politics and athletes

Listening to At Folsom Prison by Johnny Cash.  It is a fantastic live album, probably the best one I own.  

I watched a segment of First Take on epsn this morning.  They were debating whether or not athletes (they also mentioned musicians and actors) should openly support politicians.  A few football players from the Cleveland Browns organization have been to McCain rallies and a few have been to Obama rallies.  These players have also come out and are quoted in news papers as to supporting those candidates.  Of course they have the right to do so, but I'm on the fence on this.  

Historically speaking, Ohio is huge when it comes to the election, everyone knows that.  A big swing state, plenty of electoral votes.  The fact that the Browns are in Ohio, I think, is one reason why this can be important.  If these athletes are popular amongst the fans, some may vote for who the athlete supports.  Of course basing your vote on someone else's opinion is ridiculous.  So there is that, but still, that could be a lot of votes for one candidate or the other.  Imagine the presidential election being decided in Ohio, the election being close, and this kind of story being out there.  

This could be nothing, just a slow sports news day.  I highly doubt anything will come of this, and if it were taking place in a state like Minnesota or Colorado, it wouldn't be worth talking about.  It all has to do with location, and this time it is Ohio.  

Work yes men

Are you in? by incubus is playing.  It makes me think of college.

Just recently, there have been three new department managers hired at the store.  It's good and all, it takes the stress off of some of us.  However, they can't think for themselves.  They take the word of the executives as gospel, and that is scary.  It turns them into yes men, but they don't know any better.  They will learn.  

Going toe to toe with your boss, and coming out on top, is a great feeling.  Especially when you were right all along.  Sure, they make the salary, but that doesn't always make them right.  Challenge upwards is a phrase that is used at work in the leadership development of the department managers.  It is good, when you use it with the right people.  That is the one thing I like about my immediate boss.  He'll allow me to bounce ideas off of him, even if he doesn't like them.  We don't always see the same picture, but we get there.  I do come home at times just steaming at the ears because he pisses me off some days, but he will also listen to me.  Occasionally.  

There are a few executives that see challenging upwards as a type of ignorance.  They see it as someone not liking their job, or them, but they don't get it.  Those of us who do question them know what we are doing and know what works in the areas where we are.  That is why we are there.  

Some executives look to these new yes men as 'model managers'.  wrong.