Donald Trump is no ‘leader’

Though President Trump’s [updated blog] Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci said correctly that “a fish stinks from the Head” but there were two people in the administration who were not the “stinkers,” him and the President, I beg to differ. Indeed, if the stink starts with the head of the fish the head of this fish is none other than President Trump.

Everything we see taking place in the White House is a direct reflection of him: the chaos, lies, deception, crudity, and mean-spiritedness; incompetence, lack of moral principles and ideological clarity; a management style based on dividing and conquering; encouragement of backbiting and power plays dividing top lieutenants and aides; and a black hole of need to be the center of every story every day regardless of merit.

I offer below some thoughts by people familiar with leadership that challenges Trump’s “leadership” as anything deserving of merit:

“The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men/people he has around him.”  -Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527)

The boss drives his people; the leader coaches them. The boss depends upon authority, the leader on goodwill. The boss inspires fear; the leader inspires enthusiasm. The boss says “I”; the leader, “we.” The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown; the leader fixes the breakdown. The boss knows how it is done; the leader shows how. The boss says “Go”; the leader says “Let’s go!” – Henry Gordon Selfridge, Sr (1856-1947)

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – President John Quincy Adams (1767-1848)

“The ideal public leader is one who holds seven attributes: wisdom, humility, reverence, loathing of money, love of truth, love of humanity, and a good name.” -Rabbi Moses Ben Maimon (Maimonides – the RAMBAM), Hilchot Sanhedrin 2:7 (1135-1204 CE)

“Great leadership requires not just vision and high moral rectitude, but the love of truth, the love of humanity, wisdom, humility, respect for the dignity of the individual, and a sacred commitment to further the common good.” – Rabbi John Rosove