Libido and Leadership

Politics is hypocrisy in action. Public life is all about hypocritical perceptions.

In the privacy of private conversations between men (and, some say, women) sex is likely to be the number one topic. The racier, the better. The juicier, the better. And, special accolades are given to the spinner of the sexual yarn if he (or, she) is the principal protagonist.

But, in public life, whether one is a political leader or a celebrity (think Charlie Sheen and Tiger Woods), sexual peccadilloes are frowned upon. There are clearly double standards to be applied.

From another perspective, some may regard lurid stories about leaders, be they political or business leaders, as positive news.

I can sense arched eyebrows and wide eyes at this point.

How can such news be positive?

Well, from a physiological point of view, such lurid stories suggest that the political or business leader in question is in good health. For, how can one "get it on" unless one can "rise" to the occasion?

A stressed-out person, let alone high-profile political or business leader, will exhibit the symptom of poor libido. He just can't get it on.

So, if we hear lurid stories about political or business leaders, it means that they are managing their stress pretty well and, they are in good physical health.

Posthumous stories of JFK having gotten it on faster than a rabbit in heat only reaffirmed his ability to get it on in leadership terms.

A sexually frustrated leader is not fun to be with, I'm sure.

Oh, yes, there is the other *yawn* boring perspective about morals and morality.

But, remember that for every poor, sexually deprived (and, depraved) person who may take umbrage at public figures who are accused of having sexual flings, there are many others who may feel that such news is evidence of libido and, therefore, physical fitness for high office.

Let the person who has no vice stand up to claim leadership.

Then, let the rest of us dispose of that person because there is a statistical certainty that under such leadership Life will be worse than Death.

No one likes a killjoy for a leader, whether in politics or in business.

I'm just saying....

Three Signs You Are Addicted to Chaos

I had strange and mixed feelings when reading the piece below. But I shall not live in denial. I have been exhibiting all 3 symptoms for some time now.

Entrepreneurs are frequently so devoted to the business that they persist in the state of chaos, accepting it as a way of life, without ever trying to identify or solve the root of the problem. From my experiences and observations working with thousands and thousands of entrepreneurs over the years, here are the top three signs I see of entrepreneurs who are addicted to chaos:

3. Their business life revolves around the in-box. They are constantly in reaction mode, always pouncing on the hot fire that pops up, the request for information, or the opportunity that just presented itself. They don’t have an overarching, long-term strategy that ties back to their daily activities. So they spend most of their time responding to the flavor of the day, hoping this will lead them to their goals, which are—ironically enough—more time, money, and control.

2. They can’t step away from the business without feeling like it will crumble while they’re gone. They have a particular anxiety that sets in when they think about taking a day off or going on vacation. If they have employees, the employees assure them everything will be fine, but they worry nonetheless. Part of their concern is real: They have a bunch of proprietary information locked up in their head instead of in a central database; therefore, certain things may indeed stall while they are out of the office. But part of their concern is likely moot. Chances are, all will not collapse in the small amount of time they are away from the office.

1. They are strangely proud they have so little free time. That’s right. As if symptom No. 2 weren’t cruel enough, the worst symptom is that entrepreneurs sometimes treat their stressed-out routines as a badge of honor. They tout to friends and family how long it’s been since they’ve taken a vacation, how many hours they work, and how little they sleep. That sounds like owning a job, not a business.

If you find yourself experiencing these symptoms, you are probably addicted to chaos. Get help. Business ownership should bring you more time, money, and control. If you’re not getting that, make some changes to your mindset and your business systems so you can find the freedom you were looking for when you started your business in the first place.

Machiavellian Economics

This is a thoroughly interesting piece by Harold James. It highlights a feature of government behaviour that is inconsistent with the rules of conduct that is hammered home against corporations. 

The question is where do we draw the line? Where corporations are required by corporate governance principles to disclose as much of the truth about their financial, management and business affairs, why do governments live by different standards? 

Do political leaders in office have higher order rights and privileges than corporations? 

Food for thought....

PRINCETON – When is it legitimate to lie? Can lying ever be virtuous? In the Machiavellian tradition, lying is sometimes justified by reference to the higher needs of political statecraft, and sometimes by the claim that the state, as an embodiment of the public good, represents a higher level of morality. That tradition is once again in the spotlight, as the question of political untruth has recently resurfaced in many bitter disputes.

Did German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg have to tell the truth about the massive plagiarism that pervaded his doctoral thesis, or could a lie be justified because he was performing an important government job? Was the 2003 United States-led invasion of Saddam Hussein’s Iraq illegitimate because it was predicated on a falsehood about the existence of weapons of mass destruction? Or were conservative US anti-abortionists justified in sending actors with a false story into the offices of Planned Parenthood in order to discredit their opponents?

The economic variant of Machiavellianism is as powerful as the claim that political untruth can be virtuous. Lying or hiding the truth in some circumstances can, it appears, make people better off. Deception might be a source of comfort. We might find ourselves warm and contented in a cocoon of untruth.

One of the most famous examples concerns the Great Depression – an epoch that policymakers frequently drew upon in trying to come to terms with the post-2007 financial crisis. Many countries in the early 1930’s had terrible bank runs, which inflicted immense and immediate damage, decimating employment by bringing down businesses that were fundamentally creditworthy.

Hire a Blogger to Promote Your Business

The evolution of business opportunities driven by technology continues. This piece from Forbes is another example. Food for thought...and maybe action.

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Outsourcing all kinds of social media marketing—from writing a company blog to updating Twitteror Facebook—is becoming a viable option for small business owners who simply don't have the time or inclination to take on the job themselves. Even some entrepreneurs who prefer to handle their own social media may designate a surrogate—in-house or outside—for when they are on vacation, in case they fall ill, or during busy season.

"There is an incredible need for [small and midsize businesses] to get up to speed on social media and social media best practices," says Jo Lilore, who consults on social media marketing and search engine optimization atWebBizStrategy.com in Pasadena, Calif. "Commerce and the Web in general have gone social, and there's no turning back. If you're not up to speed and in the game, you are not only losing potential leads and customers, you are also missing opportunities."

Jon Gelberg, chief content officer at Blue Fountain Media, a New York Web design and online marketing company, agrees. "Businesses are learning how valuable a well-written blog can be as a tool for branding a company, personalizing a company, and establishing the company or individual executive as an expert in their field," he says. But "a poorly written blog, on the other hand, can have a negative impact."