Advice for President Obama on Compassion

Max's advice for February 4, 2009

Dear President Obama,

Max grew up as the son of a man who knew 'ALL' the answers to the problems of the world. Max's father said so! Many times, his father let everyone know that anyone who didn't know that he had the answers was a turkey or a knucklehead.

The famous Ma Bell, the second most powerful force in the world (next to God of course), thought so much of Max's father's opinions, that she made him 'Supervisor of Troubles'. This is true!

The advice Max promised you, President Obama.

In these trying times it is important that you practice compassion!

Max can, at times, be a perfectionist. When he chooses to enforce his sense of perfection on himself or others the results are usually unpleasant. Whatever he gains with perfection is countered by lost sleep or lost friendships.

Recently you showed a streak that indicates that you may be a perfectionist too! When confronted on the failings of a few of your candidates for positions in your administration you suggested that you 'screwed up!' and that this caused you to lose sleep.

Everyone can tolerate Max screwing up, beating himself till he cries and not sleeping for weeks (they may not be willing to tolerate him near them though).

You, on the other hand, are not Max. We need you to recognize that the process you set up was flawed and you will fix it. It is perfectly alright to say your selection process failed to determine the flaws. It is well to say that you failed to act quickly when you had found out the nominees had not disclosed everything that they were required to.

Selecting people who have excellent reputations who turn out to have gamed the system a bit to cut their taxes is something that will happen. This was their responsibility to divulge the details before accepting your nomination.

You are accountable for keeping the nominations going when you knew the people had not been forthright with your vetting team. This is the mistake that you made. You made it, it is over and you need to get on with the business of trying to save people's jobs.

Your nominees were responsible for divulging anything that they knew that might complicate their selection. Their failure is not something you can be held accountable for. Not holding them to the standard you set during the campaign is another issue.

Staying awake at night is something you must not do! As one of your three hundred million bosses I don't want you to go to work without a good night's rest. With a half dozen countries with nuclear weapons (some run by somewhat bizzarre people) and perhaps three times that number with deadly gases and bugs, it is no time to fall asleep at the wheel.

You need to find a way to put the thoughts out of your mind while you are at rest. Your nation and your family will appreciate you more for this. If the VP needs more work you could have him stay up during the night as a third shift presidential standin. This would make Mr. Biden even more powerful than Mr. Cheney was in his 'secret undisclosed location'.

Max and the American people need a well rested President who can go toe to toe with the other world leaders.

FDR said the buck stopped at his desk. He didn't say that he would lose any sleep over it.

Max wishes you well in getting a good rest and being accountable for only what you control.

Max writes about greenways, rare diseases, timely topics, places to eat, travel and other issues of interest. He encourages you to add your comments.

Link one is from the APA on blaming yourself.

Link two is on the need to sleep well and how to do it.

Link three is a reasonably clear definition of accountability.