Once again, this administration fails to recognize that experience matters.
The Director of the Secret Service is a career member of the organization. Yet she has no field experience. She has not served on a protective detail. She has not served in an law enforcement role.
She was a staff member, very good at the staff work by all reports, preparing budgets and the like.
Why, then, should we be surprised that she has been unable to kick in the rudder steer necessary to correct the Secret Service? Leadership demands experience, which she lacks in the most crucial of areas. Unfortunately, just as does her boss.
Best way forward: fire or demote her and bring a hot charger in from the ranks of those with field experience. Someone who will kick ass and take names.
I am not a fan of the current President, but our nation must do all that is required to protect the President of the United States, whoever it may be.
Experience matters.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
The stakes are very important
“I think that I’m a better speechwriter
than my speechwriters. I know more about policies on any particular issue than
my policy directors. And I’ll tell you right now that I’m gonna think I’m a
better political director than my political director.” President Obama
If the President knows more about policies on
every issue than his staff, then why are things so very, very confused in this
administration? If he as he claims to
be, why are national security policies so profoundly muddled?
How
can he simultaneously be so damned smart and so naïve?
It
would be funny if the stakes weren’t so damned important.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Misplaced excitement
Reading this morning about the commencement of airstrikes targeting ISIS in Syria, we must be critical of the misplaced excitement.
Prosecution of military operations has been dragged down to a new level by this administration. Publicly declaring (even debating) what will or won't be done, when and where, is contrary to essential military tenets. Secrecy, swiftness and violence of action are necessary for victory. But, of course, one has to assume the current administration actually seeks victory.
The initial tally of less than 200 airstrikes in Iraq, each reportedly personally approved by POTUS, is neither inspiring nor representative of the pursuit of victory. POTUS has no military experience to draw upon in making operational or tactical decisions. More importantly, however, is the fact that it is not the job of POTUS to make these decisions. Our history all too dramatically reveals such a process to be a failure.
Since the current POTUS has a significant void in relevant management and leadership experience, we shouldn't be surprised when he does first what he did last. Academic discussion, opinion shaping through organizing, floating ideas. These are the not the hallmarks of a great leader. But these actions, the best we can expect from POTUS, are what have occurred.
After much, far too much, academic discussion, opinion shaping through organizing, and floating of ideas, this administration enabled ISIS to disperse its command, control, and communications capabilities; distribute its logistic stockpiles; hide its weapons; and otherwise relocate or conceal what once would have been primary target sets.
Assuming the current military actions will follow the model the administration recently embraced in Iraq, the results (no matter how they may be described by the administration) are no more than misplaced excitement.
Prosecution of military operations has been dragged down to a new level by this administration. Publicly declaring (even debating) what will or won't be done, when and where, is contrary to essential military tenets. Secrecy, swiftness and violence of action are necessary for victory. But, of course, one has to assume the current administration actually seeks victory.
The initial tally of less than 200 airstrikes in Iraq, each reportedly personally approved by POTUS, is neither inspiring nor representative of the pursuit of victory. POTUS has no military experience to draw upon in making operational or tactical decisions. More importantly, however, is the fact that it is not the job of POTUS to make these decisions. Our history all too dramatically reveals such a process to be a failure.
Since the current POTUS has a significant void in relevant management and leadership experience, we shouldn't be surprised when he does first what he did last. Academic discussion, opinion shaping through organizing, floating ideas. These are the not the hallmarks of a great leader. But these actions, the best we can expect from POTUS, are what have occurred.
After much, far too much, academic discussion, opinion shaping through organizing, and floating of ideas, this administration enabled ISIS to disperse its command, control, and communications capabilities; distribute its logistic stockpiles; hide its weapons; and otherwise relocate or conceal what once would have been primary target sets.
Assuming the current military actions will follow the model the administration recently embraced in Iraq, the results (no matter how they may be described by the administration) are no more than misplaced excitement.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Unplugged - and loving it
Recently I returned from a 2,508 mile motorcycle road trip, which included days on the road with a life long friend, a visit with our grandchildren, and others visits with family and friends in another state. Throughout, I remained unplugged from email, the Internet, and "mainstream" news. Frankly, I loved it.
