July 3--Sympathy for Thomas Jefferson Day

Everybody knows about July 4, but what was happening on July 3, 1776?  On that day, the draft of the Declaration of Independence submitted by Thomas Jefferson was edited by the Continental Congress, meeting as a committee.  Jefferson had to sit there, “the writhing author,” says my well-worn history of the Declaration, while his words were criticized, deleted and altered.  Jefferson “was far less happy when his handiwork was subjected to what he called the ‘depredations’ of Congress.” He “kept silent for propriety’s sake,” but “in his opinion, they did a good deal of damage [as] the delegates took a hand in the drafting.”  

All those who have worked assiduously on their writing, then had it edited by a committee, will have lively sympathy for Jefferson every July 3!

The Congress “effected economy in words,”  “deleted unnecessary phrases,”  “eliminated the most extravagantly worded of all the charges [against King George],” “deleted a passage in which Scottish mercenaries were coupled with foreign [ones],” changed Jefferson’s final paragraph so as to include in it the precise language of the resolution of independence just adopted [on July 2]”, and “left out several moving phrases of his toward the end.”

I have reviewed the edits made by the Congress, and find that they definitely improved the final, world historical document.  Nonetheless, to sit there while your work suffers “depredations” by a committee of your colleagues, even if they are in fact improvements, is surely difficult.  Our sympathy for the author should be undiminished.

1. Dumas Malone, The Story of the Declaration of Independence, Oxford University Press, 1954.

Role of the General Manager

By Alex J. Pollock, 8/1989 

Broad Tasks   |  What Works Well 

1. Build the system of communication | Consistent display of integrity - insight into strengths and weaknesses 

2. Put the right people in the right places | Never be threatened by subordinates - appreciate the best - think long and carefully about managerial change 

3. Give an emotional meaning to the enterprise | Repetition of themes - consistency of words and actions 

4. Imagine and form robust approaches to the future | Time to think - study the long past - flexible ideas 

5. Create openness to the outside | Broad interests - not taking self too seriously - customer focus 

6. Insure the development and maintenance of key competences | Always have little experiments running - build as they succeed - honor the old and new key skills and knowledge 

7. Create psychological security, the ground for common action, out of uncertainty and risks  | Self confidence - be an emotional exporter 

8. Balance between the uncaring outside world demanding change, and the emotional inside organization longing for stability. | Perspective - guiding and teaching - getting others to want to do what is needed - patience

Ten Commandments of Leadership

By Alex J. Pollock, 12/24/87 

1. Drama - Giving emotional meaning to the organization and to the efforts and sacrifices of the individual. Appearing a leader so others will believe they should follow. Providing an element of mystery.

2. Physical presence - Being seen and felt by the ranks as at the head. 

3. Empathy with the ranks - Their problems, sacrifices, risks, fears, hopes. 

4. Detachment - Necessary to think above and beyond the traditions, commitments and beliefs of the organization and to make decisions causing suffering (and in the military, death). 

5. Courage - Sharing the risk. Going on in spite of fear and uncertainty. 

6. Imposing sanctions - Required for coordination of large groups. 

7. Knowledge – Both general knowledge and detailed information on the problems at hand. Historical perspective required. 

8. Decision - Setting the right course at the right time with the appropriate level of abstraction or detail. Taking on the burden of turning actual uncertainty into psychological certainty, the ground of common action. 

9. The right inner circle - Those who will tell the truth, are not awed by your drama, and fill in your gaps and mistakes. 

10. Creation of a personal role - A necessary part of drama. The role must both separate the leader and link him to the ranks through its appeal. Possible components: flamboyance, calm, brilliance, drive, speed, good cheer, human touch, wisdom, determination, idiosyncrasies, heroics, visions. 

Adapted from John Keegan, The Mask of Command.