It’s been two weeks of partying for America’s biggest parties – the Democrats and Republicans.
Now four candidates have officially submitted their resumes for the two highest offices in America. Nearing the end of this very long interview process, only two of them will be able convince us - the decision-makers - to select them for the jobs.
So let’s put all political opinions and special interests aside. We’re not businesses operating out of Hollywood or Capitol Hill so we’re capable of keeping our presidential picks completely to ourselves, right?
Let’s play out a hypothetical hiring in classic EntreQuest style – honing in on a candidate’s personal attributes. If you had to hire one of the featured federal four to work on your sales team, who would you choose?
They’ve pitched themselves as Senator Barack Obama – The Change Agent, Senator John McCain – The Maverick, Governor Sarah Palin – The Hockey Mom, and Senator Joe Biden – The Statesman.
You know enough about their past accolades and you’ve seen enough of their current energy to cast your vote for your next salesperson. Who’s it going to be?
I would have to pick Obama! I mean he sold me.
Governor Sarah Palin would be the salesperson hired hands down. I would hire McCain to hunt down clients that don’t pay. Obama would be the Sales Coordinator since he has experience in coordinating. And Biden…I’d pass.
So… Can I not pick Obama’s wife? She is loud and outspoken. I don’t think she would take no for an answer, so I’m going to see if I can hire her to join my salesteam!
Bob Barr!!!
Being a huge Top Gun fan - John “Maverick” McCain would be our lead sales guy. Gov. Sarah Palin would help John in this effort. Past this, I am having trouble spending more funds of the company on un-proven commodities.
Advantages:
Obama - Great presentation skills
Biden - Can use experience as comforting
McCain - Will come up with an out of the box idea or two
Palin - Will relate to most prosepcts as real
Disadvantages:
Obama - Could be exposed as more fluff than substance
Biden - Looks like a sales guy that your Dad dealt with
McCain - Worried is this guy for real
Palin - Lacks experience in selling anything
Answer:
Palin - will take authenticity over experience any day in sales
For a salesperson to earn my trust, he or she has to be sincere, reliable and competent. All four of the candidates have these attributes. I would not want to put McCain in federal sales, though, since he has positioned himself as an outsider who has never once set foot inside the Capital beltway …
There are two ways to approach this:
1. I would hire Obama hoping that his smooth talking and ability to make outrageous promises without delivering would lead to a successful career in sales (just kidding!) thus taking him away from any continued interest in becoming President.
2. However, if I wanted to pick the best person without selfish alternative reasons at work, there is no doubt it would be Sarah Palin. She’s captivating, dynamic, and not afraid of competition. What more could you ask for?
Sarah Palin! No IFs, ANDs, or BUTs about it!
Seriously,
Lets look at this from a sales managers perspective:
1.) You have a rookie who has more energy, enthusiasm, than experience (Obama)
2.) You have an old guy who you sometimes feel bad for, think Jack Lemon in Glengarry Glenross (McCain)
3.) You have an angry PTA president / mother (Palin)
4.) You have Biden…
Who do you want on your team?
Unless you are selling pencils to principles I am going with #1 Obama…
(That’s only because you are scared to even interview Bob Barr)
Here’s the bottom line for me….ultimately, if I’m running a sales team, I have to have confidence in the ethics and moral integrity of my sales persons. McCain and Palin know how to sell…but they do so by distorting the truth, misrepresenting the product, trying to scare their clients into buying what the have to sell, and plain old-fashioned lying. Obama may be green, but I can trust him.
Bob Barr agrees with that one…
Bob Barr, that is surpirsing considering the statement made on your blog today:
I’ve heard it said that “the lesser of two evils is still evil.” That expression reminds me of the choice between Barack Obama and John McCain.
I would certainly say McCain. His Palin pick really shows that he can really manipulate people’s interests. He went about getting votes not by being the best man for the job but by being the most interesting. He’s using this scandal causing woman to grab people’s attention and keep them listening. Seriously some of the best sales people are liers and cheaters so why not McCain (sorry Kristen)!
“Sorry Kristen????” No apology needed, my fellow American! I am nothing more than a completely unbiased moderator of this ongoing debate that was originally premised for personality over politics but is quickly turning into a battle of blue salespeople vs. red salespeople. But let the action rage on by all means! As for me, I’ll just stay a supervisor – and one that upholds the ethics of the great, late-breaking media institution Fox News – “FAIR AND BALANCED!”
Well Ms. / Mrs. Erica M…
My publicist runs the website so sometimes my words get a bit mixed between my dictation and her postings, for that I apologize.
Yes the less of two evils is still evil, but during my time in Congress I had a few lunches with Johny and my oh my did I see his temper flare up at the Cafeteria when they were out of his prune juice…
So I just worry what will happen when someone else agitates him with the launch codes in his pocket???
Ms M… If you happen to have 3 free minutes I invite you to take the worlds smallest political quiz, the results may shock you!!!
http://www.theadvocates.org/quizp/index.html
-Bob Barr
“Liberty for America”