The detachment from all forms of electronic communication was both refreshing and uplifting. For example, when visiting with our grandchildren, we went out to dinner and then played together in the family room. When on the road with my buddy of more than 50 years, we'd stop periodically for coffee or a meal and talk about family. At the end of the day's ride, we'd clean up and adjourn for dinner and chats over a couple of beers. Some of the chats were about the day's ride, with others about the upcoming reunion of our 8th grade class that we'd be attending. When meeting with family, we'd talk about talk about favorite memories. And, at the reunion, we talked about everything, but politics, news, or world and national issues. One of the gals came up and said, "I remember you." I thought, did I date her in high school? So I asked, "Is it is a good memory or a bad memory?" She merely smiles and walked away.
Damn, but it so great not being aware of what was happening for two weeks. I was able to focus on the people and activities that mean the most to me. Additionally, I was able to enjoy the awesome and majestic beauty of the Oregon coast line and mountains. Nothing beats the natural beauty of Oregon in September, before the rains and cold temperatures set in. We even stopped at a unique place for lunch one day. Great fish and chips, with fresh fish.
For four of the days in the saddle, I was riding solo, which provided ample time to just reflect on my good fortune. As I've written before, riding a motorcycle is a fully engaged activity. No windows up, air conditioning on, stereo blasting cocoon transporting you from A to B. It is total immersion in the environment, when means experiencing the cold, the heat, the rain, the smell of smoke from wildfires, the sounds of the ocean, the smell of the sea, and the idiotic maneuvers by some of the motorists encountered along the way.
Being unplugged is also a state of mind, as well as the electronic reality. I found my smiles were more frequent, my laughs more robust. The meals tasted better. The beer was more enjoyable. The smiles from my wife more meaningful. Sure, there were times I felt like the bad ass biker we seek to somewhat portray. For example, when my buddy and I stopped in a local bakery for a nosh and cup of coffee. The looks from the people on the street were actually humorous. Being unplugged also felt rebellious, if you follow the theme. A sort of, "I don't give a damn" attitude.
Certainly, there were times we interacted with strangers and which could have been tense, but weren't. For example, the gent from Dallas, Texas we chatted with one morning at a motel on the Oregon coast. Imagine you were him, seeing two "reprobates" walking out of the adjoining motel room in full leathers, loading up their bikes. He could have shook his head and thought, "Damned bikers." Instead, he said, "Nice looking bikes." With a positive introduction, we chatted for a few minutes, smiles all around. No Dems vs. GOP. No Obama comments. Nothing negative. Such as written about earlier, I detected a bit of envy as we finally cranked up our bikes, toed into first gear, and roared across the parking lot.
Well, Bubba, you are only young once, so if you want to ride, then get a bike and do it.
Back to the main point. Being unplugged was one of the best things I could have done. During the two weeks family, friends, riding, places, events, and the majestic countryside occupied my attention. It wasn't until I returned home that I learned what the idiot politicians were doing. Nor was I aware of the news of various tragedies around the world.
Could it be the old saying is absolutely true? Ignorance is bliss.
I long for the smell of the trees in the mountains of Oregon, the sound of my grandchildren, the touch of my wife's hand, the smile on my mother's face, the laughter of my buddy, and the rush of riding through beautiful landscape.
Unplugged - and loving it.
The detachment from all forms of electronic communication was both refreshing and uplifting. For example, when visiting with our grandchildren, we went out to dinner and then played together in the family room. When on the road with my buddy of more than 50 years, we'd stop periodically for coffee or a meal and talk about family. At the end of the day's ride, we'd clean up and adjourn for dinner and chats over a couple of beers. Some of the chats were about the day's ride, with others about the upcoming reunion of our 8th grade class that we'd be attending. When meeting with family, we'd talk about talk about favorite memories. And, at the reunion, we talked about everything, but politics, news, or world and national issues. One of the gals came up and said, "I remember you." I thought, did I date her in high school? So I asked, "Is it is a good memory or a bad memory?" She merely smiles and walked away.
