Secret Sharers

Two recent stories make the “what were they thinking?” list.
 
First, the leaders of Peace College kept secret a plan to take the historic school coed, then sprung it as a done deal.
 
Did they really expect that to go down well?
 
Then the N.C. Department of Commerce told PCS Phosphate to keep secret a planned sulfur melting plant near Morehead City.
 
Did they really think people wouldn’t eventually get wind, so to speak?
 
Governor Perdue acted as though she had never heard of the PCS plant. Could that be? Did her own Department of Commerce keep her in the dark about something it obviously knew would be controversial?
 
I never cease to be amazed at how otherwise-smart people can convince themselves that the public will trust them to do the right thing in secret. An essential quality of leadership – especially today – is openness.
 
Actually, we know exactly what both groups were thinking. They knew they were doing something unpopular, and they wanted to slip it through.
 
The Peace trustees pulled it off, though now they have to deal with the anger and anguish of alumnae.
 
The Department of Commerce recognized that, for all people want jobs and economic growth, they don’t want to be near anything that makes anything.
 
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Gary Pearce

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Secret Sharers

Two recent stories make the “what were they thinking?” list.
 
First, the leaders of Peace College kept secret a plan to take the historic school coed, then sprung it as a done deal.
 
Did they really expect that to go down well?
 
Then the N.C. Department of Commerce told PCS Phosphate to keep secret a planned sulfur melting plant near Morehead City.
 
Did they really think people wouldn’t eventually get wind, so to speak?
 
Governor Perdue acted as though she had never heard of the PCS plant. Could that be? Did her own Department of Commerce keep her in the dark about something it obviously knew would be controversial?
 
I never cease to be amazed at how otherwise-smart people can convince themselves that the public will trust them to do the right thing in secret. An essential quality of leadership – especially today – is openness.
 
Actually, we know exactly what both groups were thinking. They knew they were doing something unpopular, and they wanted to slip it through.
 
The Peace trustees pulled it off, though now they have to deal with the anger and anguish of alumnae.
 
The Department of Commerce recognized that, for all people want jobs and economic growth, they don’t want to be near anything that makes anything.
 
Posted in , ,
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Gary Pearce

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Archives