Thang Nguyen 555

Let’s pretend you are invited to give a commencement address to 2015 graduates.

What role models should we recommend to these future leaders? Most subjects have been touched on by earlier speakers like Steve Jobs (get going) and Jill Abramson (get real).

Let’s brainstorm, or SWOT, to find a more realistic leadership model.

First is King David.

Courage in battle and faithful in life.

Yet, on the roof top, he had a momentary lapse of judgment (so was the IMF guy): he wanted another man’s wife (to add to his collection of thousand).

One false start led to another i.e. murder plot (sending Beersheba’s husband to the war front to qualify her as widow).

Lesson: that which gets you there, in this case – courage, won’t keep you there.

Second is Hitler.

Norman Mailer’s A Castle in the Forest explored Hitler’s childhood, surrounded by and observed how bees behaved. Result: an efficient army – killing machine and coding machine (one way or another, a precipice for  our digital world today, with IBM being slightly tainted). 6 failed assassinations, only to succeed at the end: he took his own life.

Lesson: efficiency alone is good only for managerial and logistic layer. Leaders need to place the ladder on the right building, not just climbing efficiently up.

Third is Colin Powell

He distilled war wisdom out of the Vietnam experience. The Powell Doctrine states that one only engages in a conflict when there is 70+ chance of wining it. Once in, one needs to deploy overwhelming force to ensure swift and decisive victory. In short, no quagmire. Sun Tzu knows this well: the best  battle is the one one doesn’t get involved in.

Fourth and last. Water Margin (Chinese Confucian Robin Hood)

To lead a band of 108 brothers who curse, drink and have strong disregard for the “corrupted” authority was no easy task. Yet Song Jiang, a filial and moral but defunct officer managed just that. He took humility to heart. Song Jiang bowed and stuck with them more than stuck it to them. Instead of saying “go ahead and make my day”, Song Jiang often untied his captives and recruited them into the fold. To win hearts and minds. To him, it’s easier to destroy than to build, to revenge than to restore.  Lesson: what one believes affects how one leads.

So graduates, from this day on, choose your leadership style. What’s your core belief; self-assessment or self-aggrandizement?

Are people to be manipulated or motivated, humiliated or honored?

What kind of aim and end do you wish? At what costs? According to Mr. Powell’s manual, go ahead and place the ladder on the building even in the thick of smoke, only after you have ascertained and arrived at 70% confidence. Like King David, one wrong can lead to many more down that road. The end never justifies the means: if you can’t be taken down after six attempts, you might end up doing yourself in any way, Queen Bee or worker bees.

Leaders learned what not do to most of the time. You have learned what to do. Now comes the hard part. From here on out, it’s not a case study to be graded. It’s your life-long learning on how to lead.

Mr Ben King has died. From here on out, we are on our own in Spanish Harlem. No one is going to “stand by me”. He described his singing career as “accidental” and that he felt like he’d been cheating (fate?). A lot of great things in life are just that: accidental. Last week, I read a bunch of April 30, 1975 accounts (as if there were an essay contest on victim-hood). Why didn’t you say so? You here means both sides of the Vietnam conflict. One side wants to avoid the fallen dominos (ironically, more Domino’s (Pizza) are now standing, not fallen here in Vietnam). The other just wants arm supplies to fend for itself against aggressors, this time, the very arm supplier of the past up North. No one is going to “stand by me” this time. One can play the victim card for so long. Like a hacked spam mail, asking for money to un-jam the sender who had been robbed in far-away land – sent to a stolen distro list to cry wolf. On other matter, Baltimore reminds me of Watts (and the LA Riot). Both places have fenced off neighborhood, their Spanish Harlem, where at times, police breaks the law to enforce it. What’s so hard to just get along even “accidentally” (to paraphrase Rodney King). We have done well with Native American land, back-breaking contribution of African slaves, Chinese rail-road coolies, all single men (and ironically, Chinese goods in containers that passed through those rail ways), Saudi oil, Mexican muscles, Moore’s Law and Asian savings. In the words of Don Corleone, it’s been “an offer one can’t refuse”. So long as we don’t forget the Golden Rule. It’s a new race (technology such as EV batteries for home, poop but drinkable water) with new rules. But some old rules endure: first dance with the bride was for the groom. But ” Darling save the last dance for me”. RIP Ben King. Good to be “cheated” by you and your Drifters’ friends.

