There are a million times we intuitively know what we should be doing in our careers, but the chatter around us makes us question ourselves. Too much. If I have one regret in my career it’s that I didn’t trust myself more, earlier.
Watching Sarah Palin resign from her governor post in Alaska inspires me to be more brave in my own career. She’s running her career in ways I intuitively think we should all be running our careers. And she’s reflecting my own experience back to me in a positive way: That breaking new ground is difficult but it pays off.
Here are four new career management ideas that Sarah Palin's modeling, in an inspiring way, right now:
1. Get out of a job when you're done doing it
We know that the old ways of managing a career aren’t working. But it’s so scary to try something new. For example, you know you should job hop, but it’s not what careers used to be. And it’s scary. People are constantly telling you you’ll destroy your career if you job hop.
But Palin is refusing to waste her time in the Alaska governor’s office. Who can blame her? It’s a lot of small-issue local politics that take away from her establishing big, national-level ideas. Of course quitting a local job is a good idea if you want to run for national office.
But most people who run for national office pretend to still be in their local-level office. When McCain announced he paused his presidential campaign to go back to Congress, he was widely mocked, because really, if you are running for President, you can’t be in Congress. But for some reason we have been embracing the bullshit value that it’s more important to stay in your job and perform badly than to admit you want to change jobs.
I like that Palin refuses to kowtow to the idea that you have to finish a job just because you started it. There is always someone else who would love the job that you're leaving out of boredom. This is true of Palin, and all of us as well.
2. Ideas matter, not your resume
We don’t need to elect someone based on their resume because the world changes too fast for experience to be a huge factor. On top of that, the internet makes most information available to everyone, so putting in long hours gathering knowledge is not as valuable anymore. Authority isn't what it used to be — it's based on what idea you have right now, not what you've done in the past.
We should judge people for their ideas, not their experience. I think we know this intuitively, especially young people: At my company, Brazen Careerist, we talk all the time about how your ideas are your resume – and you should aim to be known for your online conversation rather than for your resume.
If you put a resume online, the older people look better than the younger people. But the resume gives a false sense that older means wiser. Palin knows this, so she’s not afraid to break resume rules – like leaving a job in the middle, and aiming for a job largely outside of her experience.
3. Careers are built on teams and networks
Today Palin announced that she’s building a right-of-center coalition. This should not surprise anyone who uses social media to manage their career, because the career of the new millennium is about connections. A resume of experience is only valuable if the experience creates a network of people who genuinely care about you. Building your personal brand only matters if your brand stands for helping people create value in their lives. And online connections are only good if you are able to translate that to an offline life.
Palin knows all this instinctively. She is ditching the governor’s job, which, by nature, is about helping people in Alaska, and she is making herself available to help a wider range of people. So smart. She is campaigning across to help people she respects.
And she’s building a team, which makes sense because the best way to sidestep the need for experience is with teams. Entrepreneurs overcome their lack of skills by taking on partners. Middle managers overcome their lack of authority in the hierarchy by building internal coalitions. Palin is doing what we should all do: form teams in order to fast-track our lives beyond our limited experience.
4. No one controls your career except you
She could do what she’s supposed to – finish up her job, focus on state-level politics, and talk to the press about ethics problems. But that’s not what she wants to do. She isn’t complaining that other people are thwarting her. She’s not letting them.
So many people complain about being controlled by sexual harassment, unfair treatment, bad bosses, etc. But we each have power to control our own career. We can go where we can do what we want, how we want. We have to take risks to do that, though. We have to believe in ourselves and our own vision for what’s best.
Palin does this. She does not make it look easy. She makes it look smart, though. And that might be just what we need to inspire the same bravery in our own careers.









I don't entirely agree with this post, but the idea of taking charge of your career is accurate.
The downfall of Palin's resignation is that now she will be widely viewed by those that don't like her as a quitter. She QUIT a job she was ELECTED to do. That is different from quitting a job an employer hires you to do.
I think there is a fine line in taking charge of your career and being selfishly irresponsible about your career. She took a huge risk, and we don't know if its paid off yet. By doing this she has more media attention (which was partly why she resigned), more rumors and speculation and now she has to take all the negative attention and turn it into positive attention. If she ever decides she wants to run for a national office, its going to take a lot of work to undo the damage her resignation has done to her image.
Although you claim that the world is changing and a resume is changing, I agree. But it hasn't changed as much as you are stating. Entrepreneurship and Government Office has completely different ways of hiring. For an Entrepreneur, it may be fully acceptable to decide to quit every job you have before it has a positive impact on your resume, or a lasting impact. But for someone who wants to run for Senator, President or any other high-profile Government title, your resume shows what kind of policies you would (or have/do) support and what kind of direction you would want to take Government Politics (among many other things).
Right now Palin has City Mayor (of a tiny town), Governor of Alaska (minus the full-term completion), and a failed Vice-Presidential bid.
Although inspiring, her risks haven't matured to show the damage she may (or may not have) done.
So, please, don't tell people to quit their job (during a recession) just because they're done with it. It takes maturity and the ability to handle responsibility to stay in a job that you don't like until you are ready to take the leap towards your next one. Classic example: Entrepreneurs don't leave their full-time gig until they're sure the company they've created is ready for their full attention.
Posted by Liza on 07/13/2009 at 12:17pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Liza – I'm on board with you for this one.
From a personal point of view, I don't care one way or the other what Palin does or she manages her career…but to me, she asked for the gig. as Governor knowing up front how long the gig would be (you might not know what the job will really be like, but you do know how long it's for in this case)…
It's fine to change your mind or discover that something really isn't for you…but be open and honest about why it's not for you (saying you don't want to be a lame duck is basically taking your ball and going home because the kids won't let you play…you're already in the game/system, change something if you don't like the way it's playing out, don't just quit the game because you don't think you'll be able to do something)…
And know that if you do decide to quit, even if it's the right/smart thing for you, it will have long term affects on your future options (ie. I think her political career is dead) … there is just no way the 'general public' will be able to 'trust' her going forward for any sort of political position (why would I believe she'll go the extra mile, do what she says she's going to do, or even stay around full-term for something like the presidency when she didn't even do it at the Governor level?) …
Of course if she was fine with her political career being over, and was just ready to get started with something new…then this isn't the worst move she could make (though I think she could/should just come out and say it that way then)…
Posted by Kevin Marshall on 07/13/2009 at 12:39pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Well put. Couldn't have said it better myself!
Posted by Sally V Johnson on 07/14/2009 at 10:46am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Your assessment is completely unfair.
I have never seen a political candidate deal with the amount of abuse this one has had to go through. She was not even a presidential candidate, and yet 5 months after the election she was still being treated with a disgusting amount of abuse.
Furthermore, she has also been subjected to a never ending slew of politically motivated frivolous lawsuits. Which at this point have put her and her family into near bankruptcy.
On top of that, the DNC has sent a ridiculous amount of money to their affiliates in Alaska to simply oppose her. Compare the amounts from 2006 to 2008 to get an idea of what I'm referring to.
In essence, it's impossible for her to do her job, and her life is being slowly ground down as part of an attempt to make her a bogeyman. Under those circumstances, she is perfectly entitled to resign.
Posted by ronny on 07/16/2009 at 01:24pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Sarah is a perfect example of how to leverage your career. She stops loosing money paying off law suits and she goes national and collects 10 times the money without the legal expenses and having to answer to a constituency. She is exactly how everyone should look at career leverage. I am not a Sarah fan but she made the right career move for her.
Posted by Jim Johnston on 08/11/2009 at 08:11pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
What are SP's very valuable ideas, exactly? Because other than blathering on and on about a state she doesn't wish to govern anymore, and desiring to take away choices from women like you, I haven't heard any ideas. Your overall point about not being afraid to move forward is a good one, but SP seems to be an example of how to do it wrong: Ramble on for half an hour about quitting in front of a national audience, have no content or ideas, and pretend like your image alone is something other people should be interested in.
(Also, with respect to commenting, what is "URI?" Typo?)
Posted by Kim on 07/13/2009 at 12:42pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
URI – Uniform Resource Identifier – Many technical details can be found on Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Resource_Identifier .
Posted by Mark W. on 07/13/2009 at 12:55pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Like Liza, I'd agree with this post if it did not concern an elected official. Because it does, I only see Palin as failing to uphold the responsibility she agreed upon when she accepted her position.
Yes, ideas matter. And experience supposedly matters less than it used to. But ideas are formed from experience and elections are not entirely like the job world. Unless elections change dramatically in the next three years, experience and actions will come up again and again in the preceding debates.
It will definitely be interesting in 2012 to see how this all plays out. But, who knows? That's three years away and in the political arena, it's a long time for a lot to happen.
Posted by AG on 07/13/2009 at 12:44pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Kowtow. Comes from the Chinese form of expressing submission and/or reverence. Not from dominant cows.
Posted by LPC on 07/13/2009 at 12:46pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Hahaha. Okay. Good edit there. I made the change. Thanks.
Penelope
Posted by Penelope Trunk on 07/13/2009 at 12:55pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
No problem. I am, as I have said, one of your biggest fans and if I can add arcane grammatical and or cultural knowledge I will always do so.
Posted by LPC on 2009-07-13 15:09:36 | (Comments wont nest below this level)
"We should judge people for their ideas, not their experience. I think we know this intuitively, especially young people: At my company, Brazen Careerist, we talk all the time about how your ideas are your resume – and you should aim to be known for your online conversation rather than for your resume."
I believe this is wrong-headed and leads to problems. We don't pay people for ideas, we pay for RESULTS. All the ideas are meaningless if you can't execute on them. A mediocre idea that is flawlessly executed adds more value in most businesses than a great idea that is poorly executed. I agree that new people often have good ideas and can contribute great energy and enthusiasm to work. But these have to be tempered with some experience in actually getting things done.
And that's what experience (like you see on a traditional resume) brings to the party. Many of us can think great thoughts or have lots of great ideas, but the really valuable players in a company are the ones who can successfully implement them. This isn't a skill that people are born with or learn in school, its something you learn on the job usually.
It's a lot like making a sandwich. A mediocre sandwich – like a hamburger – can be amazingly good if it is executed well. But all the expensive ingredients in the world can't make up for sloppy knife skills or careless assembly in the kitchen. So a newbie-chef may have a great idea of a smoked salmon/avocado/watercress sandwich but be unable to execute anything but an unholy mess on a plate.
Posted by Pam on 07/13/2009 at 12:49pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Agreed. Ideas and online chatter may make for good resume and network building if you want to be an entrepreneur, especially in E businesses, but there are many, but MANY fields where this thinking just does. not. hold. up. Science? No. Must have results. Engineering? No. Must have results. Government? No. Must have results. And so on.
