THE QUESTION
Leadership Lessons from AIG
What are the leadership lessons here, not only for AIG leaders, but also for other corporate finance leaders, congressional leaders and the Obama administration?
Posted by Ben Bradlee and Steve Pearlstein on March 18, 2009 1:58 PM
FROM THE PANEL
Defending "Business Values"
I've always argued to fellow military leaders that the business world values selflessness and service to others, just like the military. But AIG makes this defense very difficult.
Posted by Lt. Col. Todd Henshaw (Ret.), on March 19, 2009 12:04 PM
Climb Out of Your Wall Street Box
The culture of AIG and much of Wall Street is so narrowly focused on winning, that, ironically, the very risk takers who bet on leverage now seem risk averse as they argue that bonuses are necessary to retain talent and avoid chaos.
Posted by Patricia McGinnis, on March 19, 2009 9:40 AM
Outrage Is an Unaffordable Luxury
People are upset about AIG bonuses, and we know Congress is going to run with that. But the Obama administration cannot afford the luxury of outrage. The challenges they face are simply too great.
Posted by Ian Bremmer, on March 18, 2009 3:00 PM
Dangerous Obfuscation of Facts
Both AIG and the Obama administration seem to have been oblivious to the combustible nature of the bonuses and they compounded the problem with terribly inadequate communication. The real danger is losing public and political support for further reform of the financial system.
Posted by Benjamin W. Heineman, Jr., on March 18, 2009 2:52 PM
Fire the Bonus-Takers
The roots of our financial crisis are complex, but the right and wrong of the AIG case are very clear. Workers who created the mess and want to accept bonuses are bad guys who should be fired. Those who refuse the bonus and stay to clean up the mess they created are the good guys.
Posted by Roger Martin, on March 18, 2009 1:49 PM
How AIG Went Blind
Optics--how things look--matter, and if leaders lose their ability to see the world through others' eyes, they ought to consider getting some counsel from those who can and do see the world differently.
Posted by Jeffrey Pfeffer, on March 18, 2009 12:36 PM
