McCain Links Up to Potential Voters on LinkedIn

Senator John McCain debuted with a question on LinkedIn this morning, with over 500 connections in his profile – something that takes less well-known people months or even years to accomplish unless they make LinkedIn a hobby.   The question, "What is the Biggest Challenge America Faces? received 70 answers in 9 hours. Althought less anwers than Bill Gates receieved, Senator McCain is the first national political figure to leverage a truly business-oriented social network to ask questions about what is important in American politics to a hyper-connected technology and business savvy network.  At last count, over 1,680 people have now responded to Senator McCain's question.  We would not rule out increased momentum online for the McCain campaign as they show their savvy for using mediums not yet tested by Senators Obama or Clinton.  View McCain's linkedin group here.

Obama - $1 Million Minute on the Web

"AnObamaMinute.com calls for pledgers to register a donation within 60 seconds, at 1pm on Apr. 21. Could the site be interpreted as just another stunt in an environment where $1 million isn't what it used to be? "There is certainly an element of theater," admits one member of Obama's national finance committee who's familiar with the project (the campaign is participating to make sure all contributions meet federal giving requirements). But, it is also another ambitious fund-raising effort in a political season marked by campaigns that have aggressively pushed the boundaries of raising money, both off and online." – Business Week

"This is another wrinkle, another innovation that confirms the Internet's potential." 

says Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia

"In some ways, the Internet connects Obama supporters better," adds Sabato. "Clinton and McCain supporters are generally older, and this kind of high-speed fund-raising may not exactly be the way they think." The irony, of course, is that Pennsylvania primary voters tend to be older, comprising exactly the demographic that might not be attuned to such online events. His war chest well-funded, Obama's biggest hurdle is to convince more white, working, and lower- and middle-class voters to back him.

 

 

 

Be an Arsonist and a Fire Fighter – by Paul Sloane

Innovative leaders are comfortable with ambiguity. They know that there are many ways forward. They are evangelical about the vision but agnostic about how to achieve it. They have a clear strategy but are quite prepared to change tactics. They recognise the need for different leadership styles at different times. When it comes to innovative ideas they are alternately arsonists and fire fighters. They go around starting fires under people – challenging them. They ask questions that confront their teams - the kinds of questions that demand answers and actions:

• Can you find a new route to market?
  
• Can you halve our service response time?
  
• How can we break into the Chinese market?
  
• Can we find a better way to provide this service?
  
• Can you design a lighter, cheaper, faster version?

The leader starts many initiatives and then follows up to ask how things are going. The projects that are not succeeding are cut back. If the new product prototype does not please customers, or is not technically feasible or is very costly then the fire is extinguished. Lessons are learnt and the team moves on. The leader has a restless curiosity to try new things. Some people may find this frustrating and ask, 'Why does she keep asking us to try new things and then stop them just when they are getting interesting?' The answer is that only by trying lots of different things are we likely to find the radical new initiatives that we need. Not every interesting project can be pursued to completion. Life is too short and resources are limited. It is essential to eliminate the less promising projects so that we can devote resources to those that show the most potential.

Innovative leaders are a little schizophrenic. They strive for success but fear it. They love to win yet they applaud failure. They are coldly analytical some times and hotly passionate at others. They use left brain and right brain techniques. Their management styles are sometimes tight and sometimes loose. They are proud of what their team achieves yet they are humble enough to listen to feedback. They start fires and they put them out.  

Paul Sloane is an advisor to No World Borders and the author of The Innovative Leader, published by Kogan Page. His website is www.destination-innovation.com