Usable Insight – Obama: The Man who COULD be King
In a time when Emperors have no clothes (or have feet of clay),
a man who is comfortable in his own skin (and doesn’t get under ours)
and who is wedded to a noble cause could rule the world.Who is this man named Obama and why does he have such global appeal?
He is someone:
- who appears to want to do the right thing more than he needs to be right or preserve a status quo
- who walks his talk about our future being tied to being “all about we” as opposed to “all about me”
- who is just as committed to fairness as he is to justice and liberty for all
- who entreats us to be part of a solution instead of remaining stuck in problems
- who doesn’t trigger dissonance in us because the hope of what he wants to do for us far exceeds the fear of what he will do to us
He is someone however who is being so tugged at by all the King’s men and all the King’s women that he is hard pressed to articulate that vision of a future that would speak to everyone and spontaneously enroll us to make it happen.
As I have watched President Obama conduct himself since taking office (and because I am not encumbered by special interests tugging at me) I have put myself in his shoes and thought of the vision I might have were I him.
It seems clear to me that this man cares about this country, loves his wife and adores his children. It is that latter point with which few people would disagree…for most parents I know adore their children.
So…if he does adore his children, he will of course realize that they will love theirs, his and Michelle’s grandchildren. If this is so, the best way to demonstrate his love for his children is to envision and help create a world into which his grandchildren will be born with the potential of living a life full of opportunity, free of war, with access to health care and the best chance for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
That’s certainly a vision I would sign up for.
Tags: G20, mark goulston, obama, world
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:35 pm
[...] more here: Obama: The Man who COULD be King Category: Womens Health | Tags: career, country, events, facebook, family, obama, podcasts, [...]
April 4th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Hi Mark – enjoy your comments about Obama.
Yesterday I was chairing the meeting of the Southern California Mediation Association and in my introduction I had to note Obama’s mediation skill as reported in yesterday’s LA Times. A dispute arose between Sarkozy and Hu which was holding up an international agreement. The question was whether to officially recognize a list of tax havens being published by the OECD as part of an attempt to crack down on those trying to escape taxes. Sarkozy insisted on recognizing the list. Hu opposed it. There was a great deal of back and forth. Finally Obama proposed that, rather than “recognizing” the list, G-20 Leaders simply “note” it. Obam took Sarkozy aside and they huddled with their economic advisors. When Sarkozy concurred, Obama invite Hu to the corner and asked what he thought. Within an hour, the other participants saw Obama, Sarkozy and Hu sealing the agreement with handshakes.
We as mediators were extremely impressed by Obama’s astuteness in applying sophisticated techniques of mediation – listening to understand, recognizing the parties’ competing interests,respecting their differences, creating options, taking each participant aside for private conversation so as not to create conflict by face to face challenges, suggesting a compromise, getting a commitment from one participant and then the other, and voila, the world leaders come together to reach agreement that can affect all of us around the world. When we break apart what he had to do to achieve consensus, we see that the challenge is much more complex than appears on the surface. Obama not only has the intellect to understand the issues, but he has the skill and artful ability to understand the dynamics of dealing with conflicting parties while gaining the respect of each so that they would accept his offer of mediation. Furthermore, he exhibits an uncanny intuitive skill about dealing with people – not only emotional intelligence but also social intelligence – that which Dan Goleman writes about in his books on these two important skills.
Our SCMA board was so impressed with Obama’s accomplishment that they ask me to write a letter to Obama to let him know that we acknowledge his high level of performance in mediating the dispute and commend him in setting an example of leadership for all mediators who serve throughout the world. We were all “blown away” by such an incredible achievement.
Finally I would like to note something that Obama recently said in a press conference that I think is the touchstone of a different approach to the way we all must deal with one another in a complex society. You probably read or heard this statement, but I repeat it, because I think it exhibits the next stage of evolutionary development for all societies if we are to survive:
“It will take an understanding that when we all work together, when each of us looks beyond our own short term interests to the wider set of obligations we have to each other, that’s when we succeed.”
I think this has profound political and philosophical implications that we should all share with each other. I have been reading a lot on evolution of game theory – particularly the belief by some evolutionary scientists that all life is an evolution of interaction – serving the needs of self vs cooperating with others to have a functioning society. I recommend “Rock, Paper, Scissors” and the Evolution of Cooperation by Robert Axelrod. The whole development of game theory is about the interaction of individuals making decisions that primarily benefit themselves or exhibit cooperation with others to achieve a mutually acceptable outcome beneficial for both.
I am excited about Obama’s performance – and I appreciate your comments and keen insights. Many thanks. Myer Sankary
April 4th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
this is a great article! Just added you to my feed reader. I’ll return again.
April 5th, 2009 at 12:23 am
Knowing a lot about his worksmithing operation, you must recognize that this is the most language-coached president in American history. Nearly every key word, phrase, and pitch is dial focus-group tested.
April 5th, 2009 at 12:23 am
“worksmithing” should be “wordsmithing” of course.
April 5th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
I fear you are listening to the words manufactured by his speech writers. This man who would be king will try. Assuming that the opposition parties will continue to stumble, he will be in his second term in a few years. I predict that then there will be a movement to amend our constitution to eliminate presidential term limits. That being passed, we will then truly have a king. Remember Lord Acton’s caution: “Power tends to corupt, absolute power corupts, absolutely.”
April 5th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Until I see hard evidence of Obama doing harm I am choosing to hope for the best and giving him the benefit of the doubt.
April 6th, 2009 at 8:56 am
I can understand cynicism arising from eight years of the destruction of our political, educational and financial systems, but Obama deserves the slightest whisper of a chance. People were piling on after he was in office a few days. He seems intelligent and capable, so why not give him a chance to revive a sick country?