Once Again, We Can Learn from Trump
Even before Donald Trump was elected president of the United States, I had already written about what we could learn from him (➔ click here). By that, I do not mean his content and behavior but how he manages to be successful by his own standards.
As the saying goes, anyone can serve as a role model, even for how not to do something.
Over the course of the corona pandemic, Donald Trump has shown five strategies for retaining power. We can all use the fourth and fifth as a positive starting point for our own leadership:
- Deny when possible. Trump’s first reaction to the coronavirus was to believe that it did not really exist and certainly did not pose a threat. This strategy works well if the threat disappears quickly. This bet did not work here, so he switched to the second strategy:
- Blame others. Sharing a common enemy is almost always a good way for people to rally behind you. In this case, for Trump and his supporters, it was first China, then Europe, and then the WHO. More will follow. At the same time, the next strategy may be appropriate.
- Declare ownership. When the threat can no longer be denied and an enemy can no longer be blamed, standing on the deck as a “strong man” and giving direction (even if you have no idea where the journey is headed) works well. President Bush used this on the Twin Towers’ ruins at the time, just as Trump is doing now.
- Show a positive future. The next strategy is to push for things to get better soon. For Trump, this includes pushing for the lifting of the lockdown. This strategy presents the leader as someone who will “lead the people out of the crisis.”
- Focus on supporters. Trump is a master in never losing sight of his target group (i.e., his followers). It is much more important for him to present himself to his followers as the only choice than to please everyone.
The fifth strategy is important in business when it comes to customers and the market. The most important thing is the enthusiasm of those who perceive the company positively.
As we can see, we can learn from Trump in every respect. I hope you choose the right points.
If you would like to improve your own leadership, please ➔ contact me here.