Damn, but it so great not being aware of what was happening for two weeks. I was able to focus on the people and activities that mean the most to me. Additionally, I was able to enjoy the awesome and majestic beauty of the Oregon coast line and mountains. Nothing beats the natural beauty of Oregon in September, before the rains and cold temperatures set in. We even stopped at a unique place for lunch one day. Great fish and chips, with fresh fish.
For four of the days in the saddle, I was riding solo, which provided ample time to just reflect on my good fortune. As I've written before, riding a motorcycle is a fully engaged activity. No windows up, air conditioning on, stereo blasting cocoon transporting you from A to B. It is total immersion in the environment, when means experiencing the cold, the heat, the rain, the smell of smoke from wildfires, the sounds of the ocean, the smell of the sea, and the idiotic maneuvers by some of the motorists encountered along the way.
Being unplugged is also a state of mind, as well as the electronic reality. I found my smiles were more frequent, my laughs more robust. The meals tasted better. The beer was more enjoyable. The smiles from my wife more meaningful. Sure, there were times I felt like the bad ass biker we seek to somewhat portray. For example, when my buddy and I stopped in a local bakery for a nosh and cup of coffee. The looks from the people on the street were actually humorous. Being unplugged also felt rebellious, if you follow the theme. A sort of, "I don't give a damn" attitude.
Certainly, there were times we interacted with strangers and which could have been tense, but weren't. For example, the gent from Dallas, Texas we chatted with one morning at a motel on the Oregon coast. Imagine you were him, seeing two "reprobates" walking out of the adjoining motel room in full leathers, loading up their bikes. He could have shook his head and thought, "Damned bikers." Instead, he said, "Nice looking bikes." With a positive introduction, we chatted for a few minutes, smiles all around. No Dems vs. GOP. No Obama comments. Nothing negative. Such as written about earlier, I detected a bit of envy as we finally cranked up our bikes, toed into first gear, and roared across the parking lot.
Well, Bubba, you are only young once, so if you want to ride, then get a bike and do it.
Back to the main point. Being unplugged was one of the best things I could have done. During the two weeks family, friends, riding, places, events, and the majestic countryside occupied my attention. It wasn't until I returned home that I learned what the idiot politicians were doing. Nor was I aware of the news of various tragedies around the world.
Could it be the old saying is absolutely true? Ignorance is bliss.
I long for the smell of the trees in the mountains of Oregon, the sound of my grandchildren, the touch of my wife's hand, the smile on my mother's face, the laughter of my buddy, and the rush of riding through beautiful landscape.
Unplugged - and loving it.
Friday, September 19, 2014
A smart and adroit leader understands
A smart and adroit leader understands he can't possibly be expert in every aspect of the organization he leads. He understands there are experts far more knowledgeable in the minute details of the organization's operation. He understands the effective leader harnesses that expertise and guides it to the accomplishment of the goals he establishes. He understands delegation of authority, but not responsibility, for the actions of the organization. He understands the imperative of setting clear and unambiguous goals, communicating them to his subordinates, and holding them accountable for achieving them.
When an individual declares that he knows more about policy than anyone in the organization, that he is more expert than anyone in the organization, and that he is smarter than anyone in the organization, he is not a smart and adroit leader. He is narcissistic and self-absorbed.
Such an individual is, by definition, a failure as a leader.
When an individual declares that he knows more about policy than anyone in the organization, that he is more expert than anyone in the organization, and that he is smarter than anyone in the organization, he is not a smart and adroit leader. He is narcissistic and self-absorbed.
Such an individual is, by definition, a failure as a leader.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
A 39 nine year old warning
The below article, cut from a newspaper in 1975, exquisitely highlights the warning of the day. Carefully read the key points and ask yourself if this isn't the United States in which we live today. Then ask yourself who is responsible; which politicians and political party? The figure out how you'll vote this year.
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