Daily Lesson from Life 04 February 2009

"Obama recovers from 'screw up - Wed, Feb 04, 2009 AFP

WASHINGTON, US - PRESIDENT Barack Obama sought to recover on Wednesday from his toughest day yet in office after admitting he "screwed up" in a storm over taxes that forced his pick to lead health reform to withdraw.


Obama's carefully staged push for support of his massive economic stimulus plan was overshadowed as both health czar nominee Tom Daschle and another nominee Nancy Killefer - tapped to be government budget watchdog - withdrew because of tax issues.

In a flurry of television interviews Obama had hoped to pile pressure on lawmakers debating the near 900-billion-dollar package in the Senate, but was forced to face down the ethics questions instead.

"I don't want to send a message to the American people that there are two sets of standards, one for powerful people, and one for ordinary folks who are working every day and paying their taxes," Obama said in an interview with CNN.


"I think this was a mistake. I think I screwed up."

Obama tried to keep the focus on the economy as he named Republican Senator Judd Gregg as his commerce secretary. "Our economy is shrinking, unemployment rolls are growing, businesses and families can't get credit, and small businesses can't secure the loans they need to create jobs and get their products to market," Obama said.

Democratic Senate leaders, meanwhile, promised to give Republican amendments a full airing as lawmakers took up debate in earnest on the stimulus bill.


In an interview late Tuesday with ABC News, Obama backed off a "Buy American" provision in the bill that would bar the use of any stimulus funds to buy steel, iron or other manufactured goods for infrastructure construction projects from abroad. "I think that would be a mistake right now. That is a potential source of trade wars that we can't afford at a time when trade is sinking all across the globe," Obama said.“

I like his candidness and willingness to admit that he made mistakes! Some people may say how can one of the most powerful men in the world make mistake! Well, I will take a leader who admit mistake early and quickly than one who kept to his or her mistake jealously anytime!!

Lessons for me are:

1. great leaders recognized they are mere mortals! They make decision based on whatever information available and when things turned out to be against the expectation for good reasons, they are gracious and courageous enough to admit the mistake and change course;

2. however, more often than not we have leaders who clanged on their decision and refused to acknowledge their mistakes and hence lost the confidence and trust of their supporters or followers! When enough supporters feedback the negative, a wise leader will consider their input and response carefully, re-evaluate the assessment process and make new decisions that still keep to fulfilling the ultimate objective! That is the behaviors of a great leader!;

3. it is critical that the leader's adjustment is not seen to be fickle or indecisive or incompetent. To prevent this type of wrong perception from forming, it is important to demonstrate that the tactical change is made objectively and does not deviate from the strategic intent of the initial plan and actions.

I am hopeful that President Obama will continue to demonstrate the RIGHT behaviors of a great leader. A leader that I will be proud to learn from.