Talk Radio, Talk Show Host Martha Zoller

TOPICS OF THE DAY

NEWS ARTICLE

Crow is a Meal Best Served�Quickly
One uncomfortable aspect of leadership is redirecting directives that have gone awry. The first step is acknowledgement. For example: �Our plan to overhaul healthcare was poorly defined and poorly presented. For this, I take full responsibility.� With those simple words, President Obama could have eaten his helping of crow in one bite. It would have been tough, chewy and decidedly unappetizing but at least he would have finished the portion in one sitting. Unfortunately, there is sizeable chunk of the black-feathered fowl still on the plate. It�s not going anywhere and it�s getting tougher and chewier by the second.

By David McCleary

One uncomfortable aspect of leadership is redirecting directives that have gone awry. The first step is acknowledgement. For example: �Our plan to overhaul healthcare was poorly defined and poorly presented. For this, I take full responsibility.� With those simple words, President Obama could have eaten his helping of crow in one bite. It would have been tough, chewy and decidedly unappetizing but at least he would have finished the portion in one sitting. Unfortunately, there is sizeable chunk of the black-feathered fowl still on the plate. It�s not going anywhere and it�s getting tougher and chewier by the second.
Aside from the impressive speeches and deft political maneuvers, President Obama�s most significant accomplishment during his first year in office was the avoidance or delay of an economic catastrophe. Unfortunately, that doesn�t count. It�s like saying, �things got worse, but at least the world didn�t fall apart.� His report card is one that most children wouldn�t want to present at the dinner table. Poor marks include:
�         The federal deficit AND unemployment increased � Grade �D�
�         The federal stimulus packaged seemed to benefit bankers and car manufacturers but left scores of struggling homeowners un-stimulated and unable to pay their mortgages � Grade �D� and�
�         The aforementioned health care overhaul that felt like it was forced upon the electorate with all the delicacy and finesse of a Mafia enforcer � Grade �M� for Massachusetts voters who were fed up with the congressional thumb breakers who refused to listen to reason.
When the emotional state of the population is in disarray and you are reticent to finish that helping of crow, there is little chance of engendering hope or courage�yet that is exactly what a flawless leader must do. President Obama was still blaming the previous administration during last week�s State of the Union address. Granted, the Bush presidency deserved ample portions of blame and it is true that Mr. Bush was no fan of the crow blue plate special; but for Mr. Obama to continually blame his predecessor comes across as petulant. Once again; acknowledge the mistake, eat the crow and move on. It is a painful but invaluable tool for the flawless leader.
President Obama talked a great deal about �reaching across the aisle,� and �bipartisanship,� and �working together across party lines,� while the same week Gallup reported that his first year was the most polarizing of any American presidency. So while his rhetoric was somewhat unifying, his actions were decidedly divisive. His proposed spending freeze for example covers only about one-sixth of the federal budget and doesn�t start for a year. That�s like telling the family, �Hey, cash is tight and we might lose the house, so starting next year, no more �Super-sized� meals at the drive-thru. It was too little, too late and too disconnected.
President Obama could take a lesson from Bill Clinton. One of the great crow-eaters of all time, Clinton was still able to balance the budget and create millions of jobs. A leader must stay focused and clear on priorities. If you are gluttonously focused on everything, you spread yourself too thin and dilute your impact. It�s simple: Do half as much, twice as well.
The President could also learn from John F. Kennedy who was able to connect to the common man with powerful questions rather than weak answers. Mr. Obama inferred during the speech that he and Washington were the answer to America�s problems. That�s a leadership red flag. Leaders who portray themselves as the answer present an unhelpful paternalistic force that resembles thinly-veiled tyranny; whereas leaders who portray themselves as a resonating question create energy, courage, and hope. By this simple statement: �Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country�� Kennedy leveraged the spirit, ingenuity and boundless energy of the American people. He wasn�t the answer or the power. He was the facilitator�the manager who wasn�t afraid to ask his constituency for help�and by helping themselves, help their country.
It�s never too late to step up to the crow lunch counter. Avoiding the meal won�t make it any more palatable. Better to eat it quickly, reset directions and policies and start the charge anew. Among other things, the President must help struggling taxpayers by stimulating job growth, present health care reform in a truly bi-partisan way and develop an effective strategy for battling the deficit. Do this and the first bad report card will be forgotten. Do it not and be prepared for a second -- and less appetizing -- helping of crow.

The Martha Zoller Show 4921 Rilla Road Gainesville, GA 30506 T:770 503 6738 F:770 9837715
info@marthazoller.com www.marthazoller.com