprints in the time it takes to complete one marathon. Leaders—great leaders—cannot plod along at a marathoner’s pace in a world that demands the type of bold decisive leadership that we are discussing here.

If the marathon and sprint are analogous to leadership then the marathoner and the sprinter are analogous to leaders. The athletic events themselves are quite different and involve altogether different strategies, preparation and execution. The physical makeup and mental preparation of a sprinter are different than those of a marathon runner. The sprinter is a chiseled-from-stone athlete with a carefully trained and powerfully built body capable of catapulting forward at a breathtaking speed in a lightning-bolt tear down the track. The sprinter tends to be a strapping, strong and powerful athlete whose muscles are honed to perfection for the single purpose of getting to the goal faster than any other human being. The sprinter is singularly focused on the target. Once the start gun goes off, there is no time for re-thinking strategy, no pacing, no water, no time-checks; nothing but a 100% all out dash to the finish line. The sprinter at a world championship level is among the world’s finest athletes; in fact, it is customary to crown the gold medalist in the 100 meter sprint at the Summer Olympics as “The World’s Fastest Human.”

The winner of the marathon at the summer games, on the other hand, is known as the winner of the marathon. The marathon runner tends to be slight of build, long and lean, with long-distance lung capacity. The marathoner needs to pace himself over the long course; running too fast at the start, for example, might overly tax his stamina. The marathoner also needs constantly to monitor the competition; lagging too far behind his rivals might create too great a distance to make up. In short, the marathoner needs to use multiple strategies, and play a version of athletic chess with the competition. All of this takes time. The marathoner also needs the input and advice from others to help with time checks, benchmarks, water and electrolyte replenishing and so on. The marathon takes a long time to finish and the runner needs a lot of help to get to the finish line.

What does all of this mean to the world of leadership where most of us reside? We live in a time that is dominated by what is known as “the law of acceleration.” Anyone involved in the fields of high technology, telecommunications, information technology or any research and development department of a world-class organization knows this law all too well. Simply stated: change is happening at a rapid, if not dizzying, speed and it is sometimes impossible to see it, but it is imperative to keep pace with it. Today’s managers and leaders at all levels cannot afford to call for planning conferences, consensus-building seminars, or long-term consultant-based meetings to come to grips with pressing matters. Put another way, leaders cannot always stop, train, and run a marathon of input sessions, seminars and symposiums. Today’s corporations, nonprofits and governments need a new generation of leaders who are well equipped with the foundations of leadership to explode off the starting blocks and beat any and all competitors in a devil be damned sprint to the wire.

None of this is to say that long-range planning is unnecessary or that strategic and operational goals should be sacrificed for strictly tactical initiatives. Nor does it imply that immediate or attainable goals always take precedent over intermediate or long-range goals and objectives. Most importantly, none of this calls for knee-jerk responses, reckless ventures or irresponsible racing without fully analyzing all available options. The sprinter can run at full speed in the leadership world because the leadership sprinter is a responsible, vigilant, and conscientious individual. The sprinter can sprint because of the training and preparation that has preceded the firing of the starting gun. In the following chapters we will describe this training and preparation fully. There are numerous real life examples of great leadership and great leaders where the powerful sprinters succeeded and the slower marathoners lagged behind.

Governments at all levels provide visible examples of this sprinter/marathoner paradox. Governments and government bureaucracies whether federal, state or local are often slow to embrace change and will do so only after a laborious and lengthy public process that involves both political and public policy considerations. Public sector leaders also tend to be more static than dynamic and often embrace the status quo process of funding government programs and services simply because it has always been done that way. Here the resistance to change is formidable and includes interest groups, lobbyists, public sector unions and government employees. Each of these groups has a vested interest in a slower process of seminars, symposiums, consultants, hearings and studies that will delay or curtail efforts to streamline government by reducing or eliminating funding for their program or service.

I have encouraged my students to engage in a newer faster form of budget review and program funding process that involves a careful and critical look at the way government operates. First, the new breed of leader that we are discussing will strive to identify the core mission of the government; those programs and services that define the central and primary reasons for the very existence of the government. Once identified, the leader will then sprint to provide the necessary resources to operate these programs and jettison all else as superfluous. Outstanding leaders will also utilize processes such as zero-based budgeting as a means to put a streamlined government on the fast track to effectiveness and efficiency. Here, nothing is assumed to be eligible for funding until it passes a detailed cost-benefit and program efficiency analysis. Gone are the days of adding incremental budget increases to everything that was funded last year because it is too time consuming and politically risky to do otherwise. The new breed of leader will not only have the courage to challenge the status quo, but will move quickly to introduce new and creative ideas to make governments far more productive.

