My article about the similarities of today and the period leading up to the French Revolution has stirred some really interesting discussions.  One thing I’ve learned is that people are much more comfortable in private versus public conversations, and that is probably a good thing.  I’ve also learned that all sorts of people across industries, ages, and economic classes share a serious concern about what’s happening, and that the most optimistic among them hold to the belief:  “I don’t think it’s going to get too much worse from here.”  Anybody hear something more optimistic than that?

Consumer spending has been responsible for as much as about 70% of our economy.  To restore (or come close to restoring) that vigor is going to require a massive dose of consumer confidence.  But we have just the opposite.  So things are going south from here.  The only question is how far and how big the thud.

I’ve been involved with all sorts of enterprises that have faced very serious times.  In every case, the ability to survive and even prosper has been directly related to the vision being pursued by the people involved.  The visions that work best are those that are credible because they are within the realm of being achieved within a realistic time.  The best visions also can be clearly articulated and intuitively understood.  They are told and held in a consistent manner.  And they are contextual, meaning that the vision is an increasingly detailed picture of where we are going rather than a changing picture of event after event.

Right now, the Obama administration has been episodic.  I really admire their ability to communicate, but I think they are making a mistake.  People need to understand why the goal is worth the effort to get there more than they need what the next step or two or three will be.  Obama has told us about the steps: an economic stimulus package, an improvement of the nation’s infrastructure, fundamental changes to the healthcare system, etc.  All make sense in my view.  But there is a consequence to those changes.  It will be a nation that will be different in many ways.  Obama needs to define what that looks like.

The Obama vision of the future will not be the only one in the U.S. or the world.  There will be many visions of many ilk and they will all compete for attention.  Those that gain in strength will have more power.  There will be a global fight for strength of vision. Where is the compelling vision for the United States?  What is the American Dream?  If you achieve it, what do you get?  Will your reward be limited if you achieve it for certain types of companies?  If so, to what degree and by whom?  What will the quality of life be?  What will the priorities be?  Those are basic questions that must be answered.  The most likely and compelling answer would be from Obama, but instead we are hearing about short term events.  His presentation isn’t complete.  I don’t understand that.