Hi Guys,
As I mentioned earlier, I have dusted off my copy of Rudy Giuliani's book titled "Leadership" and am presently rereading it to better recall 9/11. The book helps in that regard, but it is dominated by his definition of good leadership principles. He lists 14 such principles and devotes a chapter to each of them. Many of those principles are easily transferable to investment decision making. For example, prepare relentlessly, and reflect,then decide. Also, surround yourself with great people; that's easily accomplished on MFO, but some care must be exercised.
Giuliani's book is not why I'm posting now. It did get me thinking about how leadership qualities translate into productive investment decision making. So here is a reference that many will think is from way out in left field. But there are lessons to be learned from this publication. It is the US Army Field Manuel on leadership. Here is the Link:
http://www.milsci.ucsb.edu/sites/secure.lsit.ucsb.edu.mili.d7/files/sitefiles/fm6_22.pdfIt is free. Several decades ago I purchased a dozen copies and gifted them to family members. I was profusely thanked. Of course much in the volume is military focused but the insights and lessons are there. I especially liked the many quotes from our military heroes. Enjoy!
Best Regards
Comments
After posting I thought you might be interested in Rudy Giuliani's leadership rules. Here is his list of 14, which are all chapter headings in his book. The numbers are the chapters in "Leadership":
2. First Things First
3. Prepare Relentlessly
4. Everyone's Accountable, All of the Time
5. Surround Yourself with Great People
6. Reflect, Then Decide
7. Underpromise and Overdeliver
8. Develop and Communicate Strong Beliefs
9. Be Your Own Man
10. Loyalty: The Vital Virtue
11. Weddings Discretionary, Funerals Mandatory
12. Stand Up to Bullies
13. Study. Read. Learn Independently
14. Organize Around a Purpose
15. Bribe Only Those Who Will Stay Bribed
The book is an excellent read. I recommend it.
Best Wishes.
Wow! Thank you for your contrary assessment of Giuliani's tenure as NYC mayor. It directly conflicts with his book claims. I think I understand some of the reasoning behind your police state charge.
Giuliani targeted crime as a major problem prior to his election and committed resources to address it. In Appendix A of his book, he proudly reviews the very positive statistics that his Compstat tool delivered. Much success is claimed. Apparently that Compstat program was recognized as a useful tool since it has been adopted by other major cities like Los Angeles.
A long time ago (over 5 decades), I was a graduate student at Columbia University. One evening, I visited friends in Brooklyn and returned by subway after midnight. I was not aware that the subway route bifurcated on 96th street, and instead of delivering me to Columba, I got off the train in Harlem. Not so good. I was definitely lost. In a moment, a black officer recognized my confusion, and offered to walk me through a threatening Morningside Heights back to the University. I owe him.
Thanks again for your perspective. I'm sure much has changed since my last visit to the City many, many years ago.
Best Wishes.
A double wow from me. You quickly turned my rather neutral post into a fierce political opinion. That was not my intent. But having moved in that direction, here is a Link to a simple quiz that is designed to identify your political position:
https://www.theadvocates.org/quiz/quiz.php#
It's a fun test. I have little doubt where you will place in the map that is given in the scoring summary. I was not surprised that I was rated as a Libertarian.
Best Wishes.
politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2007/sep/01/how-much-credit-giuliani-due-fighting-crime/
And any success he did have was largely done by criminalizing poverty. huffingtonpost.com/maria-foscarinis/criminalization-of-poverty_b_5754294.html He took real social problems and rather than address them, merely swept them under the rug, putting anyone who was homeless in jail and creating New York's "stop and frisk" policy, widely acknowledged as one of the most racist policing policies in the country. One can see how controversial stop and frisk is and Giuliani's legacy here:
theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/01/stop-and-frisk-may-be-working-but-is-it-racist/267417/
Even if it "works," at what cost to people's liberty? Or perhaps it doesn't matter so long as those people being harassed and unreasonably searched aren't you?
Your wide-eyed responses (moi?) indicate that you need to know so much more than you do, it seems.
http://kevinbaker.info/americas-mayor/
Just a start.
That simpleminded political 'quiz' is by far the most simpleminded, indeed feebleminded, thing I have seen in some time. I am even surprised at your own rating, also that you took it.
Thanks MJG for this thread. I will check this book out.
I favor paychecks over welfare checks.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IvVuNkE-LMw
This advice from Kenneth Branagh: "Lihhten up, just enjoy life, smile more, laugh more, and don't get so worked up about things".
My post was meant to be fun. I said so when I sumitted it.
I agree that I need to know much more than I do know. And studies show that much of what we think we know is wrong. I am very aware of my shortcomings. Each morning when I awake next to my wife I am reminded that I'm the second smartest person in that bedroom. I have no illusions about my knowledge shortfalls. But I constantly work to address that shortfall.
Remember that my post was not a serious test. The very brevity of it signaled that it was a fun exercise.
