Substance or Facade?

Today's Daily Soap {Scripture | Observation | Application | Prayer}
FOR TODAY'S FULL READING, CLICK THE TITLE LINK ABOVE.

SCRIPTURE:

6-8 Jesus answered, "Isaiah was right about frauds like you, hit the bull's-eye in fact: These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn't in it. They act like they are worshiping me, but they don't mean it. They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy, Ditching God's command and taking up the latest fads." Mark 7:6-8 [MSG]

OBSERVATION: Our actions speak louder than words.

APPLICATION:

Do we profess to believe, but not live like believers? Do we claim to be Christians, but not model the values of Christ? Do we go to church on Sunday, sitting in the front for all to see, after a Saturday night of drinking and carousing? Do we aspire to love everyone as Christ commanded, but fail to love those who need our love the most? Do we really practice what we preach? Or are we too busy with the preaching to put it into practice?

In just days in America we will be selecting our next President. From two candidates who are in most ways polar opposites, we will be choosing the man who will lead America into the next decade -- the next era of our history. We can choose a typical politician, whose talking points are more in line with what's popular right now than with any real substance; a politician who has had very little time to show that he practices what he preaches; a politician who seems more focused on himself than on others. Or we can choose a man who has given his entire life in service to others; a man who has had the courage to stand alone when no one else would stand for what is right; a man who has lived the kind of life that he preaches.

The choice should seem clear, but to so many it isn't. So many people will choose their candidate based upon the thin surface they can see and disregard the true substance. We only have one chance to get it right.

PRAYER:

God, help Americans to choose wisely at the polls. Open their eyes so that they might see through the facade.

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Your comments?

Joe

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My Thoughts on Saddleback and Why Obama Isn't Ready To Lead

Watching CNN's webcast of Senators McCain and Obama during the Saddleback Civil Forum, and a subsequent volley on Twitter with an inflamed Obama supporter, made me start thinking about what's really at stake in this Presidential election cycle. What really matters, and what is just hot air? I have been asked by some to elaborate on my thinking, and I will also share with you that Twitter volley I mentioned. This is likely to amuse some and enrage others, but I hope it will make just a few people give some serious thought to the issues that lie beneath the rhetoric.

Let me start by clearly explaining my position. I am a Christian Conservative, registered as a Republican. I do not vote the party line, and have actually voted for Democrat candidates in the past (not for President, but for other national, state, and local offices). I have always cast my vote for the best candidate, regardless of party affiliation. I believe firmly in the sanctity of human life and the institution of marriage (though I don't believe they should carry the weight that they do in deciding how to cast our vote in November). I believe that we pay too much for gasoline (regardless of what they pay elsewhere in the world) and that we pay too much in taxes. I believe that our political election process is the best in the country, but still far from perfect and in need of an overhaul. I believe that families should have the right to educate their children in whatever way they choose, so long as they meet a standard of education (which, unfortunately, dictates some form of testing for verification purposes). I do not believe that the constitution says anything about the separation of church and state (in fact, it dictates only that there will be no establishment of a national religion) and that if money is allowed to play such a major role in politics, so then should religion be allowed to assert it's influence. Our nation was established on Christian principles, and if we lose touch with those principles, we are no longer the nation that we once were. I believe that, as the longest enduring democracy in the world, we have a duty to foster freedom throughout the world. I don't believe we should do so by force, unless force is required to free a nation's people from an oppressive dictator who denies them of their freedoms and other basic rights. I believe that we must finish what we start, and that living with the freedoms that our nation provides requires from each of us a price to be paid in defense of that freedom.

All of that being said, I will now elaborate.

I am firmly pro-life. I believe that life begins the instant that fertilization occurs. At that point, it is not up to us to determine whether a person should be given a chance to live or not. At Saddleback, Senator Obama spoke of the need to find a way to reduce unwanted pregnancies. He spoke of this as if it is more important than protecting the live of unwanted babies. I find it very difficult to place a higher value on the lifestyle of someone who has become pregnant by accident than on the value of that life she carries inside her. It is my belief that we can reduce both unwanted pregnancies and abortions by taking responsibility for our actions and not getting pregnant in the first place. It's a simple task, really. Don't commit the act if you aren't prepared to live with all possible consequences, including unwanted pregnancy, and to deal with them in a manner that causes no harm to anyone of any age, including the unborn. There will always be a number of women who become pregnant because they are victimized in one or another. These women are not personally responsible for committing the act that created the unwanted pregnancy, and shouldn't be forced to suffer the consequences. The unborn baby is also not personally responsible for committing the act that created the unwanted pregnancy, and shouldn't be forced to suffer the consequences. Unfortunately, people are victimized in hundreds of ways every day and must suffer the consequences. If you burn down my home, I must suffer the consequences (and so might you, if you are caught). If shot in a drive -by shooting, I must suffer the consequences. If faced with the unwanted pregnancy of a loved one, regardless of how it was created, I must suffer the consequences. That's just a fact of life, and it's something we should learn to live with and quit expecting a quick fix to solve the problem for us. I suggest adoption be considered as an alternative to abortion.