I'm a scientist, and my ideas aren't worth crap to the scientific community until I have proven that I can implement them and advance knowledge in well-controlled, thorough studies.
Obviously the same doesn't hold true for blogging. People send ideas out into the ether, their sites look nice and they have good grammar (or editors), so the masses take those thoughts as authority. There is a lot of stupid floating around. And then there are posts such as this one, which seems to me to boarder on irresponsible. There are so many twenty-somethings out there who would like to be worth something just for their ideas, which are born of inexperience and naivete, and precious few of them are capable of seeing those ideas brought to results. And now here is their agreement, from the voice of authority. Hrm.
Posted by Scarlett on 07/15/2009 at 01:02pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Totally agree. Ideas and brand are only the first step to gaining my attention. Then what?
Posted by Cindy O'Keeffe on 07/18/2009 at 11:06am | permalink | Reply to this comment
This is exactly what I needed to hear today, this morning I quit my job of six months to take a more creative and collaborative job across town. The boredom was killing me as a result my work was becoming laughable, but somehow I felt guilty for leaving so soon. And now I don't.
Thanks P!
Posted by Elisa on 07/13/2009 at 12:51pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Another thoughtful post. I note that you have been careful to confine your comments to Sarah Palin's career tactics without necessarily endorsing her politics. Good, because I hope we don't get sidetracked into that kind of discussion–plenty of other forums for that. Students of politics can respect Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, Karl Rove, and David Axelrod for how they played the game. For the record, staunch veteran Democrat Willie Brown admires Sarah Palin's move, too. (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/12/BA9A18MCT5.DTL)
Posted by Stephen on 07/13/2009 at 12:58pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Note: above link to Willie Brown's column in the Chronicle doesn't work because of the right parenthesis. Sorry, it should be http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/12/BA9A18MCT5.DTL
Posted by Stephen on 07/13/2009 at 01:15pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
I completely agree with Stephen. Your first mistake was putting "Palin" and "smart" in the same post.
Posted by Bruce Hoffman on 2009-07-25 02:29:12 | (Comments wont nest below this level)
Really inspiring behavior, all right. Sacrifice the goodwill of those who got you elected for your own petty, empty-headed, narcissistic pursuits. If there were any nobility or grace to the resignation, I might agree with this post. Instead, it was done with Palin's trademark incompetence:
“Honestly, Sarah’s resignation was complete bullshit and I’m saying that as a Republican,” a Republican political veteran working in the legislature told me. “In all my years in politics, nobody has left Alaska in such a mess. Everyone here is just shocked.” The Republican added, “There’s no choice but to hold a special session. The conflict has to be handled in an orderly way.”
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-07-12/palins-final-insult/
I know you're socially, er, blind, Penelope, but you really do yourself no credit with anyone who actually reads the news when you announce your adoration for Sarah Palin's childish behavior. Her tactics have all the sophistication of her politics. There's nothing inspiring about publicly screwing up and claiming it as virtue.
Posted by Danilo Campos on 07/13/2009 at 01:15pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
right on – couldn't have said it better. Penny is only posting thsi for its sensationalistic hit value, however…
Posted by Terry on 07/13/2009 at 01:57pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Very well put. I didn't know failing to complete the term you campaigned for was inspirational. Sure, there's something to be said for ideas and for leaving a job that no longer interests you, but come *on*.
Posted by Marta D. on 07/13/2009 at 11:07pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
I agree. This post has to be for hits and links. Sarah Palin is simply not an example for the young people or the old people. Start with the kind of person who enters beauty contests and carry on with that thought.
Posted by rebecca on 07/14/2009 at 10:25pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
spot on!
Posted by melissa on 07/13/2009 at 01:17pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
You bring up very valid points here that I wish were more frequently mentioned in the classroom setting. Our colleges and universities are doing us a disservice by teaching us to stay and "wait it out" in positions that we intuitively feel are wrong for us.
Your post reminds me of the book: The Dip by Seth Godin. I actually think you were the one who recommended reading the book in one of your posts. Excellent commentary. Thanks for the fantastic insight!
Posted by Kayla L. Munro on 07/13/2009 at 01:20pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
@Kayla I'd definitely agree with you on that: this post reminds me a lot of The Dip as well.
Also, forgive me if I'm wrong, but I think a lot of the comments are missing the point of the post and focusing on the political ramifications of the resignation rather than how "we each have power to control our own career" – which for me was an important point to be reminded of.
Posted by Ian Oxley on 07/14/2009 at 08:07am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Sure, we have the power to control our own career– unless, say, we agree to give that power up for a certain period of time. People in elected office (or the military, and maybe people holding a handful of other such jobs) don't get that luxury. Penelope's ideas are valid, but she should have chosen a different example to make her point.
Posted by ToilingAnt on 2009-07-14 08:19:11 | (Comments wont nest below this level)
ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? I read this whole post, waiting for the punch line, but it never came. I think you are such a smart woman, so it shocks me to read your support of Palin's half-wit career choices.
She quit because she couldn't hack it. She quit because "people were picking on her too much". She quit because she thinks she's way smarter than she is and she completely lacks any sort of much needed self-awareness.
And she is not smart. Have you actually ever listened to her speeches? She could not pass a grade 6 writing test with her pre-adolescent public addresses. She can't pull together complete sentences. Certainly I make grammatical errors all the time, but I'm not ADDRESSING THE COUNTRY!! I’m not even going to touch on her lack of knowledge on foreign and domestic policy and the rest of her “don’t knows”.
To your points – I’m sorry, but experience DOES have a leg up on ideas. Ideas are easy…we all have them. It's those with "experience" who EXECUTE on their ideas. Most just have ideas and then eat their lunch. When you have experience, it demonstrates that you had an idea and you followed through on it. To assume that Palin is "inspiring" because she has ideas is hilarious. Have you heard this woman’s ideas??? She thinks its “God’s will” that we are in Iraq. Is that the sort of “idea” that inspires you?
In terms of your point about “building a team, which makes sense because the best way to sidestep the need for experience is with teams”. I’d be interested to see what sort of “team” this woman builds. Have you read the recent Vanity Fair article about her interactions with her “VP campaign team”? She was barely on speaking terms with any of them by the time they lost the election. She will build teams that sees her cockeyed vision… her narrow-viewed, gun-slinging, moose-slaughtering, Christian-evangelistic “Wasilla style” vision of how America should be. That scares me. And for someone with a lifestyle as liberal as your own, I’m shocked you would think any differently.
Or perhaps this was intended to simply be controversial to add energy to your ratings. Who knows, but it was a very stupid and misguided post. I’m genuinely shocked that your points were so bad.
Posted by caren on 07/13/2009 at 01:41pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Thank you Caren, I felt the same way waiting for the punchline that never came. Sarah Palin "smart"??? Sorry Penelope, 37,444 minus one subscribers.
Yikes!
Posted by Lloyd on 07/13/2009 at 06:28pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
While I don't like most of Palin's ideas (those few that she has managed to express coherently), I loved this post.
There is a lot to learn about 21st century career building from her actions. And, FWIW, if a politician loses interest in the job we elect them to do, and they feel they can no longer do their best, I'd rather they step down and allow someone who passionately wants the job a chance to do it. (Same goes for non-elected positions too!)
Posted by Wendy on 07/13/2009 at 01:57pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Ack. Penelope, this is the first time I disagree with you (although I've only read your blog for a few months now). What about the value of following through on a commitment? That's a resume-builder in itself.
Posted by Alexis Grant on 07/13/2009 at 02:05pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
On reading this post and its attending comments, I am quite tempted to repeat a previous assertion: "I told you that 'Brazen Careerist' was simply a brand-name euphemism for 'Machiavellian'!"
However, I chastise myself for the very thought of juxtaposing Sarah Palin and Machiavelli. Fie!
Posted by William Bruce on 07/13/2009 at 02:13pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Of all people, you certainly understand that the resume is nothing more than a marketing document. And if you're selling yourself, ideas are one way to go, but you're always better off selling results, if you have them. Ideas can result in initial success as the result of an emotionally based decision (sale), but those emotions will soon be followed by rational evaluation based on the expectations from the ideas that were sold. And to have any ongoing success (renewal) there had better be value delivered. Your own book implores the idea of presenting quantifiable measurable accomplishments when selling yourself. Not an expansive ideology.
Politics is perhaps the one industry where the rational evaluation is not always applied. You can get by with ideas because the measures of success are so arbitrary and subjective. Success, itself, has a million definitions if you're governing a million people.
But in the private sector, ideas are a dime a dozen. I think most VC's will say that finding someone with an idea is easy, but finding someone that can deliver results (experience) is far more difficult AND valuable. So while it's conceivable that her strategy will be effective in the world of politics, I don't think it's a great model to replicate in other industries. I'll take hard work, humility, and performance every time over debate, grandstanding, & rhetoric.
I think you're fascinated by Palin because she's a complete train wreck and you can't look away. You feel guilty watching and want to justify your fascination.
Posted by Brian Johnson on 07/13/2009 at 02:20pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
"I think you're fascinated by Palin because she's a complete train wreck and you can't look away. You feel guilty watching and want to justify your fascination."
I've been wondering why PT has posted about Palin's tactics–which seem poorly thought-out and executed to me–more than once. But I think you have the answer here.
Posted by KateNonymous on 07/13/2009 at 03:51pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
You think what she did was brave? Please! That's insulting .
Posted by Ben on 07/13/2009 at 02:22pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Was this post a joke?
I too waited for the "psyche, just kidding" or the sarcasm tag "/s" or something.
Please somebody tell me this was a joke. I mean, did Nixon's resignation inspire you too? You know, cause he was blazing a new path and really managing his career!
I'm at a lost for words…and you seem so smart.
Posted by rohan on 07/13/2009 at 02:26pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Like me, Sarah Palin was born right at the trailing edge of the Baby Boomers/beginning of Gen X. When I heard her explanation of getting out of a no-win situation, I thought it was a classic Gen X move. People who had to scratch out the beginnings of their careers when the rules suddenly changed had to learn to turn on a dime, be clever like a fox and be relentless to find that next wedge of opportunity. A dead-end job is a dead-end job whether it's working for an uninspired Boomer who will never retire, or working for a state with an unfairly stacked ethics policy.
Bravo for Ms. Palin. Too bad more of our so-called politicians don't have the fortitude to stand up to the pundits and professional leeches in Washington.
Posted by Tracey on 07/13/2009 at 02:37pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Palin's move is stupid only if she still has naive illusions for a presidential run. Otherwise, by staying on as governor she had nowhere to go but down. Campaigning for others is a much easier gig.
