Katrina Management

Force 5 Management

One of the many causes of the Katrina disaster was totally avoidable. That’s the low calibre of the people who were supposed to be in charge.

Whether you look at the defence systems in place against a force 5 hurricane (none) or the dead bodies littering the streets a week after the calamity, the supposedly responsible people failed in their tasks.

That’s not surprising when you consider the backgrounds of these individuals. Along with the politicians, whose critical expertise is winning votes, not running operations, civil servants in key positions appeared to be absurdly unqualified - not least the Bush appointees to key positions like running the Federal emergency response.

The Brits on the spot, employed by the Foreign Office, were apparently no better, but that’s no excuse.

From the President downwards, there was a gaping absence of what John D Rockefeller I called ‘the ability to deal with people’. He went on to observe that this ability ‘is as purchasable a commodity as sugar or coffee, and I pay more for that ability than for any other under the sun’. He believed that his own unexampled success was down to putting his trust in people whom he had given good reason to trust him.

That’s the secret of great leadership - positive people management.

That’s founded on the recruitment, reward and development of trustworthy and trusting people.

Politicians can always argue that they aren’t elected to be great administrators. But they are mandated to appoint only the best departmental heads and to ensure that these appointees are just as rigorous when appointing their own colleagues and subordinates. Anything less and you won’t be able to rely on normal operations, let alone meet Force 5 challenges. People management demands getting the right answers to these key questions:

1. Is this person technically qualified, by education and experience, to do the job?

2. Is he/she intelligent enough - both emotionally and intellectually - to handle this job and to go on to bigger and better positions?

3. Will they get on well with colleagues and subordinates?

4. Do I like them?

5. Have I devoted enough care, time and attention to this appointment to be sure of the 4 answers above?

That’s five Force 5 questions for a Force 5 world.