Though being firmly pro-life, I do not believe that abortion should be such a hot topic in choosing our next President. Our system of government prevents the President from taking any personal action that would either make abortion legal or illegal on his own. He must work with the 535 members of Congress to pass such legislation, and frankly, it's never going to happen. Let's face it, as long as our political system is based upon constantly running for the next election, we're never going to see 536 people agree on such a hot topic as abortion. Granted, the President can nominate his pro-life or pro-choice candidates to the Supreme Court, but they, too, must be confirmed by the 100-member Senate before being seated on the bench. Though possible, it is not likely that we would see an all-liberal or all-conservative Supreme Court. And let's be honest, liberals really don't have much to worry about from a Conservative bench. The Conservatives are historically strict constitutionalists and less likely to legislate from the bench than are liberal justices, and therefore less likely to write a sweeping decision outlawing abortion. So while the topic of abortion is of critical importance when selecting our Senators and Representatives, it's nothing but hot air in the Presidential debate.

Which brings me to the topic of marriage. I believe that marriage was established by God (we only created the ceremony and legal documentation) as the union of one man (originally Adam) and one woman (originally Eve), and that we do not have the authority as God's creation to modify this institution. God's first commandment to the first couple was to "be fruitful and multiply." As that is only possible with the involvement of a man and a woman, I do not feel that there is any need for further debate on this topic. Adam and Eve can be fruitful and multiply, Adam and Steve can only multiple with a pen and paper, or calculator, or some other such instrument that does not result in the continuation of the species.

Again, I do not believe that marriage should be such a hot topic in choosing our next President, and again for the same reasons as I stated earlier on abortion. Should a rogue Judicial Branch decide that same-gender marriage should be legal, we as a nation have the tools at our disposal to rise up and take action. The legislative process provides for us to petition each other for the passing of a law to eliminate the legalization of same-gender marriage. Our 535 representatives -- whom we can choose or unchoose with our votes -- can pass such legislation to overturn any such Supreme Court decision. Utopia, right? Maybe, but I believe that if we focus our efforts on what really matters and what can best be affected by whom, then maybe it isn't so unrealistic to expect such supposedly utopian results. Marriage is not an issue for the President to be overly concerned with, as he has the least impact of all elected officials on the definition of marriage. This, like abortion, should be a major factor in determining how we vote for the Senate and Congress, not the President.

So where does that leave the President? Can he influence education? Clearly President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act is evidence that he can. Can he affect the price of gasoline? Yes, and more easily so if we allow him to tap our own natural resources and not rely so heavily on foreign oil. Can he reduce (or raise) our taxes? Well, if you're an American reading this, you probably received at least one of President Bush's tax rebates or so-called economic stimulus checks over the past eight years.

Most importantly, the President is (or should be) our chief foreign policy expert. No one can be expected to have more knowledge or more expertise of world affairs than the recognized leader of the free world. And while all of the issues I've discussed so far can have an impact on the way we live our lives from day to day, nothing can have a greater impact on life as we know it than living our lives in fear of invasion, attack, or the downfall of our democracy. No single issue is as important to the furtherance of liberty as foreign policy. We must elect a President who is familiar with world affairs, who knows and has worked with world leaders, who has life experience to suggest that he can make strong, sound judgment calls, and who has the courage to stand upon his convictions and the humility to admit when he is wrong and to amend course as needed. If our President cannot be the leader in world affairs, there is nothing he can do domestically to compensate for the damage he might cause.

As I stated at the beginning of this article, I am a Christian Conservative. I registered to vote as a Republican because the Republican platform most consistently aligns with my values and my beliefs. I am not so closed-minded as to believe everything the Republican party says, however. I vote my values, my beliefs, my convictions. When this Presidential campaign cycle began so many months and so many candidates ago, I was a Fred Thompson supporter. When he dropped from the race, after much consideration and study, I fell in behind Rudy Guiliani (who, by the way, does not share my stance on abortion). When John McCain became the last Republican candidate standing, and the only Democrat choices remaining were Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, I reluctantly threw my support to the candidate who would achieve the greater good on the world front and do the least damage here at home: John McCain (actually, upon researching tonight, I realize that in January 2007, before Guiliani and Thompson were in the race, I had chosen McCain). Now that we are down to two major party candidates (and Bob Barr for the Libertarians), and I have seen those two candidates speak in the unique setting provided at the Saddleback Civil Forum, I no longer stand behind John McCain because he's all that's left. I support him now because I think that going forward, America needs a man like John McCain to preserve all that our founding fathers had in mind some 2000+ years ago.