Posted by JR on 07/13/2009 at 02:38pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
You saved my day with this post. I am now confident I made the right decision to leave my current job for a new one, despite only having been at my current one for 7 months.
Posted by Dallas on 07/13/2009 at 02:40pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Like others, I agree with your post in general. But definitely not on the specifics of Palin, or any other elected official. If she runs for any office that I can vote on (assuming POTUS), I am going to have to base the vote as much on her as her running mate, more so than any of her opponents. There is a higher standard for elected officials. Yes, some times they need to step down, but I am still at a loss as to why she quit. Tired of it? Then at least give a straight answer and not the "I am not a quitter, I am a fighter line." The last thing I want to do is the the POTUS resign because he/she is tired of it. I am ready to resign because I am tired of and so are any number of my teammates, but there is a rightful double standard for elected officials, especially those at the top. I am not in Alaska, but I do nto think she was losing her ability to govern like the SC governor.
Posted by Matt on 07/13/2009 at 02:49pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
An additional thought on this… This is like a starting quarterback, point guard, pitcher, goalie (take your pick) quitting on the team in the middle of the season. She is on a fixed term of employment, she would have been done soon enough to pursue other things. I think she let a lot of people down, and they won't forget. I do not think many people would view their co-workers leaving in the same way.
Posted by Matt on 07/13/2009 at 02:58pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
You must be kidding. There's a huge difference between most of us and the jobs of public servants who happen to be celebrities. Most of us can hide our flaky moments, finesse the details of job transitions, etc. Sarah forgot that she was in the public eye.
Switching jobs can be great IF it helps you build an area of expertise. The thing is, the more expert you become, the less jobs there are out there for you. When you switch jobs, you lose a measure of hard-won trust and seniority and institutional knowledge and knowing the politics of an organization, who to go to for what, etc. That never seems to get taken into account in these posts. It's more than just the work.
Also, most of us can't afford to be one of those unfortunates who have remained unemployed for months, or years. So before I think about jumping ship, I'm going to look very carefully and check for sharks in the water.
Posted by GInger Rose on 07/13/2009 at 03:07pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Pee–
*Please* follow her lead. You're about as competent and accomplished, and you even sound similar. Then there's the whole Narcissistic Personality Disorder thing.
Posted by John on 07/13/2009 at 03:25pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
PUHLEEZE!!!!! Palin will not be able to reconcile the money from bookdeals, speaking engagements, etc., while still Governor. And, don't forget folks–shen she reenters the political arena, she brings this kind of behavior with her.
Posted by Helen on 07/13/2009 at 03:49pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Definitely one of your worst posts. Yikes. Get out of a job when you have to, but don't leave your employer/coworkers/constituents to pick up the pieces. Ideas matter…unless they're stupid and/or your own daughter can't live up to them. As others have commented, it's results that matter more, both at work and in politics. Someone already mentioned Palin's talent to alienate her team. No one controls your career except you…and maybe also the electorate or your past work references.
Posted by Anca on 07/13/2009 at 03:55pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Wow,your post got a lot of chatter going and this is exactly the kind of chatter that prevents people from moving forward. Too many people are stuck in old ideas that are preventing them(us)from being happy. "Follow through commit, who cares that you are unhappy, or bored out of your mind it's the responsible thing to do"….Hmm not sure I agree with that message. People will always have an opinion good or bad, but I agree with you that Trust in ourselves is the most important attribute to have. Too many of us including myself rely on other to tell us what to do with our lives, or even worse question ourselves and our creativity to the ground. Loved the post!
Posted by brenda on 07/13/2009 at 03:56pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Please do another posting about Sarah Palin – this time about how she perpetuates the stereotype of the "unstable histronic female", who single-mindedly (and crazily) presses her personal ambitions without regard for her job responsibilities, her work relationships, or her personal obligations. Seems Palin has failed on all fronts, except to keep her name constantly in the media's focus, even if it's predominantly tabloid press.
Posted by Michele on 07/13/2009 at 04:03pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Can anyone real tell me that you were impressed by her exit speech? You can’t real believe that she is the only person that can win in 2012. You know, if she can’t take a joke, don’t get in the game, its politics, they all get kicked around. Let me paint you a picture, in my opinion, for the last eight years where the mantra was no regulation and no oversight and spread to all federal agencies and the justice department was filled by unqualified religious types and the dullard (ex-drunk) religious president started two wars of choice with extreme tax dollar spending, is anyone surprised with our current economic situation because of those choices. Sure “W” sucker the religious right to vote for him and that’s why he placed unqualified people in positions of responsibility and they failed (almost a “plan to fail”), do you forget Katrina, where the Director of FEMA Michael D. Brown, was relieved of his duties because of incompetence? Or can you forget disgraced White House correspondent James Guckert, AKA Jeff Gannon, the male escort, why was a male escort getting into the Whitehouse, hmmm? I know it was Barney Frank’s fault, he controls the county and republicans had their hands tied (even though 7 of the last 8 years they had the majority and the presidency to do something (fact or fiction?), but not the will to act). Oh, by the way I read that God blog, very funny, it reminds me of those TV evangelists who claim the talk to God and want so and so foreign country leader to be killed or such and such a us state to be punished by God for a court ruling that intelligent design is just another word for religion. We had enough of religious dullards in our government. If you believe that the USA has strayed from God then go out to your communities and preach to your neighbors, the sick, the shut ins, the poor and invite them to take part in your church, build a community. But I know that’s hard work we want a government official to do that for us, well they tried that and look where it left us, in the gutter, but our country does not quit and we will rise again. Do you remember how Ronald Reagan got us out of a recession? By spending and we will do the same. But she is just another “W” in heels and she is stringing the religious right along, she will sell you her books, her radio/TV shows and speaking engagements. Lastly, I do not want you to believe what I believe, so please keep writing, feel free, I am starting to enjoy this.
Posted by Paul on 07/13/2009 at 04:46pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Great post!! What's next, a tribute to Idi Amin Dada?
Posted by Kevin on 07/13/2009 at 04:50pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
I have to agree with the earlier commenter about the importance of execution over ideas. When you're young, maybe ideas are useful to help you get a leg up in the job search, but eventually it's the execution that matters. To cite a trivial example, this and your other blog posts are good not because of the ideas but the writing.
Or for a more meaningful example: The War on Terrorism was a pretty good idea. Attacking Iraq was very bad execution.
Posted by Happy Guy on 07/13/2009 at 04:51pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Points 1, 3 and 4 make perfect sense in the context of society's new structure of work and relationships, but point 2 sits uneasily with them. Ideas are important, no doubt, but they don't by themselves trump experience, and especially experience in actually executing ideas for change. Everyone has ideas, but unless you (or your network) can put forth a rational argument for those ideas and how they can be implemented, then they will not (and should not) have much impact.
Posted by Rich Kazmierczak on 07/13/2009 at 05:00pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Another where's-the-punchline reader checking in. Palin *took an oath* to do a job and she's quitting now the new's worn off. That's not smart, that's self-centered. She promised God and the nation that she would serve the people of Alaska and now she's leaving them in the lurch. Maybe she's quitting because she wants to go back to being a hockey mom and isn't worried about the consequences of burning her political and career bridges. (And were she leaving a job in the private sector, that would actually be a valid option.) However, I don't buy that idea for a minute. If she's looking to be president, she would have done better to finish out the term, then go for the senate or something that would actually give her some national cred before she asked for the biggest job in the country. As it is now, though, she's perceived as a folksy know-nothing oath-breaker who can't stick with a task after the new wears off.
What she's done is quit a short race before crossing the finish line so that she can concentrate on training for a marathon. Makes no sense at all.
Posted by ToilingAnt on 07/13/2009 at 05:03pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
I agree with many of your points, especially that sticking in a career you don't like is a ridiculous way to attempt to find happiness.
I'm also tired of people blaming everything that happens to them on others. Your career, and your life, to a large extent is in your hands, and what results from it is largely up to you.
But, honestly, by the logic in point #2, a high-school kid with good Google skills and tons of Facebook "friends" would be a better choice for running a country and working out foreign disputes than a 50-year old with years of experience and understanding into the functions of the world.
Posted by Wil Butler on 07/13/2009 at 05:18pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
If Obama quit now would you be inspired by that too?
Posted by rohan on 07/13/2009 at 05:20pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
perhaps this post calling palin 'smart' is a backhanded way to lower her poll ratings? generally the demographic that votes for palin and her cronies don't trust the intelligent 'elitists' out there….
Posted by tina on 07/13/2009 at 05:58pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Mark it down under Penelope champs another unlikely hero, eh?
Even when I disagree with you I end up getting something out of the post, like: (repellent, but memorable) Sarah Palin is doing in the US what Pauline Hanson did in Oz politics ten years ago. She's showing that national politics doesn't have to be a two-headed monster of guys (and girls) in suits, spruiking two sides of the same well articulated non-opinion. Palin, like Hanson, showed (to the head-scratching amazement of political experts of all colours) that there was a genuine interest in inarticulate, uninformed dunderheads who nevertheless exuded a raw charisma and energy (or so I'm told). Dubya got by on the same abilities, and Obama is another example of a personality-driven success. (How the hell did Bush Senor get in?!)
I guess this is an example of how being well-liked in the workplace is more important than being a good worker. Does this also mean in 50 years time all of the US govt. leaders are going to be muscular Austrian ex-actors?
Posted by Leon on 07/13/2009 at 06:32pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Thank you for this; "But we each have power to control our own career. We can go where we can do what we want, how we want. We have to take risks to do that, though. We have to believe in ourselves and our own vision for what’s best."
My daughter who has just entered the coprorate world and after 6 months feels squashed already, needs to hear this as often and as loudly as she can before she is killed off by corporate hierarchy. I can also see from the comments that when you dare to take a different path you need to be steadfast to weather what comes at you, because everybody will have an opinion and they are all world's apart. Your only compass then is the believe in yourself and your own vision. That takes courage and that is what I am going to support my daughter in. I have that courage now too.
Posted by wilma Ham on 07/13/2009 at 06:43pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
I think you're missing the point entirely.
Sarah Palin isn't quitting some 9-5 corporate gig she isn't fulfilled by; she's abandoning a public service post she swore to uphold for four years. Presumably because she thinks she can make more money marketing herself. Not only does this exemplify a complete lack of character and integrity, it pretty much proves that she is wholly unqualified for any elected position. I'm not sure what about this there is to admire.
I'm not sure where you got the notion that ideas matter and not execution, but I think most people would disagree with you. Anyone can think of something to do, but unless you actually DO those things, none of it matters. You know who thought he should be able to take credit for an idea, regardless of how the execution went? Jeff Skilling.
