Leadership - vision, passion, integrity, adaptive capacity

Our local County Bar President, Michael G. Yoder, prepared for his post by reviewing studies on LEADERSHIP. Great idea. One of the leading authorities on leadership is Dr. Warren Bennis, the Distinguished Professor of Business Administration and Founding Chairman of the Leadership Institute at the University of Southern California. In his widely recognized classic, On Becoming a Leader, Dr. Bennis isolates four qualities of an effective leader: (1) Vision – a leader must have a clear idea of what he or she wants to accomplish; (2) Passion – A leader must have a distinctive voice that can inspire and move others; (3) Integrity – A leader must stay true to his or her core values in order to earn the trust of others; and (4) Adaptive Capacity – A leader must be able to recognize and respond to change.

What an admirable way to prepare for taking a position of leadership. Is there something "undemocratic" about requiring nominees or candidates to reveal their achievements against the criteria that scholars, as well as the citizens, journalists, and historians will judge them?

How to conduct ourselves...top down.

Accounts of Alexander the Great's attempts to conjure Rules of War, appear to be historically accurate. Curious. The lists themselves, however, are more disputed than the Ten Commandments. Still, for a dead on guideline, no matter the author, can this be beat?

LET US CONDUCT OURSELVES IN SUCH A FASHION THAT ALL NATIONS WISH TO BE OUR FRIENDS AND ALL FEAR TO BE OUR ENEMIES.

The next step is to have no enemies who know who They are.

WAR - leadership needed - Ilario Patano

Former Marine 2d Lt Ilario G Pantano was exonerated last year in a preliminary hearing conducted at Camp Lejeune, NC, of charges that he killed two Iraqi prisoners in cold blood. Although he was a veteran of the previous Persian Gulf War, serving in the front line as a sergeant, he had only been in Iraq for a few months. He had joined immediately after 9/11.
His accuser was Sgt Daniel Coburn, serving in the same rifle platoon under Lt Pantano's command. The military tribunal found that Sgt Coburn was "not credible" in his accusations. However, Pantano's military career options were ended.
Now, Pantano has written a book. Good move. It is entitled: WARLORD: NO BETTER FRIEND, NO WORSE ENEMY. The book describes the combat and the litigation.
One of the appeals of the Warrior Ethos is the fact that if you are deadly, you really can be potent as a friend. Most of us are "weak friends", and this is the place setting in which I find myself regretfully seated.
The worst that has been said of Pantano, and his response -- restraint, writing a detailed book -- convinces me of his greatness. I also notice that Pantano's former attorney, Mr. Charles W. Gittins of San Diego, is on record hoping Pantano runs for office. Attorneys know things about their clients and it's a good bet that a person who knows "things" about a former client, and having no duty or benefit to himself in expressing such a hope, would not make such an endorsement unless it was righteous.
My god it would be great to see men and women lead us who KNOW how gray and intense the choices in war can be. The LACK of military bearing on the part of Rowe/ Cheney/ Bush and their uninformed Congressional overseers may "explain" (but not justify) the chaotic disgrace which is their legacy to America.
Draft Ilario Patano into Office! Please. Now.