17 July 2022 - strategic honesty

Skilled leaders--even leaders who will lie about virtually anything to get their way--rarely lie about their strategic goals. The captain need only order "Take off every zig!" Yet he adds the strategic justification, "For great justice!" A loyal deputy who pursues your goals outshines one who follows your orders. When Xi sets the crazy goal "own Taiwan" or Putin declares "destroy NATO", don't ask who deserves the benefit of the doubt. Ask whether the nutsoidal nincompoop is a skilled leader.