President Ford, before being sworn-in, had been a good team player both on the football field and on the floor of the House. As an unelected President, he pardoned his predecessor and “paroled” 131,000 of us, who quickly were scattered into the four corners. In the process, he “de-obligated” the Treasury from its fiscal nightmare i.e. democracy advocacy was having a diminishing return both in body counts and bomb counts, more destructive than constructive accounting.

Reinhold Niebuhr once said: “despite of it all, we still have to seek justice in a sinful world”. In practical terms, he must have meant when the task lies within our purview or falls on our lapse. Other “none of our business” affairs like genocide and pesticide, we rely mostly on local regimes and tribunal courts.

A 93-year-old Nazi bookkeeper is finally put on trial (hope he wears his hearing-aid). Other massacres e.g. Armenian, Ukrainian, Cambodian and Nanking are still out there – the latest was so atrocious that the author of The Rape of Nanking killed herself.

I am a believer in Common Grace – pray for rain on both the fields of the good and evil. Yet I want to be reminded when it does rain, the hypocrisy of good men or the invincibility of the evil ones are both irrelevant. We cannot allow a repeat of Holodomor or Holocaust. And we know it’s women and children who disproportionately bear the brunt of suffering.

That summer of 1975, I learned to wrap my fingers around a football at lunch time (ready to be a Nittany Lion fan) with co-workers who helped place unaccompanied minors into foster homes. I never caught what is now coined “compassion fatigue”.

Perhaps I had already been inoculated with untold and imploded suffering of my own. Helping others was the best cure. Parole did help – not to mention a few hundred bucks to get me started. My Staten Island was Indiantown Gap, once occupied by Native American (for Remarque’s crowd, it’s Brooklyn). Jerry Ford himself got a $600 loan early in life (per A Time to Heal). Go Wolverines (no 48 Center).

They too may be wondering what the fuss with White Men and Yellow Men, Cowboy hat vs Cone hat, Holodomor and Holocaust, a few hundred bucks to spin the wheel or to start a life. In the game of survival, one needs to be a team player. Then say a prayer for rain.

President Ford seemed to know that having kneeled and prayed too many times before each college football game e.g. ” in all your ways, acknowledge Him.” It’s not those winning games that shaped the man. It’s the lost ones that built characters, his, as a congressman and finally as President albeit undeclared candidate, who pulled the plug on the unwinnable war.

Reinhold Niebuhr was better known for his Serenity Prayer – “…the wisdom to see the difference between the changeable and unchangeable nature of man”. For many of us, that wisdom is like a gem hidden at times but is always there.

H for Hillary, or R for Rubio? Huff Post on the go! Twitter and mobile, always on the run. I experienced being “on the run” almost 40 years to date. Ironically, McCartney’s Band On The Run was blasting out from my neighbor’s bunk on Wake Island, in the middle of the Pacific. I was half-way to America, after the footsteps of the Italian and Irish, Polish and Puritan, with student loan awaiting me. I guess it’s the best investment I could ever have: my time and the US government money. It has been a good return for Senator Rubio whose $100,000 in student loan was paid off a few years back (per wikipedia).

Education does open doors , more so than immigration.

For international students, a Harvard degree is the most coveted trophy to bring home where many options awaiting.

Returning (international) students got first-world education while working in first-world wannabe countries. Some found their re-entry a bit frustrating. Others enjoyed it despite the many issues that might raise Amnesty International or Wildlife Fund flags (I wonder sometimes how much money have gone into preserving rare species, as opposed to protecting common people).

These Fulbright talent are coming back in drove, to found companies and formulas for success. I hope similar trends happen for Cuban young who, not by faults of their own, have stuck in a time warp. They will find their ways to Little Havana in Miami, same way our young to Little Saigon in Westminster, an All-American bedroom community. Out of those schools come scientists, dentists, artists and publicists. Most had to borrow from student loan, like myself (and I paid it off), to buy some time.

Burden not your young with fiscal missteps. Instead, plant in them the seeds of greatness, from Lincoln on down ( to our next President). Ask not what they can do for you. They will figure it out all by themselves. BTW, I finally got to Penn State. By then, Band On The Run was not played down the hall. It’s Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run”. A lot of “running” back then, all started with Peter Fonda who was “Born To Be Wild”. I guessed I had missed that era on this side of the war. Back then, we saw a lot of V signs, not H as now.

