Quote of the day 2nd October 2013

"Leadership is not about nice. It's about being right and being strong." (Paul Keating)

Comments

Jim said…
whilst i can agree with this quote, the problem is when you "think you are right" but in fact are wrong and strong.

you see, its things like "no return to boom and bust, and I know I am right to be spending all this money, and because I am right, I am not going to move on this".

the only place this leader will ever lead you is right to the bottom. So you see there needs to be a system in place which ensures that what is to one person right, is actually right.

We could go to war with Iraq over WMD because its right, but then perhaps its not so right really, now if leaders were held accountable for these things when they turn out wrong, then there could be a case.

Sadly they are not. So we see currently its not a practical approach, regardless of how idealistic it does sound.

Chris Whiteside said…
You've put your finger on the problem, and given a very good example. Sometimes any human being is going to be wrong.

Of course, sticking firmly to a suboptimal course of action can often be less damaging than flapping about indecisively and failing to take any effective action at all.

But it is wise to remember that none of us have a monopoly of being right, and the Gordon Brown example you quote is a good illustration that the people who are most convinced they are right are often the most mistaken

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