Big Business, Big Failures
I just returned from Davos and the inability of leaders of the business community to take responsibility was everywhere, and it was disappointing. There was way too much personal focus on, "I am a good person," and an absence of any appreciation that their market-worshiping, deregulating, privatizing philosophy of the last 25 years has failed.
Too many leaders tried to justify their own or companies behavior rather than admit that the system they promoted that had made them wealthy, while creating gross inequities, and economic calamities was flawed.
It is no wonder that, in a workshop on restoring trust in corporations, in which I was a discussion leader, my suggestion that Davos participants could restore trust by condemning the bonuses of Wall Street companies that needed government investment [was not adopted].
When Barack Obama raised his voice we saw what real leadership means. Is it any wonder that the public has less trust in big business than it had in President Bush when he left office?
By
Andy Stern
|
February 3, 2009; 3:05 PM ET
Category:
Economic crisis
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Posted by: axolotl | February 4, 2009 1:26 PM
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Real leadership will not be when President Obama raises his voice, but when he raises his big stick.
Posted by: jimk8mr | February 3, 2009 4:28 PM
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oh, Andy. a friend in your session described, ever so politely, the ramrod approach of the moderator. you turned 'em off, regardless of the worth of your position.
BTW, I think your position is directionally correct. But as union boss, don't expect a lot of respect in those venues.