I have to say, Obama has just as much BS in his politics as any other politician that makes it to president. He's just a really, really good public speaker… which makes us FEEL less BSed. And there is value in that, don't get me wrong. But the BS is definitely still there. (BTW, I am not a Repub OR a Dem.)

Your son and I had the same reaction to the news: "For what?" He won the Nobel peace prize for the same reason he was elected president – not for anything he's done, but for what people think he represents.

("mesmerizing", not "mezmorizing") Even your comment spell checker catches that.

You might try working in an actual work place sometime before you think you can write about one.

Wow. Most of the comments have nothing to do with the point of your blog… This seems to be a trend on your site, actually.

I believe I get the point, however: We need to strive to choose leaders that encourage us to reach our professional and personal best in the workplace. I absolutely agree. I have been happiest in my career while working under an inspirational leader and inversely the most miserable when I have worked for a dream crushing boss. Inspiration and motivation are the factors that differentiate a leader from a boss, in my opinion.

"Very few of us feel that we can pick our country, but we can each pick our company. Companies with leaders who put people, the planet and profits on equal footing are companies that are most likely to give you that same feeling of pride that we feel today. When you choose your job, you choose your leaders. Today's Nobel Peace Prize award is a reminder to us that good leadership inspires everyone to be good. Find that in your career."

Very nice. That's the best thing you've written lately.

You are a fool if you think politics and sex are not discussed at work, even if they shouldn't be.

I liked the post–it was thought provoking.

I like Obama but recognize that anyone in his position will piss a lot of people off.

Obama said…"I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership,". I think "representing" something is worthy of recognition, there is no "representing" without doing. He is DOING (even if it is not where your readers want to see action)……

"The Nobel committee recognized Obama's efforts to solve complex global problems including working toward a world free of nuclear weapons."

I just threw up in my mouth.

Where else would you throw up besides your mouth?

Do that every time you feel like saying something cynical – it's a better impulse.

"his lack of BS in politics is almost as revolutionary as his skin color in politics."

I was speachless when I read that he won the NPP. The above quote has helped me find my voice again.

He is a GREAT CANDIDATE! He's a fantastic orator. He is full of BS. Please tell me a single thing where he's drawn a line in the sand & said "this is going to get done, & this is what its going to look like." He waffles on EVERYTHING. We need to be out of Iraq. Nope. We need to focus on Afghanistan – well, maybe not. We'll close Gitmo – um, how's that working out? Public option in health care – or not. No mandates! Wait, maybe we need them. McCain's idea to tax employee health care benefits is ridiculous – except that funding health care for everyone is expensive, so maybe we could use those revenues.

Wait, he did say that he would have talks with Iran with no preset conditions. He's done that. So, I guess having talks with an election stealing, violent, holocaust denying regime is enough to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Fantastic!

I've been mulling my mixed feelings on the prize (I love Obama). I was leaning toward it not being a good idea, but your post made me rethink. Hmm.

Also, I was really looking forward to more on Asperger's. I would really like to know more.

Leadership is overrated. The CEO needs to get good people, set a direction, then get out of the way. "Let me know if you need anything" is the sign of a good manager.

All this adulation for Obama is the sign of a cult, not good leadership. It's a way of ignoring all the hard problems, and all the hard work, which needs to be done by the people, not by Dear Leader. "Hope and Change" are not solutions. Slogans are not a plan. And the CEO never does the real work.

You should know that…

Michael,
Pres. Obama is not the CEO of the U.S. He a the nominated leader. He has no ownership, only direction. Change is a solution. Without change things would stay the same. Hope allows people to believe that change is possible. Slogans represent what the plan is geared towards, what it represents.

I didn't think that narrowminded people would read this blog. I guess I was proven wrong, much like you'll be when hope allows positive change to occur through slogans and intellectual speaking from our current President. People don't worship Obama like a cult. I think you should think more about the words you use before you post next time.

Michael-

You obviously know nothing about the difference between managers and leaders. Anyone could be a manager but so few can be leaders; and even fewer great leaders. The country has been in turmoil over the last 8 years because we had a manager in office. Actually, we had an assistant in office.

I just recently got promoted from being a techie to a team leader, and since I'm totally clueless they sent me on a course. The most important thing that I learned from the course was that a good manager is the biggest factor of the team's performance. When people quit their jobs, they actually quit their immediate supervisors.

So now I can't sleep at night. And I only have 6 people under me.

Can't imagine the type of stress Obama must be facing.

