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For a homework assignment, my youngest child had to find an inspirational quote that he liked and take it to school to share with the class. His choice was a quote that I had not heard before, but its message really struck me. I was impressed enough with his choice that I’d like to share it with you.
“Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.” — Leon J. Suenes
I’m going to admit it upfront — I’m a huge Green Bay Packers fan. I grew up in Wisconsin and followed the Pack since I was a boy. I was in diapers when they won the first two Super Bowls and then suffered through some pretty lean years in the ’70s and ’80s. But the 1990s ushered in a new era with the arrival of Brett Favre. The three-time league MVP led them to a 1997 Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots, and everything was right in Green Bay. The once storied franchise was returned to its previous glory, and the conquering hero was Brett Favre.
I always thought Favre played the game the way it was meant to be played. He was a ferocious competitor, but he looked like he was having fun every minute he played. All of us should be so lucky to have a job that we love so much that each day when we awake we can’t wait to get to work. That’s the way I saw Brett Favre, and I respected him immensely for it.
Last week, the Wall Street Journal ran a front-page article that discussed President Barack Obama’s management style. Among other things, the article said the President likes to get deeper into the details than many of his predecessors. It also discussed how he uses debate-like techniques to drill into subjects, even having staff members take and defend positions that are contrary to what they believe. Interesting stuff. The article got me thinking about what we can learn about management from those who have sat in the Oval Office.
I’ve never had the privilege of meeting one of our country’s presidents before, during, or after he held the highest office in the land, so my observations are based completely on what I’ve seen or read. Politics aside, here are a few lessons about management that I think we can learn from those who have held the highest office in our land.
A couple of weeks ago, President Barack Obama held a gathering at the White House that has become known as the “beer summit.” In attendance at this meeting with the President were prominent Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, who is black, and police sergeant James Crowley, who is white, along with Vice President Joe Biden.
Crowley had arrested Gates for disorderly conduct on July 16 after a confrontation at the professor’s home. The incident sparked a media frenzy as Gates accused the policeman of racial profiling. Crowley denied the charge and has even taught courses against racial profiling.
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