Jonah Goldberg on Bernard-Henri Levy's defense of Dominique Strauss-Kahn:
Meanwhile, while Bernard-Henri is scandalized that a mere chambermaid can get a “great” man like Strauss-Kahn in trouble with the law merely by credibly accusing him of sexual assault, I am proud to live in a country where a housekeeper can get a world leader pulled off a plane bound for Paris. If something like that couldn’t happen in France, then shame on France and shame on Levy for thinking otherwise.
[HT: Instapundit.com]
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Lawyers and Consultants
The lawyer will show you the lines that must never be crossed lest you violate the law. The consultant will show you the heights that must be attained if you are to manage effectively.
The lawyer will help you to avoid litigation. The consultant will help you to avoid inefficiency, ineffectiveness, and personnel pitfalls.
The lawyer may ignore poor management if it is unlikely to spark legal problems. The consultant will argue that poor management is a cancer that may eventually cause both management and legal problems.
In general, lawyers and consultants work well together. Both groups are risk-adverse. They hate being brought in late to clean up messes that could have been easily prevented had a simple phone call been made.
The organizations that need them the least, use them the most. [That's one reason why they need them the least.] The organizations that need them the most, scoff at the need for their services until a major problem arises.
At that point, they may be wanted not just for advice, but for miracles.
The lawyer will help you to avoid litigation. The consultant will help you to avoid inefficiency, ineffectiveness, and personnel pitfalls.
The lawyer may ignore poor management if it is unlikely to spark legal problems. The consultant will argue that poor management is a cancer that may eventually cause both management and legal problems.
In general, lawyers and consultants work well together. Both groups are risk-adverse. They hate being brought in late to clean up messes that could have been easily prevented had a simple phone call been made.
The organizations that need them the least, use them the most. [That's one reason why they need them the least.] The organizations that need them the most, scoff at the need for their services until a major problem arises.
At that point, they may be wanted not just for advice, but for miracles.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Anne Sinclair
When I heard the name of the wife of the IMF chief/criminal defendant, I recalled seeing her on French television years ago. She is also a blogger.
Leadership Pros and Cons
Jim Stroup at Managing Leadership goes after the "leadership is inherently positive" argument.
I suggest to clients that they think of leadership responsibilities and how well individuals, regardless of title, fulfill those responsibilities. It can be especially dangerous to imply that some jobs have no leadership responsibilities whatsoever and to treat leadership as a caste.
The discussion reminds me of how the terms "quality" and environment" - which once were neutral - are now frequently associated with the positive.
"They did a real quality job."
"Oh. Was it good or poor quality?"
I suggest to clients that they think of leadership responsibilities and how well individuals, regardless of title, fulfill those responsibilities. It can be especially dangerous to imply that some jobs have no leadership responsibilities whatsoever and to treat leadership as a caste.
The discussion reminds me of how the terms "quality" and environment" - which once were neutral - are now frequently associated with the positive.
"They did a real quality job."
"Oh. Was it good or poor quality?"
Mamet's Move
Three decades ago David Mamet became known among the culture-consuming public for writing plays with lots of dirty words. “You’re f—ing f—ed” was a typically Mamet-like line, appearing without the prim dashes back in a day when playwrights were still struggling to get anything stronger than a damn on stage. Mamet’s profanity even became a popular joke: So there’s this panhandler who approaches a distinguished looking gentleman and asks for money. The man replies pompously: “ ‘Neither a borrower nor a lender be’ —William Shakespeare.” The beggar looks at him. “ ‘F— you’ —David Mamet.”
Read the rest of Andrew Ferguson on the political conversion of David Mamet.
Read the rest of Andrew Ferguson on the political conversion of David Mamet.
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