REMEMBER BACK DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN? GEORGE W. BUSH WAS STUMPED WHEN A BOSTON TELEVISION REPORTER ASKED HIM WHO THE LEADER OF PAKISTAN WAS. WELL, THESE DAYS, THINGS ARE DIFFERENT. BUSH COULD PROBABLY REEL OFF THE NAMES OF MANY IN GENERAL PERVEZ MUSHARRAF’S CABINET.
THIS NEW AWARENESS REFLECTS A SUBTLE CHANGE IN THE PRESIDENT'S MANAGERIAL APPROACH. WHEN BUSH WAS FIRST ELECTED, HIS HANDLERS PLAYED UP THE FACT THAT HE WAS THE NATION’S FIRST 'MBA PRESIDENT,' THAT HE WOULD RUN THE COUNTRY LIKE A CEO.
BUT THAT METAPHOR WAS A BIT OF A MISFIT. UNLIKE A TYPICAL CEO, BUSH TOOK A DISTINCT 'LESS IS MORE' APPROACH. HE FELT HE COULD MANAGE MORE EFFICIENTLY BY DELEGATING A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY, HAVING A SHORTER WORKDAY AND BY NOT SWEATING THE DETAILS. BUT HE PAID FOR THAT.
EARLY ON, ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM BOTH PARTIES WERE SURPRISED TO FIND THAT HE WAS NOT ALWAYS UP-TO-SPEED ON THE ISSUES IN MEETINGS. SOME ATTRIBUTED SENATOR JAMES JEFFORDS STUNNING DEFECTION FROM THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TO THAT LACK OF PREPARATION.
AFTERWARDS, REPUBLICAN SENATOR CHUCK HAGEL CRITICIZED THE PRESIDENT SAYING: "YOU CANNOT JUST BRING PEOPLE DOWN AND FEED THEM COOKIES. HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO ENGAGE HIMSELF, EDUCATE HIMSELF...HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND ISSUES BETTER, MORE DEEPLY."
BUT, SINCE SEPTEMBER 11TH, BUSH HAS ADOPTED A NEW STYLE. THE CRISIS FORCED A SHIFT IN THE WAY HE LEADS. THE PRESIDENT IS MORE HANDS-ON, HIS HOURS ARE LONGER AND HE’S NOW SWEATING THE DETAILS. HE APPEARS SELF-ASSURED AND EVEN RELAXED IN IMPROMPTU SITUATIONS. HE HAS EXHIBITED A SIGNIFICANTLY MORE POLISHED PUBLIC PERSONA. HE REGULARLY MAKES HIMSELF AVAILABLE FOR REPORTERS QUESTIONS AND IS QUITE WILLING TO STRAY FROM TALKING POINTS.
NOW, HE'S MANAGING WITH A CEO-LEVEL UNDERSTANDING OF ISSUES. AND IT'S ABOUT TIME. BUT THIS CANNOT BE JUST A SHORT-TERM MANAGEMENT CHANGE. THE NEXT STAGE OF THE WAR ON TERRORISM WILL CALL FOR EVEN MORE PUBLIC LEADERSHIP FROM BUSH.
ON THE DOMESTIC FRONT, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS ALREADY HAD SOME MANAGERIAL MISSTEPS, INCLUDING ITS INITIAL HANDLING OF THE ANTHRAX SCARE. GOING FORWARD, BUSH WILL NEED TO GUIDE THE NATION EXPERTLY THROUGH FURTHER UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES.INTERNATIONALLY, HE IS GOING TO HAVE TO GALVANIZE THE U.S. AND THE WORLD TO SUSTAIN THE ANTI-TERRORISM EFFORT IN THE MONTHS AHEAD. THIS BAPTISM BY FIRE IS NOT OVER. AND FOR THE CEO-IN-CHIEF, LESS CAN NO LONGER BE MORE.
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