This generation might learn about Moses, as portrayed by Christian Slater. But previous one, Charlton Heston. “Let my people go”, or else. The blood of the Lamb at the door post (later on, the same Jewish race got hunted down by the Nazis as if history got no other script). It’s Easter. And America 2050 is projected as grayer, more Hispanic and less Christian. As far as cultural history goes, that which made us great will endure in flying colors i.e. equality and justice for ALL. This “ALL” is ever increased due to immigration and organic growth. President Carter was instrumental in Immigration Reform back in his days. (with not much Republican opposition in Post-Watergate Era). Back then, the nation was in a crisis mode. A crisis of confidence. So our President sat in front of a fire-place, looking like Mr Rogers, to save on electricity. Now we got water ration in California. People don’t believe until it’s in their faces. Irrational exuberance. Keep spending (on SUV’s). Keep charging. Let tomorrow worry for itself. The poor will always be with us. Eat, drink and be merry. The same script (Bible) got ripped apart. Those who want to see miracles will see them. Those who want to see ghosts notice them on every tree. But only those who step foot into the cold stream will experience “water parting” miracle. Director Ridley Scott treats this scene skillfully: he uses the sword (which gets thrown and landed at the bottom of the river) as water marker ( before and after miracle). Let my people go, or else. With absolute power comes absolute corruption. Those who are in  power should have learned those lessons long time ago. Or else. This past month, Singapore mourned the passing of its founder-leader. Some resented his heavy-handedness. Others envied. Meanwhile, America (and Europe) get grayer and less Christian. Still it’s Easter. Let’s hope for miracle, and while at it, more waters in California.

Google has just made an offer to pay its new CFO 70 Million USD, thus making Silicon Valley the new “Wall Street” – albeit with relaxed rules on dress code and corporate behavior.

Speaking of corporate mis-behavior, an extreme case came to mind, that of Fox and Fidelity. In the early 90’s Fox ex-President Stephen Chao almost drowned Rupert Murdoch’s dog at a corporate pool party (besides ordering in a stripper – male one). Then, a decade later, Fidelity settled a law suit concerning a Miami yacht party – strippers and dwarf-tossing – all client’s write-offs. Most recent, a bunch of federal agents themselves were prosecuted for taking bribes (pre-paid prostitutes) down in Colombia.

When it comes to “play” in a “work” environment, oil and water don’t mix.

Corporate recruiters are tasked with “best bang for the buck” i.e. graduates who wanted to pursue “plastics” as the next big thing (after The Graduate). Their GPA’s might reflect their academic ambition – but not their ethical conduct on the weekend – these days, at Penn State, the news was about “don’t go upstairs” at a frat party.

After some initial career successes, these frats-and-grads – now mid-managers, could do no wrong ( the Wolf of Wall Street adrenaline).

Until…..disaster struck.

No colleges or corporate can predict or prevent these missteps. After all, it’s not their role to equip these youngsters with social intelligence i.e. how to behave off-hours (while parents had thought they could just outsource it to colleges).

Mid managers are on auto-pilot (some on steroid) when it comes to behaving at corporate parties: hold their drinks and smile a lot. Old-boy network under alcohol reflexes, like at the golf course and hunting ranch, kick in ( no tie, but still looking dressed-casual, whatever that means). A form of “promoted beyond their level of competency” that Peter Drucker was referring to.

Publicly traded companies like Fidelity Investments finally learned to pay special attention to their public image . After all, investors might include Sovereign funds in the Middle East (no drinks) or the Far East ( no beef).

Imagine you can’t spit in Singapore, but you are encouraged to turn on your Bachelor Party switch at corporate events.

Back to Rupert Murdoch firing of Fox President (reminds me of Sixteen Candles – “what automobile?” the scene where toilet papers wrapped around upscale neighborhood trees).

Conduct unbecoming is certainly punishable. But as a society, we need to deal with this social-skills gap, from high school to frat house. Why wait to settle million-dollar law suits and suffer brand reputation for years just because today’s corporate officers don’t know how to socialize (always on-stage, especially in the age of social media and selfie). For more, consult “Welcome to New York”.

Silicon Valley, by design or default, advocates fun-filled workplace to foster creativity and attract talent (Like our Idea Man, Paul Allen, whose post-success life involved a yacht with a music studio worthy of the Rolling Stones). Paying Ruth Porat $70 Million to keep Google “Do no Evil” might be a good investment. Those amounts could easily be wasted on arbitrage for excluding female participation at corporate outings (strip clubs).