As for building a team, I think you need to read a bit more about Sarah Palin. I think you'll find that her record shows she cares about one person: herself.
And your last point is so ridiculous. She's in trouble so instead of answering to the state she was elected to serve, she's just going to quit. When I'm being questioned by the SEC or the police or my boss, can I just print your blog post and show it to them and say, hey, you're not going to keep me down, I just won't answer your questions. Why haven't more criminals thought of this?
Posted by Stephanie on 07/13/2009 at 06:53pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Just read another interesting article on SP resignation on HBR –
Don't Quit the Way Sarah Palin Did
http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/demaio/2009/07/dont-quit-the-way-sarah-palin.html
Posted by Cheryl Overby on 07/13/2009 at 08:26pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Give me a break! There are so many wonderful blogs to read and so little time. After today, I'll have more time to read someone else's. Look, I don't have to read blogs that parrot my own opinions to enjoy them but I do demand a certain amount of integrity. I've been reading your blog for a couple of months and favorited you because I enjoyed the thoughtful and engaging style. This is so transparently meant to set off pyrotechnics and increase traffic. I can't believe you admire Sarah Palin for her "bravery" and other assorted nonsensical attributes.(Nonsensical when it comes to Palin anyway.) I love it when an excellent product can generate income but I lose respect when I feel I'm being "used" to generate your income. I'm out.
Posted by LA on 07/13/2009 at 08:54pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Ha! Penelope having integrity??? Just about every entry she blogs shoots that assertion out of the water. The David Dellifield fiasco was the icing on the cake for me.
Penelope will do anything for exposure, and blogging about controversial and taboo subjects takes care of that for her.
It's all about her and how outrageous she can be inorder to profit.
Posted by Lee on 07/15/2009 at 03:42pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
A detailed and thoughtful post. The only problem I have is you are commending a woman who I don't agree with.
Politics aside I feel that you are right. I sometimes feel trapped. As if I have to hold on to my job for the health benefits they provide.
In reality I don't. I know this, but it's hard to let go.
I can be free to make the career that I deserve. I'm trying to do that by building my blog one post at a time, trying to get my tribe together. So far it's been a great journey and I couldn't ask for anything more. Eventually when I start earning serious money from it, that will be a glorious day. Until that day I keep building and reading posts like this one, letting it inspire me to take my career to the next level.
Posted by Karl Staib - Work Happy Now on 07/13/2009 at 09:16pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
My goodness, this post generated a lot of poison from Palin-haters. Of course, all the cool kids bash her. It's the in thing to do.
I loved this post. Points 1 and 4 resonate so clearly. Please don't recant your admiration for Palin's actions or allow replies like Brian Johnson's "I think you're fascinated by Palin because she's a complete train wreck" get you down. I love this blog for many reasons, not least of which its refusal to flow with the mainstream.
Posted by Jessie on 07/13/2009 at 10:04pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
This has nothing to do with cool kids bashing anyone. It's about a bunch of smart people who are questioning Penelope's logic, authenticity and transparency with this post.
One who brags about such a liberal sex life seems out of step supporting a religious wing-nut that would ban abortion and pre-marital sex if she could.
It just doesn't fly.
Oh, and BTW… Palin is a train wreck. I'm comforted by the amount of people that support that opinion…. thank Gawd for smart people who have common sense!!!
Posted by caren on 07/13/2009 at 10:28pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
I think you guys dissing on Sarah Palin need to review her resignation remarks. She didn't quit because of the criticism, which was unrelenting BTW.
Posted by Linda on 07/13/2009 at 10:48pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
So why did she quit Linda? We all have the same transcripts and you're not privy to anything that we're not.
So,
What were you able to gleam from her ramblings?
Why did she quit?
Posted by rohan on 07/13/2009 at 10:56pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Palin lives outside the box, therefore she thinks outside the box. All those, including many above, are critical of her decision, but, it must be remembered that she accomplished everything that she said she wanted to accomplish on the outset of her term. Instead of that taking 4 years, it took 2.5 years. She has essentially become, not a lame duck, but a sitting duck up there in AK, with both the 0bama led dems and the Murkowski reps making common cause to stymie all progress. Rather than sit, get nothing done, and rack up another million dollars in legal defense expenses, she did what was best for her, and best for the citizens of her state. What most can't figure out is why anyone would give up power without being forced to by scandal or by law. What she did is just another example of her not standing for the "politics as usual." Palin 2012
Posted by GREG on 07/14/2009 at 01:30am | permalink | Reply to this comment
She met all of the goals she wanted to accomplish as governor, and there was no way for her to set new ones? Sorry, don't buy it.
Posted by KateNonymous on 07/14/2009 at 10:22am | permalink | Reply to this comment
So many people "impressed" by this post and so many of them are women. Are women this dumb? No wonder they suck in business and leadership positions. They're better off staying home and watching Tyra and Oprah.
Posted by John on 07/14/2009 at 03:39am | permalink | Reply to this comment
I don't know. Are all men this prone to stereotyping, gender bias, and condescension?
Posted by KateNonymous on 07/14/2009 at 10:23am | permalink | Reply to this comment
I love how you dismissed women's business acumen by name-checking two very successful, business-savvy women. Good one, smartie!
Posted by Joselle on 07/15/2009 at 04:15pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Being a Governor is not just a job, it is public service. It is unconscionable for Sarah Palin to walk away from it before finishing her term, especially if it's because she wants to "cash in". Shame on you, Penelope, for applauding it. What kind of message does that send to our young people? No wonder why we, as a country, are struggling.
Posted by Andy on 07/14/2009 at 06:16am | permalink | Reply to this comment
If you believe PT's sincerity, this is a case of the sisterhood bond trumping politics. If you don't, it's merely a cynical effort to generate cheap buzz, by praising someone she previously called "nuts".
Posted by BB on 07/14/2009 at 06:45am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Reading the vitriol thrown at Penelope here, especially when I understand that her blog is mainly apolitical or nonpolitical, including insults and veiled threats, just goes to show that liberals don't believe in respecting others' opinions unless they match their own. (And 'respect' and 'agree with' aren't the same things.)
It's also funny that I'd have thought that liberals would have *wanted* Sarah to be the GOP's 2012 candidate, knowing that she'd lose. But I guess not, showing just how scared you guys really are of her. And maybe someone here can tell me a job, any job, that Obama saw through to its end? (Especially without voting 'present'.)
BTW, enjoy paying for the trillions in debt and deficit the elite, your moral and intellectual superiors, have created. (And those 2-month waits for an MRI scan.)
Posted by Andrew in Toronto on 07/14/2009 at 06:54am | permalink | Reply to this comment
You're kidding, right Penelope? The whole thing was tongue in cheek?
Posted by Jean Gogolin on 07/14/2009 at 07:09am | permalink | Reply to this comment
I agree with the overall message here about considering what is important in a career. What I vehemently disagree with is the example. Not because I'm a "liberal" but because I believe that when you are elected to an office, you do have an obligation to finish what your constituents asked you to do. Or, if you do not, that there be a viable explanation. There are lots of elected officials who are "lame ducks," and finish out their terms because that is what they signed up to do. Liked the idea of the post; wish you had chosen a different example.
Posted by Katherine on 07/14/2009 at 07:27am | permalink | Reply to this comment
The main theme of this post is exactly what I needed to be reminded of right now. We all need to keep making strides to do big things, even if we've already done something big, even if we're afraid, even if it means fearing mockery from everyone else. I don't know about you, I always found doing things and trying to push forward was worth the mockery that might come with it.
As for Palin and Penelope's support – she's making an assessment about the situation. Maybe it involves changing sides from what PT has said before, and maybe you're catching the scent of "sisterhood" love. That's fine with me. We should be allowed to change our minds. We can support people for whatever reason we want to.
I'm not a Palin fan or anything, I'm a fan of ideas and I'm a fan of growing as a person. If we can no longer move forward, if we cannot try to understand the other side, then we might as well give up, buy gas guzzling 1960's muscle cars, drive around all day, and hope we cook the planet within a few years.
Posted by Jonathan Vaudreuil on 07/14/2009 at 07:31am | permalink | Reply to this comment
I have to strongly disagree with "experience doesn't matter, ideas matter".
Everyone has ideas. Everyone can be an arm chair quarter back and talk about how they'd do it. Few people do it.
As they say, Talk is cheap.
If I'm looking for a business partner, employee, or political representative, I listen to their ideas, but I want to see that they are more than just talk and grand ideas. I need to know that they've tried and succeeded (or failed, but learned from it). I need to see that the person can push through and do the hard work that comes with their big ideas. That is experience.
Every college kid with a bag of weed has great ideas.
Posted by Matt on 07/14/2009 at 08:03am | permalink | Reply to this comment
I have to laugh at the comments that quote "liberals".
This has nothing to do with liberals. Are you guys so lost?
There are legitimate reasons why Palin has a 23% Approval rating, and why most Americans think she's lying about why she resigned.
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/07/13/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5156705.shtml
It's funny how 23% seems to be around the magic number of Americans that can't seem to apply rational thought. You know, wasn't it around 23% that still approved of Bush after he ran the country into the ground. Shoot, if you count the number of posters on here that think this is a good article, it's close to 23% as well.
Why don't all the 23% just move to Alaska and secceed from the union like Palin's husband wanted? Do us all that favor.
Thanks
Posted by rohan on 07/14/2009 at 08:25am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Penny,
I am on the fence with most of what you've written in this post, but plain old disagree with your statement,
"…the world changes too fast for experience to be a huge factor."
Experience is most valuable because it teaches one how to act in a situationally appropriate manner. Most answers we learn in life are specific to the problem we were solving at the time, but experience usually shows us not to rush off and implement solutions too soon.
Experience doesn't matter because it gives one the answers, it matters because smart people with experience recognise that there are more than one answer to most questions, and to optimize the resolution to that problem for the greatest good.
I ramble on but that's my 2centsworth.
P.S. I believe that Palin is the consumate Brazen Careerist:)
Posted by Dale on 07/14/2009 at 08:34am | permalink | Reply to this comment
I agree that people need to take charge of their career and manage it effectively. But I also think that Sarah Palin was elected to do a job and that it wasn't a very smart move to "step down" from the position before her term was up.
Can you give some examples of other people who have been in prominent positions who have resigned in an effort to manage their careers more effectively? I mean, ones that were not elected to their position? I think it would be nice to have better examples.
I always enjoy reading your posts!
Posted by Emily on 07/14/2009 at 08:44am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Say what you will, Sarah Palin is a quitter. Pure and simple. (And I used to like and admire her. Now? Not so much.)