I share with you now the volley that took place in 140 character snippets on Twitter as I watched the Saddleback forums. The debate was between myself and one petersantilli (his Twitter handle and, presumably, his name). For clarity, I have arranged the "tweets" as a thread, with replies falling in the appropriate place. I have also colored my tweets in Red and his tweets in Blue. Any additional editorializing I've added will appear in black italicized text.

Enjoy.

Watching the Saddleback Civil Forum with Obama and McCain. Wow, this should make the choice clear for anyone! http://is.gd/1Dky

No kidding. The choice is clearly OBAMA!

I don't know what you've been watching to come up with that choice.

Been studying Obama since Dec 2007, didn't change my opinion @ Saddleback

You've been studying, what, nearly his entire career in the Senate then?

Senator Obama has not yet completed his first four-year term in the Senate. Merely pointing out this lack of national experience to petersantilli.

Exactly what people are looking for, less tenure in DC.

In the middle of watching the Saddleback forums, CNN seems to have pulled the video. That's MSM corruption if ever it existed!

MSM conspiracy. Corrupt because they won't let you spin it to your liking

Not looking to spin it in any way. Just looking to watch it, and the video suddenly became unavailable. It's up again now.

But no spin is needed from me. The candidates give it all the spin that it needs.

Got the video going again, but the embed code points to a dead URL. Was going to post it for others to find easily.

Obama's a kind heart. Warm, sincere, thoughtful, and not-so-hot-headed-and-quick-on-the- "AT CONCEPTION"-trigger to get ur Christianity vote

When asked at what point an unborn baby has human rights, Senator McCain replied immediately, "At conception." Senator Obama shuffled and stalled while he came up with the following response: "that's above my pay-grade," suggesting that it is for God to decide. It is, of course, for God to decide, and we must either choose to interpret what God's decision is, or to accept that God's decision is that life begins at conception. Kudos to Senator McCain for having the conviction to take a stance and make a decision on what he believes. It concerns me that a Presidential candidate might be hesitant to make some kind of decision on the topic. This is also the first point at which the Obama supporter engages in attack mode. To suggest that McCain's stance is only given for the purpose of wooing Christian voters, and that Christian voters are so easily swayed into how to vote.

If you knew me at all, you'd know mine is not a "Christianity" vote, just a "Patriotic American" vote.

I'm not a McCain man, so much. But given the current choices, there is no other choice to make.

I don't believe it really matters where POTUS stands on marriage, abortion, etc., regardless what my own views are....

...don't think he can really effect change there. Most importantly is, will he lead us to our downfall....

...by making poor decisions on the world front? Or will he stand up for American principles and democracy?

Meaning: to lead us to the downfall of American society as we have known it for over two centuries by being unable to form a thought, decision, or strategy without first weighing the political ramifications. Like him or not, President Bush has always done what he thought was best, regardless of what the polls might say about him afterward. Senator McCain has had many unpopular positions on the issues, but has always had the courage to stand upon his convictions whether people agree with him or not. I challenge anyone to describe where Senator Obama stands on any issue that is not fully in toe with the party line. When push comes to shove, there may not be time to consider political ramifications before making a decision. Our President has to be able to act swiftly and intelligently, and can only do so based upon experience and upon wanting to do what's right, not just what's right today.

...at whose expense? Standing up for principles & democracies costs $10 billion per month. I really want OURS to be a priority

Establishing our principles and democracy cost our founders their lives. Defend that at any financial cost!

If concerned about our downfall, current trends set by years of GOP war & reck-onomy are not upward towards prosperity

I'm not concerned about financial prosperity. Defending our values has never come cheap, but always been money well spent.

If we allow ourselves to become ruled by money, we are doomed to failure. We cannot fail to achieve our goals because of the price tag. During World War II, the entire country sacrificed for the cause of defeating evil abroad. Food products and petroleum products were rationed. Women went to work in factories while their husbands went to war. Everyone did their part. We once again face a great evil. Regardless of why this war started, or where you think it should be fought, we are at war against an evil force that believes it's God-given purpose is to eliminate us. What have you sacrificed for your country in support of this cause? Why is it that sixty years after World War II we suddenly don't have to sacrifice when our nation is at war?

We'll put all you big spenders on an island off the coast, shoot missiles & yell at Jihaddies. Let us know how that goes

It goes like this: we establish a new great democracy while the one you're so careless about crumbles.

All the money in the world cannot defeat the determination of the passionate defenders of freedom.

