Dave Buffenbarger said:
>
>The military leaders are taught to take chances with REAL PEOPLE's REAL
>LIVES. I don't believe the risk in business is anywhere near this great.
>My impression is that business leaders need to learn some of this risk
>attitude.
Dave, while I agree with you that we have much to learn from the military
- especially today's military, which appears to be responding more
flexibly to changing times than any other part of the government - my take
on the risk issue differs from yours.
Business leaders take huge chances with real people's real lives all the
time, but just not as consciously (and perhaps therefore not as
conscientiously) as the military. Decisions to buy and sell businesses,
open and close plants, develop and discontinue products are all often
life-and-death issues for the people who do the work. Not to speak of the
risks businesses take with their effluents, their spoliation of natural
resources, etc.
Dave, I know you will forgive me if I tell you that 25 years ago I was at
war with Dow Chemical because of the chances it was willing to take with
real people's lives in the production and sale of napalm...
-- Jack Hirschfeld How long has this been going on? jack@his.com