Sarah Palin asked the people of Alaska to make her Governor. It's not like they just randomly had a lottery of all Alaska citizens and her name came up. She campaigned for the office and the people elected her. Upon taking office, she swore to do the job. Now she's quitting. And the people of Alaska are going to be stuck with an interim governor, an expensive special election, and heaven knows what else.
I don't CARE what her reasons are. Unless she is dead or dying, there is no excuse for quitting a job — a job that she asked for — before the agreed-upon time frame had expired.
Sadly, her irresponsibility and lack of integrity mean that there is very little chance that I could support her in a bid for higher office. And I'm not the only person who feels that way.
Posted by Editormum on 07/14/2009 at 08:49am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Hi, EditorMum!
Posted by ToilingAnt on 07/14/2009 at 08:59am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Wow…this is the first post I read since I subscribed for your blog and I am already rethinking my decision.
That was fast! So Palin style!
Posted by Annie on 07/14/2009 at 08:50am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Everyone saying Palin did the wrong thing would have been the first in line on July 2 to sign a petition asking for her resignation.
Sarah Palin did exactly what this blog is about – look out for her own best interest to advance her career. And Penelope did an excellent job in recognizing that even though she may not share Palin's political views.
Posted by D. Boss on 07/14/2009 at 09:09am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Excellent post! I have no problems with Sarah Palin's resignation–if she finished her term, she was going to be hamstrung by frivolous ethics complaints that were depleting the state's resources, not to mention her own, and she wouldn't have stepped down had she thought that her successor is unqualified. I wish that Mark Sanford would resign too. I don't think that the post was about politics, but it certainly set off those who can't concede that Palin has any intelligence or talent.
PS John, I'm an attorney and a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and I don't sit around watching Oprah and Tyra.
Posted by Kirstin on 07/14/2009 at 09:13am | permalink | Reply to this comment
You know, I've been thinking for a while that I'd prefer to do my job but just not so many hours every week, or that I'd love to cut back on my hours and add a side consulting business. And you're right. The only reason I'm not doing it is because I'm afraid that it's not the normal path of a career, but when else in my life have I ever cared about being normal? Thanks for pointing out the life lesson in a huge media story. I think I will take your advice (and the advice I frequently give others to not be normal) and as soon as my boss is back from vacation, I'm going to negotiate for some extra time away from work. The only thing holding me back is my own fear of what everyone in the office will think. Thanks for pointing out that the only people who fear the opinions of others are weenies. Whatever else you may say about her, Sarah Palin is certainly not a weenie in her career, and neither am I!
Posted by Ruth on 07/14/2009 at 09:38am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Loved the post and ALL the comments. When I saw SP's resignation speech I was impressed. That woman has chutzpah. God help us if she ever got elected but I've done the same thing in my professional life, and I'm an older Boomer who's reinvented herself many times. I voted and worked for Obama, though I initially wanted Hillary. The scary thing is if you look at Obama's career, he's done the same thing, job hopped. And what did he really accomplish in any of his positions? I fear that he won't do well as president though I like the guy and his family and how he's our face to the world. Back to Palin – I've learned that you have to be nicer, share credit, work well in a team and not so obvious with your ambition. But always be more loyal to yourself than to anyone else. But then I have brain power and poor Sarah, well …
Posted by Bobbi on 07/14/2009 at 09:40am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Oh, no! Many here are going to have to cancel their subscriptions to the Washington Post or stop visiting their e-site as they've caught Penelope's frightful disease and are letting Palin write an opinion column for them on Cap And Trade. http://tinyurl.com/ludeob
Posted by Andrew in Toronto on 07/14/2009 at 10:04am | permalink | Reply to this comment
@ Andrew,
Well said! I am not a fan of Palin, or of many things in the blogosphere, but to unsubscribe when someone contributes a divergent viewpoint is as lame as taking your marbles home if your friends don't play the game you want.
Blogs are for gaining mental exposure and expanding one's viewpoint, not a fora for bobble-heads.
Posted by Dale on 07/14/2009 at 10:15am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Oh having said that Andrew, there is no comparison between Palin and Obama. That would be like comparing style and substance:)
Posted by Dale on 07/14/2009 at 10:19am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Penelope,
I just completely loved this post. You're on a roll this week! While I'm not a fan of most of Palin's political views, I definitely see the brilliance of this career move. Thanks for this analysis and insight!
Cheers,
Beth
Posted by Beth C on 07/14/2009 at 10:22am | permalink | Reply to this comment
I'm a big fan of yours but I couldn't disagree more. Palin is backing out on a commitment she made to all the people of Alaska. This isn't just a job. I hate to use this word to describe any woman but this stunt just makes her look flighty. And irresponsible: it may actually be proof. Seriously, who would ever vote for someone like that.
Posted by Veronica on 07/14/2009 at 11:08am | permalink | Reply to this comment
I'm sorry, you make some great points in this post but nothing about Sarah Palin should be inspiring anyone's career path, unless you are encouraging people to lie, act irrationally, flip flop on issues, continuously speak off topic (with poor grammar to boot) and then quit. Sheesh. The only advice Sarah Palin can offer is how to always look good, no matter what the task at hand. And maybe how to shoot a gun or skin a moose.
Posted by prklypr on 07/14/2009 at 11:51am | permalink | Reply to this comment
She can't quit! She needs to be thrown out!
Posted by JR on 07/14/2009 at 11:57am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Well done, Penelope. This is a good page-view increasing essay to offset that long no-posting period. You've received the usual "I'm canceling" responses (which is childish but not as bad as wanting to leave the country just because you lost big in the last two elections) and a surrogate of Dan's has showed up from Canada to argue nonsensically that the increasing deficit is to be blamed on a President who has been in office for all of six months (as opposed to blaming, say, an unnecessary war, wartime tax cuts or a bubble popping economy).
As for the actual substance of Palin's decision, it is a clear money-making move. More money for books, tv shows, fundraising, etc without having to abide by pesky "ethics". Her family makes "only" $211K a year which is what I make. She will now add millions to her coffers. Unfortunately, I do not have her looks :)
She may be dumb (And Andrew, if you believe she wrote that Post column I have a Bridge to Nowhere that I supported, than didn't support, than supported to sell you in Alaska) but she certainly is not stupid. If only 25% of America supports her, that still is 75 million "Americans" (in paranthesis because most of them seem like they want to secede) buying what that bird is selling. And those people live among you…
Posted by Sidney on 07/14/2009 at 12:44pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Sidney, I actually do think Palin wrote the Washington Post article because it was so full of nonsensical sentences. This sentence, for example: "So, at risk of disappointing the chattering class, let me make clear what is foremost on my mind and where my focus will be." Who else could've written such garbage except the person who uses "'em" instead of "them" on a regular basis because she seems to think it is cute and appeals to some unknown class of people. I also think she wrote it because she has her facts completely wrong and demonstrates a complete lack of knowledge about supply-side economics. I think the reason people keep talking about her (including me) is that it is like watching a train wreck in that is so horrifying but one can't look away. Yep, that pretty much sums it up for me.
Posted by Katherine on 07/14/2009 at 09:21pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Dear Penelope,
What can we learn from Sarah Palin? How not to quit!:
#1. Don't quit your job unless you have another job lined up. If you quit first, you lose momentum, risk being sidetracked. Sarah Palin was on the fast track. Now, unless she's got something up her sleeves that we don't know about, she is in the slow lane.
#2. Tell the truth, at least as much as you can. She had to say something, so she said stuff but not the real reasons why she resigned. And she doesn't lie well. She doesn't want to admit that she is burned-out. How do I know? From reading Penelope Trunk's prescient analysis: http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/09/04/palins-children-should-take-priority-over-being-vice-president/ . She is also frustrated with Alaskan democrats who used to work with her, but now treat her as a Political Object, and oppose anything she wants. On this count, she is helping Alaska by removing all the BS and controversy.
#3. Stop yourself before complaining about stupid stuff. When Sarah Palin is under stress, she complains about David Letterman. She's right, but who cares? It is a distraction that makes her look thin-skinned. Perhaps she is. It is a natural human reaction to lash out when you are under stress – usually a bad reaction.
#4. Take some time off, if you can. A couple of weeks will bring fresh perspective. Better to take some unpaid time off than to quit in a huff.
I wish Ms. Palin had been more honest about her motives. I still find her fascinating. Don't count her out, she may be ignorant but she isn't stupid, and I believe she has the ability to learn, unlike George W Bush. As Nixon said (ironically) after losing in 1960, "At least you don't have Nixon to kick around anymore". Although I know more about foreign policy than Sarah Palin, she has ambition and energy, and we will probably see her again someday.
Posted by Randy on 07/14/2009 at 12:58pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
The only thing that really surprises me is that the
Sarah Palin meltdown took so long to occur. She is a quintessential limelight-seeking manipulator, whose needs were no longer being met, pure and simple. It may be true that leaders all must have those two characteristics, but true leaders who make a positive difference in the world are made of much different stuff.
The real lesson here is watching what happens when someone completely unqualified for a leadership position, or any other job for that matter, is somehow put in that position. We will all be learning that lesson for many years to come, I think, thanks to the actions of the previous occupant of the White House.
As for quitting versus staying on in a position, others commenting here have made clear the differences and dangers of doing so in the political arena, as opposed to doing so in the world of work. I would add, however, that the golden rule of quitting is to always have another job in place before leaving the job you have, even if the psychological benefits of quitting are obvious. I think we can assume that Ms. Palin has her ducks in a row in this respect, although I think she is mistaken if she believes her next job is holding any political office.
For the rest of us though, I think you are doing a great dis-service by glorifying anyone who is essentially stomping off in a huff, especially from a critical, highly visible position such as Ms. Palin's. As a Career Advisor, you would be doing a much greater service by warning people of the potential negatives involved in such an action, than you are by glorifying one extremely unusual one. For many, especially those who quit or are fired under duress, the psychological and career wreckage can follow you in life for many years, sometimes for the rest of one's life. I think it would be interesting to hear from the respondents who have left jobs under those types of circumstances, and have not experienced an uplifting career surge. I suspect, however, that just re-visiting that experience is painful enough that those living through the dark side of quitting a job will not wish to come forward and tell their stories.
As for Ms. Palin, if nothing else, she is entertaining, now that we no longer have to worry about her lobbing missiles at Russia from her back-yard, or institutionalizing young women who may have opted for exercising their free-will regarding the unplanned, life-long servitude of motherhood.
As a card-carrying "Liberal" though, I have to say it's hard to see how it doesn't get any better than this. But I have to ask, Penelope, thinking about the limelight: are you and Sarah secret email buddies, with a little kick-back scheme going on, on the side?
Steve C.
Posted by Steve C. on 07/14/2009 at 01:22pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Give me a fucking break.
