Dear President-Elect Trump:
I opened the Black Friday ads last night to see if there was anything in them that could blast me out of bed at 4:00 a.m. to save a few bucks. It’s an annual Thanksgiving night ritual. There’s no shortage of ads. Every store, it seems, has one. And they all seem to congregate around the same few things—this year’s latest gadgets. Robotic vacuums are hot this year. I’ve never seen one operate. But the concept sounds nice. They roam around and gather up the dust and dirt so that we don’t have to.
You and robotic vacuums have a few things in common this year. First, you’re each the hottest things going. Second, people want you both to do something for them. Third, each of you will pick up, collect, and carry other people’s dust and dirt.
What do I mean by that last sentence? I mean this: Every politico this season hounds you to advance their interest. Do this or that or appoint this person or that person. You are their tool—their robotic vacuum. Each decision you make—whether for them or you—sucks up to you the particles of consequences.
I learned this as a young elected prosecutor. Every interested party in every case had their desired outcome. The defendant wanted leniency; The police wanted blood; The victim needed restitution; The law required adherence. The prosecutor is the clearinghouse for determining how every interest is measured. If I gave leniency, the defendant benefitted and went his way. I owned the dust and dirt of the decision of the police anger. If I stuck to the letter of the law, the police benefitted and went their way. I owned the dust and dirt of dealing with the defendant’s family and friends.
Every decision you make will anger and alienates someone. At the same time, your choice will bring praise and pleasantries from others. If you have the internal strength to measure your decision on what seems right to you rather than which causes you the least amount of dust or dirt, you have found power and freedom. If you don’t have this internal strength, you become the hostage to everyone.
This political shopping season, free yourself from the demands of others and make your own call on every matter. Just because they supported you, doesn’t give anyone the right to expect you to decide something for them.
Either way, you’ll own the dust and dirt of the decision.
Yours truly,
David O. Leavitt