Democracy will survive and thrive where liberty is defended. It will fail when we let our guard down and take our sites off the prize.

Well then. Try it out. I think it's worth descovering (sic) if your new island gets attacked, or if we fair better by minding our own

See you in the history books, then. Thanks for the interesting chatter. GOODNIGHT TO ALL.

It is at this point that this debate was over for me. It was midnight here in Indiana, and an early morning ahead. Past experience has taught me that people such as petersantilli will go on forever, sounding less coherent and making less sense, just for the sake of the argument. Read on as he proves my point.

People who say that typically have a sub-prime loan, credit card bills, and let other people balance the war check-book

Shall we blame your stupidity & ignorance on failure of education, Patriot Act, or solely on governmental control of our media?

Again, more attacks and insults. I'll only address the "governmental control of our media" by saying, tune into CNN or MSNBC or CBS or ABC and you'll see that not only does the government not control our media, but if anything the media controls our government. The mainstream media has overlooked so much real news this election cycle in favor of spinning the latest rumor or hearsay in favor of the candidate(s) that they favor that I don't think anyone with a working knowledge of the English language can say that the government controls American media.

A quote for the history books "I'm not concerned about financial prosperity." - Average Joe

It's voters like @AverageJoe that frighten me & my family

Interesting, to say the least. It's sad that some people can't have an informed political debate without resorting to smear tactics, insults, lies, and innuendo. I guess I shouldn't have expected much more given the situation.

Your comments?

Joe

Read more at Redstate.com.

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Earthly -vs- Ultimate Leadership

Today's Daily Soap {Scripture | Observation | Application | Prayer}

• S: Have you not been paying attention? Have you not been listening? Haven't you heard these stories all your life? Don't you understand the foundation of all things? God sits high above the round ball of earth. The people look like mere ants. He stretches out the skies like a canvas— yes, like a tent canvas to live under. He ignores what all the princes say and do. The rulers of the earth count for nothing. Princes and rulers don't amount to much. Like seeds barely rooted, just sprouted, They shrivel when God blows on them. Like flecks of chaff, they're gone with the wind. Isaiah 40:21-24 [MSG] Don't you know anything? Haven't you been listening? God doesn't come and go. God lasts. He's Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out. He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don't get tired, they walk and don't lag behind. Isaiah 40:28-31 [MSG] "Take a good look at my servant. I'm backing him to the hilt. He's the one I chose, and I couldn't be more pleased with him. I've bathed him with my Spirit, my life. He'll set everything right among the nations. He won't call attention to what he does with loud speeches or gaudy parades. He won't brush aside the bruised and the hurt and he won't disregard the small and insignificant, but he'll steadily and firmly set things right. He won't tire out and quit. He won't be stopped until he's finished his work—to set things right on earth. Far-flung ocean islands wait expectantly for his teaching." Isaiah 42:1-4 [MSG]
  
• O: God plays the most important role in world events.
  
• A: Election time is just over three months away. We'll elect a new President, and those we have to choose from may leave a bit to be desired. As the media rallies around their darling pick and tries to pour on as much influence as they can, it can be quite confusing to the masses as to what the candidates really stand for. And if the media have their way, this election would have already been fought and won on their air waves. But thankfully there is more to world events than what world leaders would choose or what the media might desire. Our God, who ignores what all the princes say and do, is still in control. He doesn't just influence what happens, He has orchestrated the entire timeline of civilization. He has chosen the Ultimate Leader who, when the time is due, will steadily and firmly set things right on earth. While the upcoming election may be as important (if not more) as any in our nation's history, it is only one small speed bump on the road map of God's divine plan.
  
• P: Lord, Thank You for taking the world into Your hands, and for the fact that no matter what our earthly appointed leaders may do, Your Chosen One will return one day to set things right on earth.
  

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Joe

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Selecting Elected Officials

Today's Daily Soap {Scripture | Observation | Application | Prayer}

• S: Hosea 8:4 [MSG] They crown kings, but without asking me. They set up princes but don't let me in on it....
  
• O: God should be involved in the process of choosing our leaders.
  
• A: Election Day is less than four months away. We'll be choosing our next President -- the "leader of the free world." To what extent have we consulted with God on our vote? Have we gone to Him and asked Him for guidance? For enlightenment? Have we then listened for God's response? Have we truly given any consideration at all to which candidate most closely possesses the value God would want in our leader? Just two days ago I added to my prayer list "Future President of the U.S.," with the intention of praying that we select the best candidate for the job. Maybe it's time we stop listening to the campaign ads and start listening to God.
  
• P: Father, open my ears, open my heart, and open my mind. Then enlighten me. Help me to disregard my preconceived notions and listen to your guidance.
  