This is a stretch, a HUGE stretch. And clearly this post is the mark of someone who has not read the recent Vanity Fair article on Palin that came out one week before her resignation. You want to slam McCain for going back to the Hill during the financial crisis but managed to completely miss Palin's obsession with her approval ratings in Wasilla? That is so hypocritical. I'm not even going to waste my time addressing your other points of nonsense (#3 Careers are built on teams and networks and #2 Ideas matter not your resume). I usually love your writings but this is the post is the sign of a woman who does not have her facts. Or a clue.
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2009/08/sarah-palin200908
Posted by Brina on 07/14/2009 at 01:56pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Sarah Palin's a pawn – and a dimwitted one at that. Her career moves seem to be only partly her choice. Instead, she seemed dismayed to be leaving office (with $500,000+ in attorney bills from ethics complaints). She's not someone to be admired. She was elected office and quit – that's the easy way out, not the brave way.
Anyone who takes your remarks about Sarah's career to heart is going to have a long road to hoe. Sarah is delusional and an idiot; and will probably never again be hired by someone less than senile.
Posted by HB on 07/14/2009 at 02:08pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Brina. Gotta love your comment. The first line really says it all. I feel pretty comfortable though, that Penelope is simply trying to expand her own limelight radius here. That is, after all, what she does, isn't it? I was going avoid commenting just to not get sucked into the scam, but I really feel strongly about the advice she is giving regarding quitting jobs, even knowing that sometimes, we really do have to quit. Anyway, I think you hit the nail on the head. It should have been the first comment responding to the post, and maybe would have thinned out some of the other drivel that has inevitably shown up.
Steve C.
Posted by Steve C. on 07/14/2009 at 02:45pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
I'm trying to figure out what the difference is in SP leaving the office of governor versus Obama leaving his Senator position. Or Clinton leaving her Senator position . . . This happens all the time. It's politics.
Posted by Jackie M. on 07/14/2009 at 03:55pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Jackie M.
You're really trying to figure out the difference? Really? You mean like figuring out how to tie your shoe-laces? Any luck yet?
C'mon, you can do it.
Posted by rohan on 07/14/2009 at 05:02pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
To Jackie M.
Not to belabor the obvious, but Senators leaving that office in order to fulfill and complete an election to a higher office, or to accept an appointment to a higher office, in government, or say, for an appointment to the judiciary, are quite substantially different from resigning a high post to….. what? There are very formal long-held protocols for moving from one political office to another, removing people from office, even resigning. These are part of an orderly system of government generally known as a representative democracy. It's how our country runs. One can try to write one's own rules, develop one's own system of governing, but those techniques are usually reserved for banana republics and/or totalitarian regimes(see Iran).
Had Sarah Palin been upfront about her reasons for resigning instead of leaving it to the media and our imaginations to deduce, she would have gained far more than she will have lost by acting in the manner she did. I personally think that she was pandering for sympathy at the same time she was copping(sp?) out on a very serious responsibility, another variation on the limelight scheme; sort of like Briney Spears shaving half her head or flashing her bug around for the paparazzi to distribute to the media.
In the end, it will be Sarah Palin and her family members who will determine if she made a huge blunder or not. One thing is certain, they will not live through the results of her decision in a vacuum. To me the saddest part is, I don't think she has figured out what that really means, to her or to her family. I also don't think she has any idea what the people with whom she has ideologically bonded are really like, on geo-political scale. If she wanted to experience manipulation at a high level, she is about to get a PhD in the subject.
Watching Sarah Palin navigate the political arena is kind of like playing poker with a drunk: no one can predict what direction he/she will go in, except for one certainty: winning the game. Even a blind drunk gets lucky occasionally, but not very often. The results of her actions will certainly not include being elected to a higher political office.
A simple, "I'm resigning my post for personal and financial reasons" would have done the trick. Everyone would have understood that, and probably would have been sympathetic as well. Playing the martyr and casting blame about was poor form at best, childish and irresponsible at least. It was extremely poor role-modeling for sure.
Steve C.
Posted by Steve C. on 07/14/2009 at 05:38pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
I'm surprised a writer of your caliber would fail to make the distinction between "information" and "knowledge"…
We're in the information age… Not the knowledge age. There's a lot more to knowledge than an accumulation of information. Experience is a crucial intrinsic component of knowledge. Which brings me to my second point… ;)
I'm surprised a writer of your caliber would fail to make the distinction a "resume" and "experience."
I agree resumes are meaningless, but experience is everything. Ideas are worth nothing without execution, and to execute, experience is key.
Well, that's my personal opinion…
Posted by Yann on 07/14/2009 at 05:44pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Sorry Briney, I meant to say Britney Spears.
Steve C.
Posted by Steve C. on 07/14/2009 at 05:46pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Penelope:
The only thing that I can figure from this post is that you must have a newly-written check in your hand from the GOP, because that was the best piece of spin that I have seen come from a non-politico about a disgraced politician in a long time.
Others have said what I wanted to say about leaving a publicly held elected office (this is very different than an appointed position), the obvious error in assuming that ideas are more important than experience, etc. But I just have to add my two cents in about how Sarah Palin's resignation affects one thing — the image of women in the workplace.
First, I defended Sarah Palin for a lot of things during the campaign. The $100K wardrobe, the unfair attacks on her looks and her beauty queen persona — I shouted that women have tougher physical-attractiveness standard placed on them than men do. A woman can be all things — beautiful, talented, charming, strong, smart, and still look hot. Let's judge Palin on her words and record, not her looks.
But her resignation after governing 2.5 years is another "proof" to some people that women can't hack it in a "man's" world. If they are not getting undying adulation and pats on the back, if things get a little uncomfortable, then they break down and quit. Sarah Palin is an embarrassing example to young women that when the going gets tough, the tough abandon their responsibilities, hide behind their families, and seek the book deal. I'm not saying that Sarah Palin should have stayed with the job indefinitely, but that she should have served out the term she committed to. Otherwise, she confirms that flighty, soft, wishy-washy, Barbie doll image that many of us are fighting every day.
I know that you don't think there is a double-standard for women in the workplace, or that women earn less than men, but you don't work where I do. It exists. And the rather public image of the strong-willed, feminine powerhouse Sarah Palin resigning her executive office has rekindled a little of that "sweetheart, just sit there and look pretty" attitude that many of us continue to fight against at work.
Posted by Jennifer on 07/14/2009 at 06:31pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
If you are an entrepreneur and looking at starting a company, its VERY easy to put off the hard part. Which is generating sales for your company and making a profit. Believe it or not, its far easier to go out and raise enough money so you are “in the game”. You can raise the money, start the company and take your chances. If you run out of money, you can raise more. Until you can’t. At which point you enter the world of consulting, having learned from your experience.
On the flip side, if you want to start and grow a business that you retain control of, put money in the bank from and can make a long term commitment to, then always remember that sales should be the first thing you focus on when you wake up in the morning. Profitable Sales to happy customers is the best path to making money. If you go to bed at night thinking about how to sell more and how to make your customers happy. You probably are in a good place. If you go to bed and wake up thinking about how to raise money to stay in business, you might as well get the new business cards and think about what your new consulting blog is going to look like.
Mark Cuban
Posted by Lance Stratton on 07/14/2009 at 08:59pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Agreed. You are the CEO of your career. Palin is proof that she is in charge of her destiny.
http://jessicabond.blogspot.com/2009/07/annual-performance-review-your-employer.html
Posted by Jessica Bond on 07/14/2009 at 09:22pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
hello P – I see sense and have used all four points you make. Gathering great people around me has given me my success to date. Also conquering the fear of quitting and getting out when you are still on top of the game is always a good thing.
Much better to leave as a star than get bored, be half hearted and then try and go.
Also best you know when the time is right to go and take the bull by the horns and do so … I tell my employer – who is usually an elected rep – councillor or board – that I do not want to be where I am not wanted … lucky for me I am nearly always wanted :) cheers le – on her way to whoop whoop …
Posted by le on 07/14/2009 at 10:40pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
I think this post was rushed to publication. I've looked over all the comments and there are valid arguments that have already been made. However there were good points in this post with which I learned and agree with so I'm glad you published this post. I think you more closely resembled a lightning rod rather than a train wreck here. Here's to more at bats as I've seen you hit your fair share out of the park.
Posted by Mark W. on 07/14/2009 at 10:44pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
@Andrew in Toronto,
The vitriol thrown at Penelope here is exactly what she wanted. The only time she really generates any real interest in her posts is when she fills them with remarkably stupid, misguided thinking. If people are angry at her, it is because of the shameless attempt to capitalize(yet again) on the antics of a failed public figure, an arguably apolitical blog or not.
I haven’t noticed any veiled threats here, nor has anyone challenged anyone’s right to have an opinion, just the right to have that opinion expressed as fact. If you were expecting everyone to shower Penelope, and by proxy, Palin, with adoration, you probably shouldn’t be engaging in the activity of reading and responding to blogs like this. Better to stick with the western version of the Islamic Madrassas like Fox news, right-wing talk radio shows, and televangelists.
As for being scared of Sarah Palin, I’m scared of people like Palin in the same sense that I am scared of pin-headed Ayatollahs, not because their being elected to powerful offices in our country, but for fear of the hell-spawn whackos who listen to their drivel and then go out into the world and start killing people. There’s nothing “funny” about that.
As for the comparison of Palin to Obama and finishing jobs, we’ll have to wait and see if he resigns in mid-term to go out on the lecture circuit, when things don’t go as he planned. For now I guess finishing law school, teaching constitutional law, and practicing law will have to fill the bill, not to mention winning a United States Senate seat, serving three terms as a State Senator in Illinois and being elected President of the most powerful country in the world, an admittedly trivial pursuit.
Oh, and BTW, before you dust off your crystal ball regarding the trillions in debt and deficits I’ll enjoy paying off, better take a look at the numbers already well-documented, regarding the source of the deficits we are facing. Here’s a hint: they were not created by my moral and intellectual superiors, the elite (read: “liberals”). They were created by the past republican administrations, particularly the most recent one; although to give credit where credit is due, Ronald Reagan really did the seminal work in that department. We’re having a ball here in California with the remnants of his policies. Did I mention that we have another former actor running the show here, also a republican?
Steve C.
Posted by Steve C. on 07/15/2009 at 02:29am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Great entry, Penelope. I particularly liked #4 No one controls your career except you. If I may add to #4, it can also rephrased as "You have the right to reinvent yourself." Let's face it, the global economy and technology change rapidly. We must keep pace. The problem is when people have this fixed mental picture of what their jobs are. A fixed view of one's job/career goals can only get in the way of making the changes necessary to not only adapt to changes but thrive and prosper because of it.