Colleges and universities are not immune to this marathon malaise. Some colleges hold on to traditional courses and academic programs and are slow to offer new curricula and new teaching technologies because of the enormous time and effort that academia often requires for introducing change. Traditional leaders in higher education may feel that their institutions exist in a comfortable non-profit and non-competitive zone. Leadership sprinters know that this is not the case and that speed and agility are essential keys to success in this highly competitive arena. The new breed of academic leaders will analyze the scholastic environment and quickly study the feasibility of online, continuous enrollment, hybrid, accelerated, off campus and traditional classroom courses. Then the leader will sprint to implement these new offerings where appropriate. As in government, the results will more than likely be a more effective, efficient and productive institution of higher learning.

The underlying premise of this manual is that leaders who sprint are far more effective than leaders who run a marathon. However, it is critical that the leader be fully prepared and trained before placing a foot in the starting blocks. The following chapters will identify those training requirements and discuss the preparation that all great leaders must have before they can even think of being a world class leadership sprinter. The great leadership sprinter must spend a great deal of time in the weight room lifting the barbells of honesty, integrity and truth. He or she must then develop the aerobic skills of being impartial, objective and unbiased. The leadership sprinter then must constantly train on the genuine, authentic and sincere treadmill of fairness. He or she must then constantly practice with discipline, dedication and devotion and a willingness to use common sense to both fight tyranny and defend his or her faith and heritage. Finally, as the final stretching exercises the leadership sprinter must breathe in self esteem and belief in self with full extension to vision, inspiration and passion. Only then can the great leader execute the great sprint.

Picture in your mind three horses in the starting gate in the Kentucky Derby. In the first gate is a magnificent thoroughbred reminiscent of the great Secretariat. He is highly motivated and perfectly trained to set a new track record. In gate 2 is a Clydesdale; in gate 3 is a Belgian Draft Horse. Both of these horses are well trained for their tasks and will do good work at a slow pace. Now the gates open and you must choose. Should the thoroughbred sprint to the finish and lead the charge knowing that the others will follow or plod along at their pace thinking “what the heck this is not a sprint it is a marathon?”

THE FLIGHT TO THE OLYMPICS

You have just boarded your flight to the Summer Olympic Games where you are to compete in the 100 meter sprint. You hold the current world record and are the favorite to bring home the gold medal. You know that you are the world’s fastest human and this is the stage that will earn you that designation. You sit back in your seat and dream of glory.

Let us begin our brief journey to leadership sprinting glory.

THE LEADERSHIP SRINT: BRIEF CONTENTS

BRIEF CONTENTS



1. Introduction………………………………………………………………..1
2. Great Leaders have an I.O.U………………………………………………9
3. Great Leaders are a H.I.T………………………………………………....12
4. Great Leaders are G.A.S. Guzzlers……………………………………….15
5. Great Leaders are FAIR…………………………………………………..19
6. Great Leaders Speak English……………………………………………..22
7. Great Leaders are VIPs…………………………………………………...26
8. Great Leaders Use Common Sense……………………………………….32
9. Great Leaders Fight Tyranny……………………………………………..35
10. Great Leaders Defend Their Faith………………………………………..37
11. Great Leaders Defend Their Heritage…………………………………….41
12. Great Leaders Sprint in Surround Sound…………………………………44
13. Great Leaders Sprint in High Definition………………………………….47
14. Great Leaders Sprint in 3D……………………………………………….50
15. The Leadership HOP……………………………………………………...52
16. Great Marines are Great Leaders………………………………………….55
17. The Sprint to the Finish…………………………………………………...60
Applications: Case Studies and Exercises…………………………………….67
Answer Key…………………………………………………………………...74

Dr. Stephen Willand Receives Outstanding Faculty Award From Assumption College

Dr. Stephen Willand received the Assumption College 2008 Outstanding Faculty Award at the annual faculty meeting held in August. Dr. Willand has taught at Assumption since 2000, teaching both CCE and MBA Program courses, including Leadership, Business Strategy, and Communication Issues in Contemporary Organizations. He also teaches as an adjunct faculty member at other area institutions.

Earlier in his career, Dr. Willand was the Director of the Worcester City Manager’s Office of Employment and Training, Director of the Central Massachusetts Regional Employment Board, and Chair of Worcester’s Energy Task Force. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in History at the College of the Holy Cross, his Master of Arts at the Center for Advanced International Studies of the University of Miami, and his Ph.D. in Political Science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

See Full Article Here

Dr. Willand resides in Worcester and has been an active member of the community, serving on the Board of Directors of the United Way of Central Massachusetts, Chair of the Community Response Team, and chair of the City’s 150th Anniversary Committee. He has also been a recipient of numerous awards recognizing his contributions in the area of community service, fund raising, and program efficiency.