No wonder IT companies just focus on efficiency and outsourcing where possible e.g. Amazon’s “two pizzas” teams. It keeps the machine humming, corporate proper and predictable. Human, as it seems, is an asset corporate can and can’t do without. The irony of all this was when Stephen Chao went from being a president of Fox to flipping burgers at McDonald’s: a move that still kept him corporate-confined but demanded few human initiatives: no stripping, just flipping.

Another day in the park You’d think it was the Fourth of July People talking, really smiling A man playing guitar Singing for us all Will you help him change the world Can you dig it (yes, I can) And I’ve been waiting such a long time For today

It’s Chicago’s Saturday in the Park (You might also like ” Does anybody know what time it is” buyers recommend).

Basic other-directedness per David Riesman’s The Lonely Crowd. We are living in a social media age, which has its own triggers (Views, Likes Comments and Shares). Marketing now moves from intuition to algorithm (Amazon’s recommender system not only combats buyer’s remorse, but upsells matching merchandise). People no longer have a need to ask strangers  – where can I best flag down a cab (Uber) – what time is it (Apple watch) – how do I get from point A to B (Google maps) – what’s the best place to grab a hamburger (Yelp) So, to mingle among fellow city dwellers, in common areas like a park on Saturday, and hear things like “can you dig it” (cause someone was singing in Italian) is such a rarity.

Most of the time, one just Googles it, We created media. Now each medium in turn shapes us and won’t let go. They re-orient us to be other-directed i.e. conforming to those numbers of Views, Likes, Comments and Shares, albeit all virtual.

Excuse me, can you take a pic for us. Sorry, have you heard of “selfie”.  Just Beat it!

We all had experience of being ripped off as tourists (remember to ask detailed questions before ordering).

Conversely, companies who hired quality people as a policy, produce works that last.

Quality people are consistent, helpful, which translate to deeper trust.

Companies should go out of their ways to recruit and retain these folks.

Customers can relate well to them who provide business values to both sides (companies and customers).

Those establishments whose principal gains are some else’s losses won’t last.

Instead of setting up a business, they set a trap (tourist trap).

Instead of business values, they provide scientific values e.g. stimulus-response, bell (no beef) – salivated.

E-commerce lends an opportunity to differentiate good and bad businesses on the quick.

Online, they know you are a dog.

Not the other way around.

The online world is speedy and viral.

Beware of your rEputation.

Build monumental work, not aiming for momentary gain.

On or off-line, people are people, who tend to gravitate towards high trust and low risk.

Momentary aim doesn’t belong in an era of long-term gain (long-tail).

While Apple is busy launching its watches, the marketing debate rages on ( like a pre-game bantering).

Will they wear them? At what price point e.g. $10,000 and down… Do we have enough James Bond rejects to model those…

Way back when I was in college, the debate was about whether people are dispensable or indispensable. We got McNamara on one end of the spectrum (body counts – keep wasting ‘m) and Schumacher on the other (Small is beautiful – Economics as if people mattered). A twist to all this was when McNamara ended up as President of World Bank.

Now, the same debate seems to settle as: economics as if machines mattered (and people can be home-grown for body parts – Never Let Me Go).

That why we’ve got the Internet of Things, machines that won chess match; Mac Book got thinner (fast chips), while we got fatter (fast foods).

At the speed of thoughts, the “message” will have arrived before we can say “end of transmission”.

I had lunch at an antique coffee shop, where yesterday’s “machines” were on display: typewriters and telephone, recording/play back devices…

Those were casualties of what is now known as The Digital Revolution whose principal law is Moore’s Law.

Just capture seemingly random ones and zeros in the ethernet, then re-assemble them to make coherent sense.

Information is what mattered. Speed is essential. People? Obstacles (the same way we now view those antiquated wire line devices).

But when you ask the finance folks, where the money comes from, they would say “from the people” (who will buy the Apple watches).

Mark Cuban, whose 3 Billions came from Broadcast.com, thinks that today’s tech bubble is worse than in 2,000 (angel investors get no recourse and safety net).

Still, today’s bullish NASDAQ came about by the people, despite two major wars and one huge financial crisis in between. It shows how resilient people are. People who once were thought of as obstacles, now opportunities – for Apple watch and Sony’s re-make ( Ghostbusters: who are you going to call? or to believe?).

In time of war, people (enemies) are obstacles. In peace, they are opportunities (new markets).