I look forward to more of your posts!
Posted by Jim Paulsen - Website Copywriting on 07/15/2009 at 04:22am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Penelope has taken the art of trolling to a new level – well done, P…
Posted by jim on 07/15/2009 at 06:54am | permalink | Reply to this comment
I like the points about teamwork.
But we all know people who constantly express their opinions or ideas and yet have never gotten off their duffs to execute or truly support a single one of them.
Palin campaigned for a job involving the public trust. Her quitting before completing the job seems to demonstrate that she was probably not worthy of that trust in the first place. While quitting is not the same level of violation as theft and other misappropriations of money and power for personal gain, it still makes me question her dedication to public service and makes her motivations highly suspect.
Posted by Bobbie on 07/15/2009 at 07:41am | permalink | Reply to this comment
"kowtow to the idea that you have to finish a job just because you started it."
Me too. However they say thats called ADHD and I have to take lots of stimulants……
-jonathanstrange
Posted by Tim Waters on 07/15/2009 at 10:15am | permalink | Reply to this comment
This is why you're brilliant. Because when SP announced her resignation, I was paying more attention to what others were saying in the news about it rather than think about what it meant for herself personally. That you could see this as a career example that you can then blog about is genius. I love how you're so rich with ideas and unconventional.
Posted by spleeness on 07/15/2009 at 11:06am | permalink | Reply to this comment
I read your subject line and I had to say I was infuriated and embarrassed by Palin's resignation the way it was done. Last minute, with little explanation. Her "logic" and stories drive me crazy.
It made her and other women look bad. I'd never vote for someone I thought would not complete their term for nebulous reasons or for scandal.
-Janet
Posted by Janet Thaeler on 07/15/2009 at 12:40pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
"We don’t need to elect someone based on their resume because the world changes too fast for experience to be a huge factor. On top of that, the internet makes most information available to everyone, so putting in long hours gathering knowledge is not as valuable anymore. Authority isn't what it used to be — it's based on what idea you have right now, not what you've done in the past."
As a 25 year old engineering professional, I can tell you that this is utterly ridiculous. While it would be great to judge people based on their ideas, and their potential, just because someone has great amounts of both, does not guarantee success. The phrase: "The best indicator of future behavior is past behavior" exists for a reason. A resume is a track record. People want to see what you have accomplished. While a successful track record, also, does not guarantee success, it is sure better to know that the person has been able to execute tasks and achieve results than to find out that person is all talk and no action. While vision and ideas are important, they also come with experience. It is experience that builds credibility and not great ideas.
Posted by Angela on 07/15/2009 at 01:02pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Great points Angela.
From the article:
"We don’t need to elect someone based on their resume because the world changes too fast for experience to be a huge factor."
This is the type of double-standard, double-speak that is at the heart of a lot of folks on the right. When it was just McCain VS Obama, "experience" was the most important factor.
When Palin hit the scene, all of a sudden it was "experience? who needs it?"
Ahhh to be a blathering hypocrite on the conservative right. It's a wonder their feet dont' hurt from all the dancing.
Posted by rohan on 07/15/2009 at 02:18pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
why would a fringe candidate whos so far from main street USA shes out by the bins inspire you to do anything. Its a sign of how the take over by the hard right is destroying the GOP.
What the GOP needs is the equivelent of what John Smith and Tony B did to the leftwing in the Labour party and teh left neaver got as far as teh righ has in teh GOP
Posted by Neuromancer on 07/15/2009 at 02:21pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
I'm sorry but I see this as fail.
On your own terms. Because this is not the stereotypical gen y type bs.
It is gen x type bs that is gen y wannabe.
Because it smacks of me me me me me.
Snakes in suits is not a motivational self-help book.
Posted by ioana on 07/15/2009 at 02:37pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Hmmm, I just now got around to reading the Cap and Trade article in the Washington Post. I'm pretty suspicious of it, the article that is. First we had Sarah Palin the potential VP of the Untied Sates of America, now we have Sarah Palin the Resource Economist? Ah.., no, I don't think so. Not that there was any real description of anything like what a Cap and Trade energy system actually is, let alone Supply-Side economic theory.
Still, she came out of nowhere to be the running-mate of choice for the GOP presidential campaign, and it was written well enough to make the Washington Post, and it was essentially filled with opinion rather than fact. So I guess it could have actually been written by her.
Sarah, just in case you are reading this comment, and I'm betting you are, please, please, please, I would love to hear your explanation of a Cap and Trade energy system and also of Supply-Side economics, especially as it relates to relevant energy issues. Maybe you could do a live interview on the subjects, so we can all share your knowledge?
Steve C.
Posted by Steve C. on 07/15/2009 at 05:28pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
I was a Sarah Palin fan. However, quitting is not a part of my DNA. Therefore, I view this move as very negative. I believe you should finish what you start. And, from what I understand, Sarah only had something like a year and a half left of her term. All I can say is "Why now?"
Posted by Mike Kosinski on 07/15/2009 at 08:47pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
also surprised you actually support her too
Could you imagine she actually made it into office, matt dameon would leave the country and that means no more bourne movies
:(
Posted by House Music on 07/15/2009 at 11:28pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Sarah Palin lost $500,000 of her own money defending herself against groundless ethics charges. She decided, rightly, not to play that game anymore. The people who are criticizing her were never going to vote for her anyway so why bother? Which is exactly what she said… There are millions of us who view her as the perfectly normal, accomplished, intelligent woman she is. She only has to get more votes than her future opponents and she wins. It really is as simple as that.
Posted by John Monteen on 07/16/2009 at 04:32am | permalink | Reply to this comment
I agree, as part of generation Y, if something gets boring I have no problems quitting halfw
Posted by Shen on 07/16/2009 at 08:44am | permalink | Reply to this comment
"Sarah Palin lost $500,000 of her own money defending herself against groundless ethics charges. She decided not to play the game anymore"
John, oh you think that's why she quit? Really?
So she's teaching us that if we want to get rid of any politician you can just file ethics charges against them,and they'll quit?
Oh, and here's a little secret:
Not all of the ethics charges were groundless, SHE WAS FOUND GUILTY in TrooperGate (abuse of power) and another ethics case was settled when she agreed to reimburse the state. Just an FYI.
Posted by rohan on 07/16/2009 at 09:39am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Love this post. I agree with your points and I am sad to see so many people who have Palin Derangement Syndrome so badly that they can't see the "log" in their own eye re: Mr Obama, who had a job but did not work there, instead he ran for office for 2 years.
That my friend is a bad employee, elected or not.
Also I think some of your readers fail to acknowledge that the contentious and brutalizing attacks legally on Gov. Palins by her political enemies throwing frivolous lawsuits at her were sucking up time and money to fight and she could not do her job properly. You points are very well made, and people need to see the logic and level headed practical side of what you said aside from their politics. Nice job, thank you.
Posted by Lee Chen on 07/16/2009 at 11:46am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Could someone other than Sarah Palin have been used as an "example" particularly when there are so many bright, capable women out there to imitate. Politics aside, this person is not the sharpest pencil in the box and future details may emerge that could indicate she made some bad decisions while governor of Alaska bordering on conflict of interest.
Posted by Joanne on 07/16/2009 at 12:55pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
It just hit me for the first time. Penelope is a troll who has inverted the traditional troll modus operandi.
Instead of invading discussion boards with comments designed to inflame, she's tricked all of us into coming here so we can become inflamed upon reading her "point of view". And her most frequent "point of view" is simply to take something that is accepted as common sense by those who would read a female entreprenuer's blog and then force a connection to a concept that the very same audience abhors.
(For those who are not tuned into 'net culture, here's a layman's explanation of trolls: http://bit.ly/v6uS)
Posted by RedEye on 07/16/2009 at 06:26pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Great insight !
Posted by Joanne on 07/17/2009 at 09:15pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Excellent post, P. Lots to consider here and a nice job of laying this out in a "bigger picture" form using a topical example.
Too bad so many people missed the point, choosing instead to wallow in cesspool of political dogma. Aw, what the heck, might as well take a dip myself, right? To all those criticizing Palin for quitting her elected position – where's your equal outrage for former Senator Barack Obama failing to uphold his term as Senator from Illinois. Especially given the circus which followed.
Posted by Jon on 07/17/2009 at 09:14am | permalink | Reply to this comment
@Jon,
While not a big Obama fan, he quit his office to become the President, not to write a book and frequent the lecture circuit. How can you not see the difference? Many former presidents had standing political office prior to their election…
Posted by jim on 07/17/2009 at 12:39pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Actually Jim, I don't see the difference.
Are you saying it's only OK to step down from an elected position to assume a more important position?
The people criticizing Palin are saying she has broken her promise/commitment/oath.
Oh yes, but Obama did the same thing – however, we can forgive him because he "moved up" and all Palin plans on doing is shielding her kids and digging her family out of half a million dollars in debt – how monstrously selfish she must be.
If we could get a brief snapshot of the rapidly spinning needle on your moral compass, I wonder what we might learn?
Perhaps I might find moral justification for abandoning my wife. Now if I just abandon her to go back to a bachelor existence, that would be reprehensible – BUT! – if I can find a sufficiently superior wife – at least 10 years younger and perhaps +2 inches here, -2 inches there and of course she makes more money than the old wife – in that case, using what passes for logic in your world, I would be morally justified in upgrading. How could anyone not see that?
Posted by david rees on 2009-07-17 15:22:20 | (Comments wont nest below this level)
David, this is the way our government has worked from the beginning of time. From Steve C
"There are very formal long-held protocols for moving from one political office to another, removing people from office, even resigning. These are part of an orderly system of government generally known as a representative democracy. It's how our country runs"
David, where have you been? We know the right loves anti-intellectualism, but you'll be taking it to an art-form if you can't recognize the difference between Palin's actions and Obama's.
You guys never cease to amaze me.
Posted by rohan on 07/17/2009 at 03:31pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
AMEN
Posted by Joanne on 07/17/2009 at 09:16pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
So, David Reese, what exactly are the background conditions you propose for running for and achieving high political office? It sounds like one must be a currently unemployed politician if you are going to run for political office, and you are expected to have any prior experience in government, to be morally acceptable at the same time? Or you must be from a private sector job and terminate your job, or somehow get a leave of absense or sabbatical in order to run for office?
I'm pretty sure that no one complained when Sarah Palin campaigned with McCain for the GOP ticket, while she was still Governor, or if they did, I'm sure the moral majority overlooked it.
Your post really confuses me. Your moral compass/upgrade example seems to be a justification for what Sarah Palin is doing, not what Obama has done.
How's the pot-harvest going up there in Wasilla these days, by the way?
Steve C.
