Wednesday, October 15, 2008

A few bad mortgages, a little less corn to eat

Hi all,

I'd like to share with you this short article about leadership from Monday's Globe and Mail. The story talks about the pivotal roles that fear of conflict and losing touch with the basics played in the global financial meltdown. With a little insight, you can draw clear parallels between subprime lending and that other great illusion, bio-fuels.

I'm confident most of you question the wisdom of using food for fuel. But I'm also willing to bet most of you think that ethanol could not possibly have fallout exceeding the subprime crisis in scale and speed; that if it could, the world's leaders would surely be on top of it.

Don't be so sure. Remember the lessons of subprime: Sometimes people who ought to get it, don't. Sometimes they get it but are reluctant to speak out. Sometimes they are complicit.

All of us, every day, make decisions large and small that influence the world around us. Every one of us is a leader. Consider what you can do to be a better leader. Think about your right and your duty to say what needs to be said. Don't dilute the message.

Democracy, my friends, starts in the voting booth. It doesn't end there.