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Joe

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Preparedness

Today's Daily Soap {Scripture | Observation | Application | Prayer}

Today's SOAP
inspired by
The Leadership Bible

• S: Genesis 3:15
  
• O: God sees all, knows all, and has a plan for the future.
  
• A: From before the creation of the world, God had a plan. He knew that Eve would fall to temptation. He knew that man would struggle with sin. He knew that His Son would die on the cross to save us from our sins. And He knew that someday His Son would return us to take us to be with Him. Sometimes in my daily work, it's hard just to plan the activites for the current day, much less thousands of years into the future, as God has done. It can be difficult to get everyone else to align their plans with my own. It can be difficult to get everyone else to be productive. And it can be impossible to get those to whom I report to allow me to just run the business without their frequent interruption into the things that I know need to be done. Nevertheless, I can only be a successful leader if I'm always prepared with a plan. Rudy Giuliani said it in his book Leadership: you cannot always be prepared for what will happen, but if you prepare yourself and your team for what may happen, you are more likely to be prepared for any situation and will handle any eventuality.
  
• P: Lord, help me to be prepared. Not just in my career, but in the leadership you've called me to at home. Help me to be prepared for what might happen, so that when the unexpected happens, it really isn't so unexpected. Thanks to Your divine plan, I'm already prepared for Eternity. Help me, now Lord, to be prepared for today, tomorrow, and next week, and what the world might throw at me over that course of time.
  

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Book Review: Leadership by Rudy Giuliani

More Leadership wisdom from Rudy Giuliani:

WRAPPING UP:

• A leader should be anticipating all the time.
• A big part of leadership is consistency -- letting those who work for you and others you lead know you'll be there for them through good times and bad.
• Part of leadership is harnessing your passions in a way that serves your goals. Another part of leadership is retaining your humanity.

I have just finished reading Rudy Giliani's book, Leadership. It was a very interesting read. Whether you read it for political motivation, for tips on how to be a better leader, or because you're a fan of America's Mayor, this is an excellent read!

Rudy Giuliani was the most successful New York City Mayor in modern times. He took what had been labeled an "unmanageable city" and put sound leadership principles to work to reduce crime, reduce unemployment, and increase pride in the city. He lead the city -- and by proxy the nation -- through the greatest tragedy of our time.

Whatever you might think of Rudy Giuliani -- and there are some issues on which I strongly disagree with him -- he is a very solid and successful leader. This book should be on the short list for any Manager or political leader.

Click here for more excerpts from Leadership by Rudy Giuliani.

Joe

Rudy On Leadership

ORGANIZE AROUND A PURPOSE:

• Leadership is more important than systems or strategies or philosophy.
• The first question is always, "What's the mission?" Ask yourself what you'd like to achieve -- not day-to-day, but your overarching goal. Then assess and analyze your resources.

CHART IT, UNDERSTAND IT:

• Charts allow for accountability.
• Organizational charts are not simply maps of how things work. When used correctly, they're creative problem-solvers.
• You've got to impose a structure to bring order to what could easily become chaos.

BRIBE ONLY THOSE WHO WILL STAY BRIBED:

• In any leadership role, one must deal with all types of people.
• Obviously, as often as possible, one should confine dealings to people one trusts completely.
• Sometimes a leader has no alternative but to deal with someone untrustworthy. The only option is to lock up every detail in the clearest possible language, ensuring it's all written, and that there are witnesses.
• You've got to know when you're dealing with somebody who won't stay bribed so you can collect your end of the bargain up front.
• There are some people who should be completely avoided. It's counterproductive to deal with them, and will just drag you down.
• There are many times in which leaders think they have to deal with someone who doesn't meet their standards, when the reality is that they can't just say no.

[Make no mistake, the author does not literally mean "bribe." If you read the book, you will learn that what he is referring to is that when you make business arrangements with someone, you should make every attempt to work with individuals who will live up to their end of the bargain -- people who will keep their word.] --JOE

Joe

Rudy Giuliani On Leadership

More thoughts on Leadership from Rudy Giuliani:

STAND UP TO BULLIES:

• Remain calm, especially when those around you are easily troubled.
• Someone who stays unruffled has a great advantage in being able to help others, to control the situation, to fix it.

DON'T LEAVE IT TO THE EXPERTS:

• No matter how talented your advisers and deputies, you have to attack challenges with as much of your own knowledge as possible.
• A leader should have independently acquired knowledge of the areas he leads.
• Developing your own expertise is not simply something you ought to do because it's your duty, or even because it's fun to know how things work. It's also the best way to weed out the biases and pretensions among those who want to influence you.
• Having your own knowledge gives you a frame of reference, helping you decide whether or not to trust the advice someone is giving you.
• Knowing the fundamentals helps you [keep] from being conned.
• A bright person who hasn't become shackled by bad habits or a "That's the way it's always done" philosophy can be a catalyst for change.
• Once the leader gives up, then everybody else gives up, and there's no hope.
• It's up to a leader to instill confidence, to believe in his judgment and in his people even when they no longer believe in themselves.