Posted by Steve C. on 07/17/2009 at 03:51pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Several of you seem to be having trouble parsing the morality of her decision to leave. The core argument seems to be that resigning from her office is harming the state.
Let us Set aside for the moment, the absurdity that the people who say this loudest seem to be the people who like her least.
People are saying that Palin resigning from AK Gov. harms the Alaskan people but Obama resigning from the IL state house does not harm the people of IL and the reason it does not harm them is because he MOVED UP.
What I am saying is that IF a harm is created by a person leaving this office before their term ends, then whether you go to the private sector or a higher level government job, neither makes any difference and neither mitigates the harm created by leaving early.
It's a stupid double standard that exists to bludgeon Palin for abdication and laud Obama for getting a promotion. Any such judgment is based on an arbitrary valuation of all the involved factors and stake holders.
And I would not know what the pot situation is like in Wasilla. I left over 20 years ago so I am sure a lot has changed but I suspect there are people growing pot in your area by now.
Posted by david rees on 07/22/2009 at 02:39am | permalink | Reply to this comment
I just read your excellent post on cash-flows and perused on over here. WOW! What a community of passionate readers. And, I can see why. You wrote a great post here. The principles here are excellent, articulated convincingly and in a personal voice.
But the example you use is quirky.
The voters of Alaska equate with the voters in your startup. They invested in her vision like your investors invest in yours. Would it be any smarter if next week you announced you were abruptly done here, because you wanted to save your company your salary or if you announced that your contract was only for 4 years and heck everyone knows after 2 a CEO only coasts…? (Let's forget about her reference to being a lame-duck governor when she didn't qualify as one.) I don't think so.
And given her recent post in the Washington Post it's clear it's not her ideas she's pursuing. It's the ideas of others who pay her better than the state of Alaska to promote their ideas. But if money is your gig, then it's a good idea to leave state government now.
But again, the principles, not the example you used to illustrate them, and how you organized this post were excellent. I'll continue to subscribe.
Posted by Zane Safrit on 07/17/2009 at 06:08pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Wow. This is so right on the money, Penelope.
Posted by Paul Peixoto on 07/18/2009 at 08:32am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Your thoughts on bravery in relation to career make sense to me. But from the reporting I've heard on it, I'm not sure Palin's resignation is a good illustration?
I haven't gone out of my way to follow the story, but in what I have heard, there's been criticism based on the idea that she's too early in her term for her claim to be a "lame duck" to add up and on the fact, according to what I've heard, that while politicians often leave posts for better opportunities, they don't usually quit in the middle of their job. So what I've heard calls her judgment into question.
Posted by Paul Maurice Martin on 07/18/2009 at 10:07am | permalink | Reply to this comment
I am a new reader to the blog and think that you are on target with so many things, except this post. Palin dropped out of college four times (or more depending on which news source you read) and seems to lack the dedication towards anything except feeding her own ego and getting pregnant. coupled with the ethics violations she may be serving time for (check out the latest news)her 'resignation' is more a cop out and coward's way out. Even Bush Jr. finished his governorship term.
Posted by grimwomyn on 07/22/2009 at 03:51pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
David.
Well, I do live in California, so I guess everyone knows what the pot situation is around here.
I certainly don't think that what Sarah Palin did will harm Alaska. On the contrary, I think she probably did the state a favor, in both the long and short run. I think it's obvious that she has decided that holding elected public office is not her calling, because her actions are just not logically consistent with aspiring to continue to do so. Maybe you can make some kind of an argument to the contrary, but I can't.
With Sarah Palin, it's pretty hard to figure out what is really going on in her mind because all we have to go by is what comes out of her mouth, and I think it's fair to say that there is some question as to whether or not she is even the one putting those words there in the first place. Her recent article in the Washington Post seems to confirm that opinion.
I find it hard to believe that, here we have this very public and divisive person making what is arguably the most critical decision of her life, at least in terms of future political aspirations, beset on all sides by lawsuits from practically everyone but her household help, $500,000 in debt with no end in sight yet, and what is foremost on her mind and the area she is focusing on at the moment? The proposed Cap and Trade policy of the Obama administration? Who in their right mind would be thinking about a proposed energy policy under those circumstances, other than someone with severe psychological issues. I mean, come on, really?
Obama's actions, moral or otherwise, are so far removed from Sarah Palin's, it's like comparing driving across town to making a round-trip to Mars. The radical right can have her; I don't think she is going to be doing much more than preaching to the choir. The great majority of people in the country may find her of interest from time to time, but as far as having any real influence on the future of the country, her 15 minutes of fame have come and gone
Steve C.
Posted by Steve C. on 07/22/2009 at 09:38pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Inspires you to be a …. quitter?
Most of her problems were self-created. She craved the public stage, and hired a publicist at taxpayer expense to get there. She turned out to be utterly unqualified for VP, with a dysfunctional family life. Surprise – the press had a field day with it! Now she is a poor martyr, quitting for the good of the state? Give me a break! She got what she wanted (attention to feed a narcissistic personality), but it did not quite turn out as she expected.
If you find any of this inspiring, you have my condolences.
Posted by travis on 07/27/2009 at 02:55pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
The only thing inspiring about Palin is that she's proof that really stupid people can come close to being vice -president. For those of you that like her, do you really listen to her speak? Even in her last two speeches, I could not fathom why anyone would want her as a leader. DShe quit because the pressure of ridicule was too much when it exposed her for the incompetent she is.
Posted by Daniel H on 07/31/2009 at 04:52pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
I could not agree more. I look up to Sarah Palin for what she has accomplished very much. While I may not agree with all of her ideas, I think she is a great role model for women and girls everywhere who want to make a difference in the world. Even though people keep trying to put her down, she never backs away from doing what she wants to do. I'm just starting college in two weeks and women like her are very inspiring to me in my educational and career goals.
Posted by Jacquelyn on 08/05/2009 at 07:35am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Sarah Palin was elected to govern her state for a term, not to quit partway through. Next she may ask Americans to elect her as President. Huh? If I were a Dean of Graduate Studies at a university, I would not be likely to accept a candidate who had failed to complete their Bachelor's degree because they got bored, or wanted to focus on something else, or whatever. And I would not be likely to respect someone who managed to get accepted by quitting then 'building a team'. On a different but related point, you mention the internet as replacing knowledge and experience. Are you kidding? You can garner facts from the internet; you cannot marshal them. Age and experience do not guarantee wisdom, but there's a strong correlation that the community ignores at its peril. Overall, I think you are putting way too much stock in popularity and the moment and not nearly enough in hard work, persistence and commitment. Sarah Palin is not an example I would recommend.
Posted by Jonathan on 08/07/2009 at 10:48am | permalink | Reply to this comment
“But Palin is refusing to waste her time in the Alaska governor’s office.”
She already did what she can for Alaska so Sarah Palin has the license to do what she pleases.
Posted by Nubiles on 08/10/2009 at 06:58pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
This list of comments was so long that I must confess I couldn't read all of them. Maybe somebody else has made this point. I'm just wondering — in terms of career advice, what about the concept of over-reaching, which Sarah Palin has clearly done? Is a brazen careerist's goal to simply get as far as one can despite one's personal limitations? Is it admirable to block-headedly pursue a level of power to which one is not equal, simply because one has been encouraged by Republicans with their own agendas? We are all good at different things. Sarah Palin is probably good at driving to hockey rinks. Understanding the complexities of local, state, national and international politics is obviously beyond her, just as it is beyond many of us. But then most of us aren't so conceited that we believe otherwise. I think we're the ones to be commended on our wisdom, not Palin.
Posted by Kate Zimmerman on 08/10/2009 at 06:58pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
I love your blog but I can't stand this post. I know being a liberal from the Northeast makes it hard for me to deal with anything related to Palin… I find her very name abhorrent , her morals hypocritical and her preparation for any higher office questionable– if not absent. If "managing" your career enables you to get to a higher office without the skills and knowledge, this is just plain scary!!! not admirable — it's like getting a higher score on your SAT's because your parents paid $4,000 to help you do it – you aren't "smarter", you just strategize. In the end, all this does is make everything a farce — God help us all!
Posted by Marcia on 08/16/2009 at 12:11am | permalink | Reply to this comment
I love your first point "Get out of a job when you are done doing it." I am making a career choice right now that may seem incongruous in our tough job market times (leaving a good one,) but I am DONE doing it, and every day is like torture. Perhaps SP felt the same way . . who knows. All I know is I cannot continue to ignore my true passion!
Posted by aspen71 on 08/18/2009 at 09:01am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Not only is Sarah in charge of her own career, she owns most of you here spewing hate for her. You do not know Sarah! What you think you know about her has been manipulated by the media and the tunnel-vision liberals. You try so hard to be "smart" and career focused, yet you are just average. Your rhetoric is the same as what's being printed in the newspaper. You don't think, you only regurgitate.
Posted by Alex on 08/24/2009 at 02:43pm | permalink | Reply to this comment
Do any of you live in Alaska? Word is up there that her kids are frankly "out of hand" and baby daddy hubby ain't doing such a good job on his own. I hope to god she quit to deal with them before they have more children at young ages. Heard Willow is slugging vodka at parties,among other things. People have completely lost touch with reality. Some people quit because their personal lives get completely out of hand. And, that should be commended. You are not much worth to anyone or anything if you are a complete mess. Ahhhh the speculation about that resignation.
Posted by liz on 08/27/2009 at 01:44am | permalink | Reply to this comment
Jeez, what are people so upset about?
Sarah Palin quit because she saw that she would be ineffective as governor of Alaska. She had already fought 13, count'em THIRTEEN frivolous ethics charges filed by Democrats to harass her and won with all of the charges being dismissed. The Dems filing the charges were out to ruin her financially and politically. Resigning was the best choice. When you let your opponents define the rules of the game, you lose. Sarah stepped out of all that.
Even better, she was able to take advantage of her time in the spotlight to write a book and set herself up for life (just as Obama did, the Clintons did, etc.). Now she doesn't have to worry about money or being hamstrung by rules that put her at the mercy of her detractors.
You may not like Palin or what she stands for, but her decision-making here was both courageous and spot-on. She may not ever run for office again, and if she does she may not win… but if she had remained governor she would have been bankrupted and then driven from office in disgrace when she could no longer afford to defend herself.
If her Democrat opponents had been smart they would have left her mostly alone, and she would have been stuck in Alaska out of the political spotlight and soon forgotten. Her option would have been to either re-run for governor, or retire back as a housewife. Now she's independently wealthy, and she is injecting herself into races where she believes she can make a difference… and if she is right she will be a formidable presence with a lot of political clout.
Posted by ObiJohn on 10/24/2009 at 02:17am | permalink | Reply to this comment