Morning Advantage: The Unchanging Face of the Presidential Race
HBR.org 2012-09-05
Indulge us as we ask you to imagine you were reading the following excerpt from a Fortune editorial a little while ago... "When the campaign orators start warming up next summer, they will ask the voter to believe that the difference between a Republican administration and a Democratic administration is the difference between heaven and hell (or vice versa). This repels the voter who knows that our major parties are very broadly based, that certain matters are compromised within the parties to such an extent that they are virtually removed from debate between the parties. And out of this arises the literate fallacy that it really doesn't make much difference who wins (except to the politicians and patronage seekers), a convenient belief for the thoughtful voter who is not quite thoughtful enough." Now imagine that "a little while ago" was 1952 because, yes, that's when this article was written. Is it true that little changes in the American politik except the particulars? While the full article reveals plenty of differences in the issues of the two ages, much of the analysis rings as true today as it did when Stevenson battled Ike.
Uncertainty Is on the Rise (CFO)
Uncertainty about the economy is on the rise among private companies, a new PricewaterhouseCoopers survey says. Nearly 40% of CEOs expressed uncertainty in Q2, compared with 32% in the first quarter. Only half the companies surveyed were optimistic about the economy, down from 60%. PwC's Ken Esch blames the euro crisis for much of the uncertainty, and says it doesn’t matter whether the companies voicing their concerns are actually doing business in Europe. “Because the global economy is so intertwined, a lack of demand in Europe is bound to affect a business’s customers,” he says in CFO.
The Rules for Leading Creatives (Mercer)
Creative types can be prickly bunch. Dogged in commitment to our ideas and ideals; often quick to frustration; a bit egotistical. But, ultimately, we're as manageable as anybody else — especially with the help of the good folks at Mercer. Rule 3 is a good place to start: Creative people crave both autonomy and boundaries. They want to feelthey have a large degree of control over their lives and work. An autocratic,highly directive leadership style rarely gets the best outcomes withcreatives, but that doesn’t mean the alternative — allowing total freedomand anarchy — works well either.
Modest Aspirations
When Grilled Cheese Can Change The World (Fast Company) Twitter’s Free Speech Defender (New York Times) Four Traits of Collaborative Leaders (strategy+business)