Joe

Rudy Guiliani on Leadership

I've been enjoying Rudy Giuliani's book, Leadership, quite a bit. Here are more great bits of wisdom from America's Mayor:

LOYALTY:

• Once you make a decision then your job is to present the facts in the light most likely to persuade.

EMBRACE THOSE WHO ARE ATTACKED:

• "When someone around me is unfairly attacked, I go out of my way to make that person more important. I spend more time with them, and if they are a member of my staff, I see if there's a way I can [praise] them or give a speech to show that person how cherished they are."
• Embracing those who are attacked reassures those who work for you and those you want to recruit. You won't abandon them. You won't betray them at the first sign of trouble. You remove the incentive to attack.
• People who work for you deserve the benefit of the doubt. If it turns out they're guilty, there will be time to hold them accountable. But if you abandon them at the first accusation and they're later exonerated, you'll never wash away the smell of betrayal.
• The principle of standing by those who are attacked is so important that you should deploy it even if your guy is wrong, so long as it was not illegal. You might have to take him to the woodshed in private; but that doesn't mean you should leave him hanging out to dry in front of everyone.
• It's not for a leader to give and receive loyalty. For loyalty to mean something it has to be established as a culture throughout the organization.
• It pays to stick with someone in the face of criticism. The devotion you'll earn by showing loyalty will last.

Joe

Rudy Guiliani On Leadership

Rudy Giuliani on Leadership:

DEFY EXPECTATION:

• You have to base your decisions on the allegiances that are most important to you.
• Ultimately, you have to be able to make the decision you think is the right one.
• The best way for a leader to set an independent tone is to establish that every decision, including those made by people who act on the leader's behalf, must be made for the benefit of the enterprise.
• True leadership requires choosing, in every instance, the position that allows you to sleep at night.

DON'T LET CRITICS SET YOUR AGENDA:

• A leader must not let critics set the agenda.
• A leader has to have the confidence to think that his decisions will be proven correct.
• While trying to retain humility, you must accept that the reason you're making these decisions and other people are not is because, for now, you are in charge and they aren't.
• You do no one any good if you cannot carry the weight of your convictions.

Joe

Rudy On Leadership

Rudy Giuliani on Leadership:

BE YOUR OWN MAN:

• A leader is chosen because whoever put him there trusts his judgment, character, and intelligence.
• Being your own man means that you should never feel that you have to sacrifice your principles.

SET AN EXAMPLE:

• You cannot ask those who for you to do something you're unwilling to do yourself.
• Like any other employee, a leader shouldn't work to the point where he is no longer effective, and should take time off as necessary.
• No leader should demand from others something he's unwilling to [do] himself.
• The most important element of setting an example isn't attitude or diligence, but performing some of the tasks that you ask others to execute.
• If you can do what the people working for you do as well as the best of them, your ability to lead is enhanced tremendously. That doesn't mean you have to be the best at everything. In a complicated system, that's not only impossible, it's undesirable -- a leader needs the expertise of specialists and shouldn't undermine them or interfere.
• Leading any enterprise means that management duties will take up the lion's share of your time. Nevertheless, leaders shouldn't abandon the trenches to pay attention only to the "big picture."
• There is no more powerful motivation for others than a leader who sets an example.
• Part of any leader's responsibility is recognizing his limitations. Another part is trusting those who work for you.

Joe

Rudy Giuliani On Leadership - Words

Principles on Leadership from America's Mayor:

COMMUNICATE STRONG BELIEFS:

• A leader must not only set direction, but communicate that direction. He usually cannot simply impose his will. He must bring people aboard, excite them about his vision, and earn their support.
• Expressing ideology is one of a leader's most powerful tools.

BE DIRECT AND UNFILTERED:

• There's a time to win hearts and minds and there are times for details.
• Communicate directly and with emotional honesty.
• Word choices carry enormous symbolic weight.

STICK TO YOUR WORD:

• Any leader is only as good as his word.
• Any leader engages in negotiations on a regular basis, and too often it's a world filled with posturing. That's why words are so important.
• People need to understand that you mean exactly what you say.

TAILOR THE MESSAGE TO THE LISTENER:

• One of a leader's responsibilities is to meet the needs of those he or she leads. The point is not to alter your message depending on the audience, but to present it so that it can be understood by whomever you're addressing.
  
• The goal should be to ensure your message gets through loud and clear to as many people as possible.
• Sometimes the best way to get a message across is not to say anything at all and let your actions speak for you.

