Obama's "Team of Rivals"

Good morning, America! Smell the coffee! Take in the fresh air! A new day has arrived in Washington with Barack Obama naming a diverse and diversely talented cabinet and staff. Never have we see an administration look so closely like we look. As Paul Kekai Manansala laid out on Obama Blog, these individuals represent America in so very many ways -- region, party, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation. I think I hear Stevie Wonder singing: "Isn't she lovely? Isn't she wonderful?" What a team!

And yet...and yet, diversity does not guarantee success, and certainly getting things done is the bottom line. We must also remember that this cohort also includes individuals with great minds, large personalities and gargantuan egos. Can this group function in a way that solves problems and does not implode from infighting and back stabbing?

It is evident that Obama has modeled his approach towards appointing nominees after Abraham Lincoln, as is discussed in Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals. The pundits often focus on the names and personalities of the Lincoln's "rivals" ,his campaign opponents, whom he ultimately appointed to his cabinet -- Henry Steward as Secretary of State, Salmon Chase as Secretary of Treasury and Edward Bates as Attorney General and Simon Cameron as Secretary of War.

The pundits don't focus as much as they might on the tensions and difficulties that occurred. Seward undermined Lincoln's handling of the start of the Civil War at Fort Sumter and very well could have been fired. Nonetheless, he eventually became a Lincoln supporter.

Three times, Chase played mind games with Lincoln and resigned as a way to strong arm Lincoln into supporting specific policy proposals. Each time, Lincoln got his own way by refusing the resignations and holding firm on his desired policy.

How can Obama get his own "team of rivals" to work...and be successful? A group filled with minds and egos such as these can only function with a president who is very intelligent himself and extremely confident in his abilities. As we have seen over the past two years, Obama is the embodiment of intelligence and confidence.

Yet, why would Barack Obama take such risks, especially when the characters could so easily move in a hurtful direction? Primarily because the payoff can be even greater with the strongest people in the room. This will definitely test his leadership and require him to be intentional in handling his cabinet and staff.

Alex MacGillis of the Washington Post mentions the potential for success and great achievement is maximized when the leader works within a clear political philosophy. Obama must clearly delineate his philosophy for his staff. Certainly, he has to mention that things must work, but the pragmatism he regularly lifts up as his goal must also fit within a specific framework.

There must also be a system of assessment regarding the problems that beset the government and America. Mark Gouston believes that Obama will intuitively apply the Wieman's Triaxial Model as a systematic approach towards problem solving. It deals with three big questions when looking at a problem: (1) What's important? Obama and his staff will need to set priorities. (2) Who is best at solving the problem. Obama must be sure there is very little overlap in responsibilities so as to insure efficient work. And (3) How do we get America to get good at what we need to be good at?

Number three is where the focus ultimately must be placed, since change is ultimately about the American people, not the personalities and egos of Washington cabinet and staff members. Here is where Obama's communication skills with the country are so important. In a variety of forums, he needs to continue his message of hope and hard work that can mesh with the new initiatives developed by his administration.

Of course, the new administration will be able to develop these new policies and programs when they think "outside the box," act collaboratively and truly believe that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, an attitude that becomes energizing and self-sustaining.

Then, new and imaginative solutions will be found and more will be accomplished than ever imagined in January 2009. Once we are in that place of success and hope-achieved, we will then be able to fully and unabashedly revel in those rivals.

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