netanyahu – BLG – Bacharach Leadership Group

When Leaders Dance the Minuet: President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu

The recent meetings between the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, and President Barack Obama are a classic example of leaders dancing all around. When they do this, it’s not clear who is taking the lead. No one wants to be too pushy, and no one wants to be in front. They want to present a gentle, coordinated minuet, which may be fine for the first date, but which will take no one ahead. When leaders dance such a minuet, they agree to disagree, they keep a distance and politely bow, knowing that everyone is watching them on the floor. The real spectacle is on the sidelines, where their staff hold their coats and refuse to dance. This minuet is only a veneer, only a backdrop. When the headlines read, “It went better than expected,” they missed the point. No one expected a rumble, this wasn’t West Side Story, it was simply the quiet before the storm. As we get down the road, the harpsichord music will fade.

Pic Source: Reuters

Too Many Chefs in the Kitchen, or When a Coalition Becomes a Clunker

It is always interesting to observe politics at a distance. By and large, Americans are not familiar with the coalition form of government. In other countries, coalitions, as a formal mode of governance is part and parcel of everyday life. Leaders can learn much by observing the workings of a coalition government; specifically, there is much to learn by watching political leaders try to establish coalitions.

The latest lesson is being taught by Israel’s newest prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. In his efforts to put together a government, Netanyahu began to negotiate with numerous parties, offering each one a position in government. Not having enough formal positions, he increased the number of ministerial positions to 30. Netanyahu clearly needed enough positions so that he could negotiate enough support for his coalition. Clearly, Netanyahu is in danger of inviting to many chefs into the kitchen and converting his potential coalition into a loosely organized clunker.

A large number in one’s coalition is almost always an asset. Sometimes coalitions have to ask themselves if the price they’re paying is worth it. When giving so many people so much say, at what point is the situation no longer governable and on the verge of the absurd. Increasing the size of your coalition expedites legitimacy in the short-term but it can ultimately drain the energy from your agenda. Leaders have to remember that too many chefs in the kitchen, although seemingly productive, can cause dangerous mistakes.

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