Joe

Rudy On Leadership - Strong Beliefs

More from Rudy Giuliani on Leadership.

DEVELOP STRONG BELIEFS:

• Great leaders lead by ideas.
• The people who work for you, those who look to you for answers, have a right to know how you see the world.
• For any issue, you must first figure out the substance, considering it from every angle, getting it into your bloodstream, before deciding the position you want to take.
• There are three critical stages here. First, you must develop beliefs. Next, you have to communicate them. Finally, you must take action.
• Band-Aid solutions can do more harm than good. If you took a broken system and repaired just enough so that it could limp along, you lessened the chance that a real and lasting solution could be reached.
• Assigning too many people to a task significantly reduces the quality of performance.
• Staff hanging around uselessly encourages others to do likewise.
• Any system functions best when the right number of staff is used, and any excess money can be employed to rebuild the business and reward high performers.
• The notion that changing your mind about an issue shows weakness is ridiculous. People should be ready to admit when there is evidence to make them change their mind. That's an indication of intellectual honesty, not of a lack of backbone.
• A real leader, one who leads from a true heart and honest mind, won't deny an emerging belief simply because it makes him uncomfortable.
• Beliefs are not always easy to come by or right in front of one's face. The path is often lonely, arduous, even painful, at odds with how one perceives oneself. But an intellectually honest leader leads from a place where true beliefs live.

Joe

Rudy On Leadership - Promises & Expectations

Even though he has withdrawn from the race for the Republican Presidential nomination -- and I really don't know which Republican candidate to get behind now -- I'm still greatly enjoying Rudy Giuliani's book on Leadership.

UNDERPROMISE AND OVERDELIVER:

• A leader must manage not only results but expectations.
• Don't announce an initiative until the results are already in. Try it out, refine it, get at least a preliminary set of results -- then announce the plan.
• Avoid mentioning what you've done until you've actually accomplished something.
• Often it's to a leader's benefit not to let others know what he's up to until the last possible moment.
• Another reason to announce results rather than intentions is that you can pursue a strategy without waiting for a consensus to build around it.
• Every initiative has supporters and detractors. No matter how "positive" a plan seems, there's always a side that considers itself the losers.
• A leader should go ahead and lead -- not in an arrogant way, and not without abundant input from others.
• A leader who fails to act until every group has been heard from, every concern addressed, every lawsuit resolved, is a leader who's abdicating his responsibility.

PROMISE ONLY WHEN YOU'RE POSITIVE

• Grand rhetorical promises undermine a leader's authority.
• When you don't know the answer, you've got to be honest enough to say so.

DON'T TURN A VICTORY INTO A DEFEAT

• In announcing expectations before he knows the results, a leader risks turning a positive development into a disappointment.
• One of the duties of a leader is to let his staff know how he expects them to behave.
• The risk of turning a victory into a failure is more than just a matter of impression and morale. Sometimes a misguided prediction can actually do some harm.

Joe

Rudy on Leadership: Making Decisions Pt 2

Rudy Giuliani on Leadership:

USE CREATIVE TENSION:

• You cannot generate heartfelt debate unless the participants believe that the outcome is not predetermined.
• Sometimes the best way to stimulate the debate you need to make an informed decision is to take a step back.

HEAR PEOPLE OUT:

• Once you've made a decision, you must stick to it; but up until that point make it clear that you'll entertain changing your mind even on subjects that seem cut and dried.
• A leader has to be strong enough to make his own decisions, and stick to them even when they're unpopular; but he also must be self-confident enough to solicit opinions and change his mind without worrying that he'll appear weak.
• Important, complicated decisions require both statistical analysis and intuition.
• Statistics can provide the necessary data, but unless you provide your own intuition, gathered from your own experience, you are just a computer spitting out formulas.

Joe

Rudy on Leadership: Making Decisions

Rudy Giuliani on Leadership

REFLECT, THEN DECIDE:

• Making the right choices is the most important part of leadership.
• The longer you have to make a decision, the more mature and well-reasoned the decision should be.
• A readiness to make decisions has a positive effect.
• The generation that succeeds the originators of an idea will often take it to a new level, to make its mark.

BE READY TO PULL THE TRIGGER WHEN TIME IS SHORT

• Leaders must find a balance between speed and deliberation.
• One facet of making decisions involves knowing how to act when there's not much time to deliberate.
• The need for quick decisions is strongest in times of crisis. People are afraid and uncertain, and need to feel that someone is in charge.
• Even though leaders should take as much time as available to make decisions, the process of making the decision should begin immediately.
• If a decision is due in five days, the time to start researching and considering the matter is now, not four days on.
• Sometimes people just want to see issues being addressed, even if they don't always agree with the result.

