Leadership versus management

The warnings were clear.  Even Peter Navarro, who is an economist by trade saw the signs.  How do we know this?  He wrote a memo.  A memo that Donald Trump denies seeing.  Perhaps #DonTheCon can explain this part.

It's a memorandum to the president.  How in the world would a memo not be seen by the primary addressee?

As reported by the New York Times, there were other warnings.

Jan 26, 2020 - a senior medical advisor in the Veterans Administration wrote, "the projected size of the outbreak already seems hard to believe."

Jan 30, 2020 - HHS Alex Azar warned Trump on a phone call.  It was the 2nd warning within two weeks he gave Trump.

Mar 16, 2020 - Trump finally issues social distancing guidelines.

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Why did he wait?  Was it his inherent distrust of the so-called "Deep State"?  Was it fear that damaging the economy would doom his shot at winning reelection?  Or is he simply so deluded that he believes that the outcome is something within his control, no matter what others tell him?

Does it really matter now?  People are dying.  Dying because he didn't take immediate action.  Because he was afraid that the bad news would damage the stock market and the economy.  Both of which were damaged far worse by his inaction.

Leaders take action.  Managers study.  Conduct focus groups.  Do research.

Perhaps the words of a military leader say it best.

"A good plan violently executed right now is far better than a perfect plan executed next week."

General George S. Patton said those words.  There is another quote from this man that perfectly describes the Trump administration.

"If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking."