Crisis LEADERSHIP - Part 2--Too many risktakers..not enough surgeons.

TOO MANY RISKTAKER/CARETAKES AND NOT ENOUGH SURGEONS.
Risktaking and Caretaking Presidents

Since the end of the Second World War, the United States presidents have been either risktaker or caretakers… none, have been surgeons, and though the country has been harvested and there have not been any undertakers…yet.

Risktaker Caretaker Surgeon Undertaker
Roosevelt
Truman Eisenhower
Kennedy--------------------------------
Nixon Carter
Reagan George H.W. Bush
Clinton
George W. Bush

Let’s take a look at the situations that each of these president’s faced and their style of leadership.

· Roosevelt--- inherited a country in crisis… the depression required taking major risks to jump start the economy. His first act was to close all of the banks… move the country to a more socialistic than capitalistic situation. He took enormous risks in helping England survive and some even believe the was willing to let the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor to get the country into the war.

· Truman… the risktaker of all time…he bet on dropping the bomb…even though he had very little insight in how it would work out…

· Eisenhower was the caretaker of all time… he just let the world happen… no waves..

· Kennedy… not in time long enough to really classify… he was a risktaker when he tried to invade Cuba, but lacked the courage to see if it would work… he took a major risk with Russia and they backed down…so he was more of a risktaker than a caretaker.

· Nixon…was a risktaker, but his personality negated what he was able to do.

· Carter…was a true caretaker and a micromanager…

· Reagan was a risktaker.. and was able to create an economic evolution and the creation of a CULT.

· Father George BUSH was a caretaker… really didn’t do much. His invasion and quick retreat of Iraq demonstrated this.

· Clinton the typical caretaker… was willing to change to fit the popular reaction.

· Bush W.. was a risktaker…but didn’t really understand the risk he was taking and surrounded himself with individuals that supported a “hawkish, foreign policy.

Bill Rothschild, author of five global bestsellers...available on www.strategyleader.com and Amazon.