Joe

Rudy On Leadership: Hiring & Motivating

Thoughts on Leadership from America's Mayor:

RESUMES AREN'T EVERYTHING

• A person's resume won't tell you the full story.
• A leader must have confidence in his own decision-making about people. He has to know he'll make the right decision eight or nine times out of ten, and be willing to accept responsibility for getting it wrong a few times.

MOTIVATE

• No matter how much success a leader has in hiring, it is still necessary to stoke the fires.
• Continued competition is one reason why a certain amount of turnover is a good thing.
• Allowing employees to encounter challenges on a regular basis accomplishes two important goals. First, it provides experience -- employees who are exposed to challenges and allowed to use their heads to respond to them become better at it. Second, regular challenge invigorates the staff.
• Morale isn't an end in itself, it's designed to create better performance. It can't be an afterthought -- it has to be central to everything you do as a leader.

Now that Fred Thompson is out of the race for the Republican Presidential nomination, and I've thrown my support to Rudy Giuliani, I'm finding this book Leadership by Rudy Giuliani even more interesting. I'm finding that the Management and Leadership tactics and techniques that he describes in the book -- those that helped him to successfully lead the largest city in our country through the greatest tragedy of our time -- are sound business skills that can (and should) be used not only in my own daily Management job, but also in the highest office in the land.

If you have any doubts whatsoever that Rudy Giuliani is the most qualified current Presidential hopeful, I strongly urge you to read this book. For more excerpts from the book, take a look here.

Joe

Rudy Giuliani on Leadership: Team Building

Leadership wisdom from America's Mayor:

Surround Yourself With Great People:

• When hiring, I would no more refuse the best person because of a relationship than I would hire the worst person because of a relationship (don't show favoritism in hiring, but don't reject the best candidate just to prevent the appearance of favoritism).

Analyze Strengths and Weaknesses:

• The first part of choosing great people is to analyze your own strengths and weaknesses. The goal is to balance your weaknesses with the strenghts of others, then to evaluate the team overall.
• Establishing a dynamic that brings out the best in each player is one of the toughest facets of leadership.

Learn From Great Teams:

• Successful sports teams are never built on only one person. Even transcendent stars like Michael Jordan or Babe Ruth need strong supporting casts -- and the proof that they're true leaders is that those other players were better around Jordan or Ruth than they would have been otherwise.
• Battle experience is invaluable, and difficult to replicate. It's tough to know in advance whether those around you will handle pressure.
• You can't totally predict who will get along and who will work well together. Sometimes very different people will form a harmonious unit, while those with a lot in common can't be in a room together.
• Matching the person to the job is not only a matter of what position is right for them, but also what is right for you.
• Don't allow someone's alleged strengths to decide how you use him or her.

Joe

Rudy Giuliani on Leadership

What I learned today about Leadership from Rudy Giuliani:

Accountability Across The Board:

• The best indicators don't simply measure performance, they improve it.
• So long as the person on top believes in the system and makes sure that everyone beneath him buys into it and has the necessary support and resources, no one person is irreplaceable.
• Those who need their hands held and want every move to originate at headquarters will never succeed.
• The leaders job is to set the tone and agenda, including specific targets for managers in the field, and to supply whatever advice, encouragement, and resources are needed to meet those targets.
• Every leader needs to internalize the idea that being open and honest about the enterprise is always the best course.
• Disclose bad news sooner rather than later.
• Any organization is better off when everyone answers to each other.

Do What's Possible, Try What's Not:

• No matter what you're tracking, comparing results to previous indicators, then demanding improvement, is the best way to achieve anything.

I've said in past posts that I don't necessarily support Rudy Giuliani for the Republican Presidential nomination. Unfortunately, today the candidate that I do support has withdrawn from the race. I'll be considering where to throw my support going forward.

Joe

Rudy on Leadership: Preparedness & Accountability

What I learned today about Leadership from Rudy Giuliani:

Instill Preparedness In Others

• Creating reasons for those who work for you to establish their own culture of preparedness is part of being a good leader.
• Create a culture that values preparation.

Everyone's Accountable All Of The Time

• More than anyone, leaders should welcome being held accountable.
• Nothing builds confidence in a leader more than a willingness to take responsibility for what happens during his watch.
• Nothing builds a stronger case for holding employees to a high standard than a boss who holds himself to even higher ones.
• The mere fact that one knows that one is going to be called to account will provide the motivation to try new strategies.
• For any system to remain effective, it must continually challenge itself.
• A leader's role is to raise the bar.
• Success relies on acting as a team, sharing ideas, holding each other accountable, relying on one another for support.

It should be said that I do not necessarily endorse Rudy Giuliani for the Republican nomination for President of the United States. I'm just enjoying reading his book, Leadership.

Joe