San Francisco Chronicle, September 9, 2005, Friday

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We need you to manage, Mr. President
- Samuel B. Bacharach
Friday, September 9, 2005


To this point in his presidency, George W. Bush has drawn on his capacity as an ideological leader. He has shown unexpected rhetorical skills, a sense of drama and even a touch of charisma. He has surprised many by being able to rally people to his side in moments of crisis. Often, we don't give him enough credit for his ability to appeal to people's emotions, dreams, aspirations and, at times, their realistic fears. He is, after all, the man who stood on the tower of rubble and wrapped his arms around a New York City firefighter, and with emotion and conviction maintained that the whole world was listening.

Few leaders stand more dramatically on ruins and barricades. Leadership, however, is more than rallying people around you, it is more than dramaturgy. It is about taking charge. It is about sustaining momentum, keeping people on your side, and making sure that things really happen as they should. Leadership is not only about appearance. More important, it's about deliverables.

While there is much to be questioned about the president's role in the first few days of the national tragedy in New Orleans, the real test is not what he said, or what he did or didn't do, but what he will do now. Now that the rubber has hit the road in New Orleans, can he sustain momentum through the doldrums of reconstruction? Does he have the ability to marshal the people he needs? Can he keep us on his side and make things happen? The test now is not whether Bush can lead ideologically, but whether he can lead proactively. In short, can he manage?

Proactive leaders have the capacity to make sure that things are executed the way they should be. They are not simply visionary, but are leaders of nuts-and-bolts action who know their business, know their organizations, know the problems and challenges and are aware of the limitations of and need for resources. In this context, proactive leaders have the capacity to develop a tactical plan and lead that plan to success. Proactive leaders stay on top of the problem from beginning to end.

The time has come for George W. Bush to show this country that not only does he have a capacity to rally people, but he also has the capacity to be a CEO who can hold people accountable, evaluate progress, motivate key actors, anticipate problems, co-opt resources and enfranchise his constituents. This is not the time for processing and delegating. This is the time for creating hope through action.

First and foremost, proactive leaders understand that, whether behind the desk or on the front lines, they need to take charge. The president must be both in New Orleans and Washington at the same time because no matter where something happens, the president must show that he knows the buck stops with him. Proactive leaders understand the need for specific action plans. They live in a world of who, what, where, why, when and how. They understand clearly that no plan will occur unless they make it occur. What needs to be done is clear. Jobs must be created. The city of New Orleans must be rebuilt. A plan must be created to incorporate the citizens of New Orleans into the process of rebuilding their city.

But there will be no plan unless the president gets all relevant parties beyond turf battles. Proactive leaders directly assure accountability of the people they appoint. The process of rebuilding New Orleans must be sustained through continuous evaluation and accountability. Without coordinated accountability to the president, the road to recovery will be longer.

Proactive leaders don't delegate the mobilization of resources. They take charge of the mobilization of resources. Resources from the private and public sectors must be immediately mobilized. The right people with the right skills must be put to work. But again, this will only occur with managerial surveillance by the chief executive.

This is not the time to debate state versus federal government responsibility. We are beyond ideology. The country needs the president to manage proactively. Where tiles fall off the space shuttle, where terrorism is a daily reality, where hopelessness is seen on our TV screens, a can-do, take-charge, nuts-and-bolts proactive managerial style is what we look for in our president. The phoenix will rise from the ashes not because of rhetorical promises but because of managerial deeds.

Samuel B. Bacharach (sb22@cornell.edu) is the McKelvey-Grant Professor in the Department of Organizational Behavior at Cornell University. He is the author of "Get Them on Your Side" (Platinum Press/Adams Media, 2005).

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©2005 San Francisco Chronicle