[November 20, 2021] I started this series of “Leader Don’ts” a couple of years ago as a joke to keep some of my younger readers interested in my blog. What I didn’t realize was how popular it became among older readers. That’s why I’m bringing it back, and today’s topic is about how leaders should not be unlikeable.
This idea of not being unlikeable would seem to run counter-intuitive to most of us. Leaders are often disliked for various reasons, mainly because they make decisions that not everyone will agree with when made. Yet, it is incumbent upon that leader to clearly explain their position and argue why. Not all leaders are good at doing so, and that drives their unlikeability factor.
Politicians, who depend upon voters (and thus likeability), are most sensitive to this issue and work hard to remain in a good position with their constituents. There are several notable exceptions like Jimmy Carter and Hillary Clinton. Both had considerable success in their political careers, but both fell to the same personality flaw. They were unlikeable because they could not politely and clearly explain their positions without insulting those they depend upon for votes.
Recently, Vice President Kamala Harris has fallen to a similar flaw. You can tell when this happens in our modern politics when we read about “unnamed sources confirm ….” something unsavory is underway. In Harris’s situation, according to CNN, “the list of complaints between the West Wing and the vice president’s office keeps growing.” Harris is an opportunist of few fixed principles. And, her interviews with friendly media figures that give her a tremendous opportunity to talk to the American people and explain her decisions have been embarrassing.
“Harris is not interesting, she’s not substantive, she’s not provocative, or innovative, or wry. She’s not funny. She’s not amiable. She’s not accomplished or persuasive or adroit.” – Charles C. W. Cooke at National Review
Plenty of political pundits are “looking into” the root cause of Kamala Harris’s falling public image. Many Democrats are blaming racism, and sexism is at the heart of why she is disliked. Good luck with that.
She has a character flaw, like Carter and H. Clinton, which is not so easily repaired.
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There are plenty of things good leaders don’t do and being unlikeable is just one of them.
I believe it was Dr. Jordan Peterson (highlighted often by Gen. Satterfield) that said to not let your kids do things that prevent others from liking them. Kids who are likeable will do very well in their lifetimes. Those who are nasty will not be liked and few will play with them or give them opportunities.
Hi Army Vet, I miss your articles. We are big fans of yours.
Unlikeable: The Problem with Hillary, a book by Edward Kleine
https://www.amazon.com/Unlikeable-Problem-Hillary-Edward-Klein/dp/1501238612
Unlikeable, Untrustworthy, but still Electable given that so many people refuse to recognize the elephant in the room. Hillary has a very loose connection with the truth and it has been such for decades. Klein has written an accurate and riveting account of perhaps the most devious person to run for President in decades.
Maybe Clinton and Harris are just pure liars and they are so outrageous with their lies, people have caught on to their scam.
Can you imagine the howling if they ever managed to push her out of the elected VP slot before the end of Bidens one and only term? Yikes !!
In the rush to defeat President Trump at all costs, the Dems saddled themselves with a real pair of…well (losers, incompetents, Brandon’s)?
Cook’s assessment is very apt, better than the article generally. A better question is who stuck Harris to Biden? My bet is that Obama did and that tells much about his vaunted political acumen.
Obama had a crush on her. He said she was the “best-looking Attorney General in the United States”. Kamala’s only talent is pleasing men, and Obama fell for it. Plus she is blackish and a woman, so she checked those boxes. No one ever said Obama was bright. He was just a “clean black man.” Well Biden said something like that.
Such a sad situation. Read the Daily Favorites today (11-21-2021) to see why people don’t like Kamala Harris. 😊
Racism and sexism … I guess liberals can only keep two or three things in their head at once and when they contradict each other, their heads explode ….. good one.
A comment on the Rittenhouse case as he was found ‘not guilty’ on all counts yesterday (see Gen. Satterfield’s Daily Favorites for a couple of articles). “The jury has represented our community in this trial and has spoken,” Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger said Friday after the verdict. Yeah, and maybe we can bring this idiot asst DA up before the bar for unsavory and illegal tactics. The prosecution was horrible.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Friday called the verdict “an outrageous failure to protect protesters by the Kenosha Police Department and Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office.” The ACLU is not longer “American.” They’ve gone full Communist. Not its the CCLU.
… but it’s no longer about ‘civil liberties’ either. Maybe they should be called the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (oh, that name is already taken). 😉
You guys are just too funny. Watch out fans when you’re drinking hot coffee and reading this blog forum run by gen. satterfield. Too good.
Liberal heads exploding. Making my day.
Liberal media driving this … shame on them for getting people’s emotions stirred up. But, perhaps, people should not be so easily manipulated. Plenty of crowds outside the courtroom with megaphones and yelling nasty invectives at passers by. We can see the nastiness (unlikeability) of the BLM – Antifa terrorist crowd.
When you call you kids racists and allow anybody with a criminal record enter the country and give them $450,000 EACH, then I suspect somebody is not going to like it. Me included.
Just to name a few, hahahahhahha
You got that right. Like Gen. Satterfield, I’m an American patriot….. and that’s that. Kick those commies in the butt and watch them squeal like a pig.
Yeah, good points guys.
Good one! VP Harris is also an idiot, another character flaw.