By Bush's definition, lemmings show great resolve. Hundreds plunge uselessly to their deaths, yet the remaining pack is undeterred. Onward!
One of the keys to successful leadership in the business world is learning from one's mistakes. It is one of the key character traits of all great leaders in American business. Readers of The Innovation Paradox already know this. Apparently, our MBA president and his team do not. In the face of incontrovertible evidence that their management of the Iraq war is dangerously counterproductive, they continue to "stay the course."
In American politics, we have confused victory with the claim of victory. We have taken the famous Lombardi saying and twisted it to "Winning isn't everything, saying we're winning is."
Frankly, if a political leader can explain in detail why he or she has revised his or her stance on a topic, I am more likely to support that leader. I want leaders who learn. This is a time of ever-accelerating change. Sticking to your guns when the powder's wet is just plain stupid.
"The downside of resolve: It could potentially also result in your nailing yourself to the mast of a sinking ship." Couldn't have said it better myself. This article, already brilliant when it was first published, seems downright prescient now in light of the Abu Ghraib horrorshow.
The American electorate needs a wake-up call. Resolve in the face of new evidence to the contrary is suicidal stupidity. Learning and adapting takes guts and strength.
It is becoming clearer what this election is really about: advantageous adaptation or fatal stagnation. Our own business leaders (Bill Gates, for example) have already demonstrated which is the superior competitive strategy.