I.O.U. UPDATE: THE AM-BUSH

George W. Bush is the worst President in the history of the United States. George W. Bush should have been impeached a long time ago. George W. Bush should apologize to the American people and the people of the world for all for all the pain that he has caused. George W. Bush was never elected; he stole the election. George W. Bush is evil. George W. Bush should be compared to Hitler. These and other extreme pronouncements have been made by many highly trained and skilled political scientists including Michael Moore, Cher, Alec Baldwin, Sharon Stone and Barbara Streisand. Their thoughts have been echoed by such impartial observers as Jimmy Carter, John Kerry, Cindy Sheehan and Nancy Pelosi to name a few. On the occasion of his final press conference, his “ultimate exit interview,” we might do well to apply an Impartial, Objective and Unbiased assessment to his presidency to get a more balanced appraisal of his tenure in the White House.

To crown George W. Bush with the title of “worst president in the nation’s history” would be to place his presidency below those of such notable failures as James Buchanan, Warren G. Harding, Ulysses S. Grant and Jimmy Carter himself. We would also need to ignore the presidents that were the object of impeachment proceedings; Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton. George W. Bush is not a popular president and his approval ratings have dropped from good - to acceptable - to abysmal. During the recent presidential campaign his endorsement was not a coveted prize as it became altogether too easy to blame him for much, if not all, of the nation’s problems. However, to name him the worst president is perhaps no more accurate than to name him the best.

During his press conference the president said that he inherited a recession and is leaving with one. This is mostly accurate and, on balance, the economy fared relatively well during his administration and faltered badly only near the end. George W. Bush also inherited a terrorist plot that culminated in the attacks of September 11, 2001. In the days immediately following 9-11, the president’s approval ratings soared as the nation looked to him ironically for hope in the aftermath of a national tragedy. The president admitted some of his failures and disappointments and realized that not everything went according to plan. However, he cannot be blamed for everything that went wrong. There is much blame to go around for the economy, the war, Hurricane Katrina and much more. He should take his fair share of the blame; not all of it.

George W. Bush definitely made mistakes and history will judge him accordingly. However, historians have a way of being more fair and kinder to unpopular presidents than their contemporaries do. Thomas Jefferson, Harry Truman and Ronald Reagan were heavily criticized and scorned during their tenure in office, only to be judged later to be among the better presidents in our nation’s history.

How will history judge George W. Bush? An impartial assessment would seem to avoid both extremes; not at or near the best, but not at or near the worst.

NEW: I.O.U. UPDATE -- Impailin' Palin

To be Impartial, Objective and Unbiased is to be credible, and credibility is one of the hallmarks of great leaders. This particular I.O.U. is a debt that writers owe their audience and leaders owe their followers; a fair, balanced and honest assessment of any topic or issue. We will examine contemporary issues on this site periodically to see if the I.O.U. approach yields results that are different from the conventional wisdom.

Issue No. 1: Impalin’ Palin

One of the great sporting, cultural and entertainment pastimes of the recent presidential campaign season was the very popular political and personal attacking and insulting of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. She bore the brunt of every conceivable demeaning sexual stereotype (airhead, empty skirt, ditz, Caribou Barbie…); her husband, daughter, and sons (and future son-in-law) were heavily vilified; she was a constant target of Saturday Night Live skits, Katie Couric interviews, sports talk shows, late night entertainment shows and a full array of Hollywood commentators. When all was said and done this formidable force seemed to leave the impression that Governor Palin was all that she was accused of being and more.

I had many people tell me, for example, that she preached hatred and incited violence. When I asked for examples and documentation, I was told that these were known facts. When I asked people why they laughed at her I was told something in the form of “everyone knows that she’s an idiot.” Sarah Palin may well have become a victim of what I have termed “The Unholy Trinity” where marketing leads to perception which leads to reality. The more something is said, the more likely it becomes a person’s perception which will become their reality. Governor Palin was all of these negative things, not because of any facts, but because we were told so every day.

An I.O.U. approach yields different results. Sarah Palin is the governor of the largest state in the union and has provided outstanding fiscal guidance to that state in both good and bad economic cycles. She has a balanced budget, has given sizeable tax rebates to taxpayers, and has a reasonably large contingency account or “rainy day” fund, all in a time when other states are facing serious budget deficits and tax increases. Sarah Palin is Honest (Chapter 3 of The Leadership Sprint), is Genuine (Ch.4), Speaks English (Ch.6), Uses Common Sense (Ch.8), and Defends her Faith and Heritage (Chs. 10 and 11).

Ironically, these are the traits that I have listed for the new breed of great leaders; leaders that will be different and unafraid of challenging the old fashioned status quo style of the conventional (convenient) wisdom and hollow leadership. Governor Palin is different and that difference was seen as dangerous. Thus, the criticism went well beyond the issues, party ideology or political positions. When something is very different and dangerous it will be attacked on a personal and hurtful level. When one takes an honest I.O.U. approach, Sarah Palin seems more to fit the Jeffersonian model of a common citizen performing the civic duty of statesmanship than the unqualified, inexperienced and laughable woman that she was portrayed to be.

Was it right to question her on policy (e.g. drilling in ANWR)? Yes. Was it right to dismiss her as a convenient joke? No.

Is she gonna survive all of this? You betcha!