Expand Your Mind: Don’t Follow the Leader
by Miki Saxon
Today I want to share stories about four people, three dead and one living.
We’ll start with the living. Lynn Passarella is principal of the Bronx Theater Arts Production Company School and has taken her school so far beyond grade inflation that it is being investigated.
“When I interviewed for the school,” said Sam Buchbinder, a history teacher, “it was made very clear: this is a school that doesn’t believe in anyone failing.”
Have you noticed that when historical information is released by a Presidential Library what surfaces is not new, more so of whatever was there before? That is certainly is true when it comes to the newly released Nixon tapes, in fact you might find yourself wondering if Mel Gibson is channeling him.
Nixon said he was not prejudiced but continued: “I’ve just recognized that, you know, all people have certain traits.” … “The Jews are just a very aggressive and abrasive and obnoxious personality.”
Reaching still further back in history, we have Mary Todd Lincoln, nicknamed “The Hellcat” because of her temper. She threw a tantrum during am ill-timed shopping trip just before the succession because she was asked to pay for her train ticket. It was her son that who calmed the troubled waters, but the media had a field day.
“My name is Bob Lincoln; I’m a son of Old Abe — the old woman is in the cars raising h-ll about her passes — I wish you would attend to her.”
Finally, there is Donald Tyson, the driving force behind Tyson Foods, lauded as a visionary entrepreneur and leader and it seems like a lot of current CEOs are channeling his methods.
But it [the contested purchase of Holly Farms] also led to risky deals, questionable business practices and political ties that produced legal entanglements for him and the company. … Environmentalists accused Tyson of fouling waterways. Animal rights groups said it raised chickens in cruel conditions. Regulators said it discriminated against women and blacks and cheated workers out of wages.
More evidence that being designated a leader isn’t proof that someone is worth following.
Image credit: MykReeve on flickr