Best Wishes.
http://rs952.pbsrc.com/albums/ae7/deluxx_photos/judynonono.gif~c200
As for left-right fakespeak, I'm w/ LB.
So, MJG, why not simply recommend a book on "Leadership" about Putin himself for us to savor?
The Leadership Principles of Vladimir Putin
https://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Principles-Vladimir-Leader-Presindent/dp/1492800759
I suppose I should thank you for the Putin reference, but I have no interest in his leadership positions. Besides, the book you referenced was not written by Putin, so it is a second hand assessment at best. Additionally, the two men operate in such disparate political, social, and economic environments that I doubt their leadership insights are transferable.
Why the antagonism? Most of the replies have focused on Giulianni and not on the primary reason for my post. I wanted to introduce the US Army thinking on leadership to the MFO cohort. I'm disappointed with the Giulianni focus since it is swamping my original purpose. Giulianni was an unfortunate afterthought that apparently ignited some deep emotions from a political perspective that approach hate for the man. I plead innocence here.
EDIT: As I stated earlier, the only reason I referenced Giulianni was the 9/11 anniversary. He was the NYC mayor at that time, so I thought his reactions would be of some interest to MFO members.
Best Wishes
No antagonism. Must everything be personal? You opened a can of worms with mention of a major player in the current political scene - one whom you appear to have some affection for.
I'd rather the board stay away from politics and stick to investing. But Hell, everybody's got a right to voice their opinions on whatever subject comes up. You perhaps correctly perceive that I have an aversion to strong-man authoritarian styles of leadership. Look no farther than to what's currently happening in the Philippines.
Best Wishes.
Which of these points do any of you disagree with?
2. First Things First
3. Prepare Relentlessly
4. Everyone's Accountable, All of the Time
5. Surround Yourself with Great People
6. Reflect, Then Decide
7. Underpromise and Overdeliver
8. Develop and Communicate Strong Beliefs
9. Be Your Own Man
10. Loyalty: The Vital Virtue
11. Weddings Discretionary, Funerals Mandatory
12. Stand Up to Bullies
13. Study. Read. Learn Independently
14. Organize Around a Purpose
15. Bribe Only Those Who Will Stay Bribed
I never intended to cause a political firestorm.
On 9/11 there were no democrats, no republicans, no independents, and even no communists. On that day we were all Americans. I read "Leadership" to get a perspective from the man who had a primary response duty. His leadership principles seem non-political and practical. I interpreted them that way.
Many of you guys are misinterpreting my motivations, placing too much incorrect meaning to specific words I used, and making inferences that really don't exist. I'm a rather non-political person. On my first presidential vote, I chose Eisenhower(R) and on my second I chose Kennedy (D). I choose men, not parties.
I agree completely with Hank. Our focus on this forum should be investing. Sorry that I prompted this distraction. These types of discussions never resolve anything.
I'm ending my participation now!
Best Wishes.
Of course in the abstract all of those sound mostly okay, but Rudy has shown his true colors to everyone, has he not?
(And the Don could subscribe to all of them too. Except for 7 and 13.)
(Deleted)
No, I'm not going to recommend any books by Bill Clinton or Elizabeth Warren on leadership.
However, I'd be surprised if they didn't devolve into a similar politically tinged discussion.
I'll bet that over the years MJG has started more of these than any other single poster. The funny thing is that it's usually inadvertent: he is so narrowly focused and insensitive to the possibilities of alternate interpretations that he is frequently "surprised" by how others react to his assertions.
The Army rules of leadership, which were ingrained in me as a teenager/young adult, are still very much a part of who I am today. Solid guidance to live and lead by!
I originally posted to introduce Army leadership doctrines. Early in my post I said " Giuliani's book is not why I'm posting now. It did get me thinking about how leadership qualities translate into productive investment decision making." I followed that with a reference to the Army Field Manuel that presents their thinking on the matter.
The Army Manuel was the primary thrust of my submittal. I was motivated to review the Army leadership principles by my rereading of Giuliani's leadership book which was itself motivated by the 9/11 rememberance. That's a little convoluted but very linear.
I was definity surprised by the antagonism directed at Giuiani's principles. I was definity not commenting on Giuliani's performance; I was reporting on his leadership rules. As has been said in these discussions, there is sometimes a huge disparity between what is proposed and what is executed. There is a difference between talking and walking the talk.
Personal attacks should not be tolerated on this website. I never participate in such attacks. Unfortunately, a few guys do and have done so for a long time. One was prompted to do so because of a belief that my opening salutation of " Hi Guys" is sexist. Some of us are too easily offended and lose the primary thrust of a posting. Too, too bad.
Conflicting opinions are what make a marketplace, but I encourage and welcome them only if they resist being of the personal nature.
Rforno, thank you for refocusing the discussion.
Best Wishes.
Unfortunately, it appears that he's not the same man as he once was.