Few thoughts:
1)Fact that you describe self as clueless is a GREAT thing! That means you remain trainable with few if any bad habits to break. You know that you don't know, ya know? :) Kudos!
2) My guess is that your company also see's big potential in you or they wouldn't have placed 'only 6' people reporting to you. That could also be out of necessity, but…
3) Be clear in communicating expectations. Then confirm that they understand said criteria.
4) Be yourself. Doesn't appear you need any help with this!

The Nobel Peace Prize is not a public contest.The Committee has stated their reasons for awarding him. Just like hiring managers and executive have reasons for promoting, hiring and firing. The major public opinion is irrelevant. In terms of President Obama, those that continue to gripe will only attract those seeking to further divide the country and embarrass him. Not many corporations I know have such hatred and malice and "desire for his demise or failure" than can be found in government.

I just wish that people would let the man celebrate for accomplishments(because he has had them!) let the country enjoy this most refreshing moment and perhaps support instead of knock down. In the spirit for which an award in intended, reflect on how we can embody and embrace the characteristics that winners possess in our personal lives and in our careers.

"I just wish that people would let the man celebrate for accomplishments(because he has had them!) let the country enjoy this most refreshing moment and perhaps support instead of knock down."

1 – please list President Obama's accomplishments.
2 – please list the collection of accomplishments that could possibly justify this award.
3 – I'm not knocking the President for receiving it. He didn't choose himself. I'm saying that the NPP has less significance today than it did yesterday because a reasonable case can not be built to answer question #2.

The more I think about this the more I realize how clueless Penelope really is.

I have seen my friends in the US become somewhat disillusioned with Obama in the last six months. I think at one level this is because its natural to tire of any charismatic person and a cycle of awe-admiration-victory-fall from grace. Also, the biggest question mark about Obama even before he won the presidency was whether he could DELIVER anything or just an exceptional orator.
Whatever the right answer might be, it is true that he spread the message of hope, helped to dissolve boundaries of race, color, nationalities and has the 'voice of reason' that is very fresh from a US leader.

The CEO of Brazen Careerist – "But I wanted this guy because he inspires each of us at the company to be our best selves. That's what leaders should do." – I'd be interested to know his leadership style and some specific examples.

I have a boss like this. And he's taken our association from being the smallest of its kind to the largest.

And I wish everyone would back off of Obama for a little bit and give him some time. It hasn't even been a year. Am I the only one who remembers the Bush years? It's going to take some time to clean up the hot mess he left us.

Couldn't agree more. It's sad to see so many media outlets and people downing such an honor and making it political. What I have been asking people is the following:

"Assuming Obama wasn't President, but he did everything the same as to inspiring people and giving people hope, would you back this award given to him?"

I think he has done so much as a human being and that is not political. Putting the politics aside, I think he deserves this honor. I wish more people wouldn't make this so political.

Dave
LifeExcursion

Dave:

The Peace prize has always been political. And has always had signalling value as well as honour attached to it. Think Henry Kissinger (whose co-nominee Le Duc Tho declined to accept the award), Yasser Arafat/ Yitzhak Rabin/ Shimon Peres, Aung San Suu Kyi, the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela/ F de Klerk amongst others.

The data speaks loud and clear!
Approval rating of US:
Bush Obama

France 11 88
Italy 27 91
Spain 11 85
UK 17 82
Germany 12 92

The idea of being "approved of" by other countries is a nice thought.

The purpose of the American system of government is to safeguard the freedom of the American people.

The idea that a government would compromise the liberty and freedom of Americans for the approval of other countries or for political power is dangerous and disgusting.

I would rather have more freedom and I honestly do not give the smallest damn whether or not other countries approve of us. It is immaterial.

As a reply to just Alan in this case; you are more concerned with how the "rest of the world" views our President than our own country?? To me this seems strange and foreign. If you care so much about how OTHER countries view our President, maybe you should consider citizenship there……….. Personally, I don't want Germans, Italians, French, et-al telling ME who should run our country.

Kevin

Given that one of the President's primary areas of responsibility is foreign policy and that he is the "face" for the country to the rest of the world, how the rest of the world perceives him is indeed rather important…

Obama's primary areas of responsibility also include national domestic policy. And since he is our executive, I'd say American's opinions are more important to whether he's doing a good job or not.

And since, as you say, foreign policy is the area where he has the most power, why can he not decide what to do on Afghanistan? Why did he only talked to the general on the ground ONCE in his first seven months in office, yet he had time to go campaigning for health care reform and bringing the Olympics to Chicago? I really don't care whether we double down or get out, but I do care that American soldiers are being left to die while Obama can't be bothered to decide on a course. That's hardly laudable behavior.

