How many times have you found yourself scratching your head at the handling of the bailout?
Where Have All the Leaders Gone?
Lee Iacocca has a new book out called Where Have All the Leaders Gone?
Iacocca, the former CEO of Chrysler, argues that in any other point in history we would string up the leaders of failed institutions like Countrywide Financial by their entrails for the crimes they perpetrated against the public.
Today we give them bonuses.
Huge Bonuses.
AIG, recipient of $170,000,000,000 in tax dollars, is giving over $165 million in bonuses to top executives (the same execs who nearly destroyed the company).
Why?
AIG chief Edward Liddy says it is to keep key executives from leaving.
My question: Where are all the greener pastures they will flee to?
I don’t want to turn this blog into a political rant, but let’s wake up to the realization we don’t need to subsidize excess any longer.
Mad as Hell
Peter Finch gave a terrific performance in the movie Network, with eerie foreshadowing of the freewheeling culture we live in today.
Finch’s famous line in the movie is, “I’m mad as hell, and I’m NOT going to take it anymore!”.
He encourages every viewer to head to their window and scream the refrain at the top of their lungs.
And they do…in huge numbers.
What is the 2009 version of screaming from our window ledges?
Voicing our Concern
We have something more effective than windows now – - we have broadcasting for everyone.
Perform a Twitter Search for members of Congress, your hometown Twitter community, and let them know you’re mad as hell, and brainstorm what to do about it.
I wish I had the answers, but I know the solution ultimately lies in greater communication about our expectations.
If we’re all in this together then AIG execs need to roll up their sleaves and refuse the forthcoming bonuses.
Or else there will be hell to pay. Contact your U.S. Senator to voice your concern.
Email Joe.Mescher [at] Gmail.com
Here’s a link to Iacocca’s new book:
Killer Social Media
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Joe Mescher teaches people how to build 'word of mouth' social media networks.
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