It Takes A CRISIS·
- Change… is the theme of the United States today.· But it requires a Major, clear crisis to get the type of change we need.
Unfortunately we are NOW IN CRISIS...so Need Surgeon Leaders…
You can find situations like this through out our history, but the most recent crises included: the GREAT DEPRESSION, THE WAR TO END ALL WARS, THE SPUTNIK SURPRISE, 9/11.In each case, the country was forced to make major changes and to become more focused and dedictated.
In the Great Depression the country was willing to allow the President and the Democratic Congress to take complete control of thecountry to turn it around.- World War II saw the change in the number of terms a President could serve and the willingness of the people to get behind what was originally an unpopular war.
- Sputnik allowed Kennedy to reallocate resources to a SPACE program that has contributed not only to the US’s global military power, but also help provide all of the micro-electronics, software and computer power to make the world more fun and permits worldwide communications.
- 9/11 is still not clear. It permitted Bush to overthrown the Iraqui dictator, but unless the war is “won”… it may have caused a major change in our view of ability and willingness to be the police force and democracy missionaries of the world.United States CAN’T Afford our traditional types of leaders..
We can’t “be all things to all people”, believe we are INFINITELY wealthy and POLICE and CONVERT THE WORLD…WE NEED “SURGEON LEADERS”…NOW!!!THE UNITED STATES HAS LIMITED RESOURCES…Since the end of World War II, the United States has executed “all things to all people” strategies and programs.
The underlying assumption was and still is that we are LEADER of the world, have INFINITE resources and can not only grow our own country, but be the police man of the world and the missionary to convert the world to democracy.
In the 1950’s and early 1960’s this was the same attitude and underpinnings of many of the now deceased or critically ill, United States corporations. Names like Westinghouse, RCA etc.. can now only be found on tombstones or references in business history books and case studies. Others like General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, US Steel are possibly likely to join the group or will be restructured as only shadows of their past.The United States as a nation is moving from the moderate growth to the declining growth stage of its economic and possibly military power. But is still acts and has a Government that pretends to be a GLOBAL ECONOMIC POWER, when it is on the rapid decline of the growth curve.- TOO MANY RISKTAKER/CARETAKERS AND NOT ENOUGH SURGEONS.In my book (Risktaker. Caretaker, Surgeon, Undertaker- the four faces of strategic leadership) I classify leaders into four types and describe their characteristics. This is a summary of each of the leadership characteristics and its relationship to the life cycle of the organization.
Risktaker Caretaker Surgeon UndertakerMissionary Cautious Nothing and No One sacred DecisiveIntuitive Managerial Challenges “folklore” CompassionateAdaptive Analytical Portfolio manager UnselfishDynamic Experienced Ability to sell at a profit Realist
EMBRYONIC CONTINUING GROWTH MATURING/ SLOWING NEGATIVE GROWTHLet’s take a look at the situations that each of these president’s faced and their style of leadership.·
- Roosevelt--- inherited a country in crisis… the depression required taking major risks to jump start the economy. His first act was to close all of the banks… move the country to a more socialistic than capitalistic situation. He took enormous risks in helping England survive and some even believe the was willing to let the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor to get the country into the war.
- Truman… the risktaker of all time…he bet on dropping the bomb…even though he had very little insight in how it would work out…· Eisenhower was the caretaker of all time… he just let the world happen… no waves..
- Kennedy… not in time long enough to really classify… he was a risktaker when he tried to invade Cuba, but lacked the courage to see if it would work… he took a major risk with Russia and they backed down…so he was more of a risktaker than a caretaker.·
- Nixon…was a risktaker, but his personality negated what he was able to do.· Carter…was a true caretaker and a micromanager…
- Reagan was a risktaker.. and was able to create an economic evolution and the creation of a CULT.
- George HW BUSH was a caretaker… really didn’t do much. His invasion and quick retreat of Iraq demonstrated this.
- Clinton the typical caretaker… was willing to change to fit the popular reaction.
- Bush W.. was a risktaker…but didn’t really understand the risk he was taking and surrounded himself with individuals that supported a “hawkish, foreign policy.
No Longer NUMBER One!!!The NEXT President, whoever he must be a realist and move into the surgeon category. Let’s examine some of the reasons that this is needed and then the characteristic the President and the Members of Congress must possess.
Current SITUATION:A Debtor Nation· United States has become a major DEBTOR nation---(some figures)· The American consumer is a highly leveraged and unable to continue to spend like there is no tomorrow. The Sub-Prime problems is making it even worse.
