Trump needs set of rules, self-control
Could take a cue from Weld, and other disciplined pols
Mr. President, you have a mandate to remember the forgotten men and women of America. But don’t forget about yourself. Before you can make America great again, you have to make the White House great. So here are a few rules to live by. Don’t complain.
As governor of Massachusetts one of Bill Weld’s management principles was, “Don’t complain, don’t explain and never apologize.” In his first 100 days, he furloughed state workers and otherwise enacted drastic, unpopular cuts to balance the state’s $1.2 billion budget deficit.
Stories in the press were particularly harsh but he didn’t waste time complaining about media coverage or unauthorized leaks. This helped his staff stay intensely focused on his legislative agenda.
You much prefer to complain publicly — about fake news, voter fraud, leakers and people who disagree with you. Resist the urge.
Bad stories, criticism and leaks come with the job. You never know where your next coalition is coming from.
After initially sparring with the Democratic Legislature, Weld sat down with House Speaker Charles Flaherty, who bluntly told him, “We don’t work for you, we work with you.”
From that point on, Weld was still tough on the problem — making Massachusetts great again — but personally more conciliatory toward his political opponents. Ultimately, he was successful in balancing the budget, cutting taxes 19 times and otherwise working with the Democrats to resuscitate Massachusetts in the early 1990s.
With the Republican Party divided, invest time in rebuilding relationships with Democrats in Congress. You may need their coalition sooner than you think. Never mind who gets the credit. President Reagan kept a plaque on his desk in the Oval Office that read, “There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn’t care who gets the credit.” Every politician is self-interested but Reagan didn’t make the presidency all about him.
Share credit. You will be amazed how much you can accomplish if people think you care about someone other than yourself.
Always undersell; make the judge your advocate.
Weld spent much of his career in and around a courtroom, first as a lawyer and then as a prosecutor. Big egos abound in a courtroom but he tried to contain his in an effort to make the judge his advocate. Your combative tone — toward judges, legislators, the intelligence community and anyone who disagrees with you — may have worked in your business deals but will hurt you in Washington. Politics is about relationships, not transactions. No one will ever do anything for you if they don’t like you. Do little things well. In drafting a thank you note to then-BankBoston CEO Chad Gifford, I inadvertently addressed the envelope to Frank Gifford, the sports announcer. Weld circled the typo in red and wrote me a tough critique in the margin. Whether it was a new policy proposal or a short thank you note, he was adamant about making sure we did little things well to minimize unforced errors.
You showed your disdain for details during your campaign, but as president the little things matter a lot. Misstatements and lack of interest in policy specifics can have huge repercussions. The presidential bully pulpit is a powerful tool but its effectiveness is highly dependent on the messenger’s credibility. Save face.
During the Cuban missile crisis, the U.S. and Soviet Union averted nuclear war largely because President John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev allowed each other to “save face.” In describing the lessons he learned from that crisis Robert F. Kennedy said, “Don’t humiliate your opponent; leave him a way out.”
Public humiliation of your rivals was a key strategy
during your campaign but private, tactful negotiations — whether with our allies in Mexico and Australia or our adversaries in North Korea — will determine your success as commander in chief. Saving face may save the country again in an international crisis. Never let them see you sweat.
Weld’s emotional intelligence was his political flak jacket when he was governor. No matter how challenging things got, he never let on if he was bothered. This helped keep his staff on message and his opponents guessing.
As president, you are judged by every word, tweet, hand gesture and facial expression. Master your emotions; don’t let them master you.
Self-control is one of the most important skills you can have as a politician. Without it, you are your own worst enemy.