Lincoln knew nothing of war when he became president, but he spent every day in office trying to learn as much as he could. He'd wait for hours to have the chance to talk to his generals, so that he could have the best handle on the situation as possible. I do not see that same kind of commitment from Obama. He seems more like a domestic policy president that just wants the wars to go away. In which case, he shouldn't have ran until after the wars were over.

The Iran election situation has shown the world all they need to know about Obama.

He had a chance to stand up to corruption and support people seeking free elections.

His response was craven, cowardly and offensive.

Where was the leadership? Where was the moral authority? What did he show us about his values? What did he show us about his views on human life? Free elections? Freedom?

Speaking of which, when was the last time the man used the word "freedom" or "liberty" in a speech? And I mean in a generalized way, not as in "we will allow you the freedom to keep your doctor…"

Let me be clear: This man is no friend of freedom or human rights.

Strong values?

Intellect? He does a great job reading the teleprompter. Alan Keyes has intellect and ate his lunch when it came to debates!

Lack of BS in politics — hardly.

He is the typical Washington politician (Democrat and Republican), no backbone, no message, no conviction. Real change will occur when we throw all the crooks out of Washington.

Penelope, not everyone can pick their company. Sad, but true for many, many, people, millions, their choices in the career market are rather restricted.
Your statement reflects a certain optimism that may happen to be conditioned by your life's experiences, struggles, and yes, privileges. They do not match everyone's.

Many people end up with as much choice as to which CEO they end up working under as they have over the President over their nation. Which is to say a perfunctory, largely symbolic, ultimately meaningless degree of choice. Let's not fool ourselves.

Two, Hank Kissinger also received a Nobel Peace Price. This one fact alone should tell anyone what it's real value is. No further comment is necessary.

Apart from this, good post.

I'm surprised by your post as their is a certain naivete to your words. And it reflects the words of French Leader Sarkozy related to Obama:
Obama: “We must never stop until we see the day when nuclear arms have been banished from the face of the earth.”
Sarkozy: “We live in the real world, not the virtual world. And the real world expects us to take decisions.
As Peggy Noonan stated: ”He doesn't have a body of work; he's a young man; he's been president less than nine months. He hopes to accomplish much, and so far–nine months!–has accomplished little. Is this a life of heroic self-denial, of the sacrifice of self for something greater, of huge and historic consequence, of sustained vision? No it's not. Is this a life marked by a vivid and calculable contribution to the peace of the world? No, it's not.
At present, he reads well from a TelePrompTer, speaks in great generalities and seems to be more oriented on himself then the country itself. He is a politician clear and bold — wake up!

haha, nice post. feel some provocation there. but it's all good. I'm sure many people disagree. I was also shocked to see that Obama has a nobel prize award. Is he the first president to get one? Cheers!

Unfortunately the teaching moment was wasted. A much more meaningful message would be:

Some people's families a hard life because other people were mean to them. So, to make them feel better, we give them things that the rest of us have to work for and hope they will decide to do the work later.

I am tired of people praising Obama's every move no matter what he does. We are on the verge of a dollar crisis, partly based on the government's non-stop spending. But until the dollar collapses and we're all S.O.L, few of Obama's faithful followers will notice.

Being an objective critic of Obama and his policies will improve your credibility.

What swill.
You've discussed your hungry years, declared that one must work to survive – both physically and emotionally, and now you laud a phony poseur who only speaks "dismissively – sometimes even derisively" – of this great county, and one who managed to get where he is by barely breaking a sweat ever doing any real work. The only thing he is "encouraging" is for the permanent victim classes to whine louder, demand more, and reach further for more and greater entitlements, which we working taxpayers will have to pay for. Since you're apparently now, finally making a decent living, I'm sure you'll be right there at the front of the line to offer up your earnings for his "wealth redistribution" scheme.
You've also apparently discovered the benefits of capitalism and entrepreneurialism, but his policies discourage both, as he marches us ever nearer his and his handlers' socialist utopia.
If you are a capitalist, reluctant or otherwise, you'd better take a closer look at his agenda and the people he has surrounded himself with.
Open your eyes, pay attention to what is actually going on, and let's get back to business – while we still can.

If you return as a political blogger, try to be objective.

Penelope, I love your blog. But beware of charisma!! Remember, Hitler had charisma, too. All Obama did was campaign on vague promises of "hope" and "change we can believe in". People just projected whatever they wanted to onto those vague slogans.

Too funny. Right-wingers still think they're making a good point when they compare Obama to Hitler. They must not realize how crazy they appear to be.

"Beware of charisma." Oh yeah. That makes sense. (rolling my eyes)

Not many people like Obama. That's make me think how the next president? What kind of leader do we really like?