China and other nations have enormous economic power and are CREDITOR nations.· United States dollar is eroding and enabling other nations to purchase our companies, assets, national resources at bargain prices.·
“FOR SALE”.. appears to be the message of today’s United States institutions, whether are the “in-crisis” financial institutions, like Citi and Merrill, the real estate or the infrastructure and ship yards. This is a clear sign of a declining nation.Divided Politically, Socially and Economically
Country is highly divided and there is no real majority.· The very wealthy are getting wealthier and the poor are becoming wards of the state.· Jobs and assets have been GIVE AWAY to the highest bidders, or the opportunists who have take advantage of the “ very weak, declining dollar” and a Greenspan led Federal Reserve who was more political than economists.· The nation must recognize it is on the upper end, declining position of the growth curve and not on its rapid growth position.Infrastructure has been harvested·
The INFRASTRUCTURE… road, water, electricity have been HARVESTED and are on the verge of a major collapse… there is MAJOR GRIDLOCK in all of the major cities, there is flooding and water damage in even the most affluent cities, there are BLACKOUTS when it rains…·
Education spends more on the buses, security than on TEACHING… there is no discipline in the classrooms since everyone is “politically sensitive” and no one wants to be sued.
In short, America is becoming more like a THIRD WORLD nations, but behaves like it was what it was… the BANKER, SAVIOR OF THE WORLD…WANTED—Surgeon Leaders.Surgeon leaders are those most suited to “re-structure” and change the business priorities and focus. These are individuals who are first and formost realists and clearly recognize that if the patient, in this case the country, doesn’t under grow surgery they will become invalids or even worse will die.There have been many great surgeon leaders in the history of America business and these are the type of people we need to lead the country now. Let’s outline some of the key actions required,
NOW:· “NOTHING and NO ONE is SACRED”- The country leaders, including the President, his administration and Congress must be will to step back and evaluate all of the country needs and requirements and not make anything or anyone sacred.· Set Priorities and Allocate Resources- Using a clear set of viable criteria the leaders must do an OBJECTIVE evaluation and set priorities and then be willing to communicate what needs to be done and what can’t be done…
this means being POLITICALLY INCORRECT is needed.· DO what they SAY…this is the essence of strategic leadership. Strategy is what you do and not what you say. Unfortunately, this will take a major change in the “political mindset”..where it is common to say one thing and do something else.
LINE ITEM VETO- The president must be able to cut out the polk and not permit the valuable and needed programs to be surrounded by politically motivated, non-productive waste full polk.· BALANCED BUDGET. Willingness to live in our means and not just continue to add to the debt… this means that there must be a CONSTITUTIONAL BALANCED BUDGET and no exceptions. If programs are increased in one area, others must be decreased or more revenues must be generated.
TERM LIMITS FOR EVERYONE- Time limits on all members of government. Roosevelt made it clear that there must be time limits on the Presidency and so we have a two term president. But the Senate have become the House of Lords and a long tenure group of “too comfortable” and too Powerful individuals. If it make sense for two terms for the PRESIDENT, why doesn’t make sense for the Senate. The House members terms should be extended to four years and they two must only be able to serve for two terms.
STOP FINANCING OUR ENEMIES. Stop all FOREIGN aid and examine where it should go. Don’t give money to our enemies or to those who are wealthier than we are. We can’t buy friendship and these funds should be used to solve real problems and be time limited. No annuities that go on and on and are actually used to undermine their purpose.
NO MORE POLICEMAN AND MISSIONARY- Moving from the policeman and “democratic” missionaries to willing to allow other countries to manage their own countries and select the best form of government for them and not what may work of us. This also means a reality test on whether democracy is really working here. It is only partially working.
IMPOSSIBLE DREAM??
- Reading this list of requirements may make you think that I am totally Naïve and it is impossible to get these type of changes. After all, the current systems and policies protect the incumbents in government and allow them to get enough “polk” to keep them in office. There are too many and strong lobbyists who have created one of the only growth industries in the United States. There is a great fear of not giving away money to all nations even to our enemy since the country is already unpopular.So, on the surface it is impossible and the current policies and practices will continue
- UNTIL THERE IS A REAL CRISIS. The crisis is likely to take the form of major recession, combined with massive unemployment and even some form of the “bread lines of the Great Depression”
- A CRISIS SOCIETY.If there is a major crisis… the real issue is whether the country can respond and how long it will take. The best solution, is to take actions now… ELECT a SURGEON GOVERNMENT.
Bill Rothschild, author of Risktaker, Caretaker, Surgeon, Undertaker- the four faces of strategic leadership...available on www.strategyleader.com
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