Angels Den Blog

It was an historic day. Remember it well, because events that truly shape the world in which we live are few and far between. But now along with the moon landing, the fall of the Berlin wall and the day The Birdie Song was released, we can say that we remember the day that Barack Obama was inaugurated. But can this son of a goat herder possibly live up to the expectations of a country in such dire need of a direction?

Amid scenes of jubilation, celebrity endorsement and good old-fashioned American excess, the 44th President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, was sworn in. Millions descended on the American capital simply to be able to say that they were there on that day. Now, starting a new job is stressful enough for most of us, but how must it feel to know that the world is watching, waiting and expecting a miracle? Obama-mania has reached ridiculous depths. His election was seen as a racial victory, an anything-is-possible moment, a re-endorsement of the American dream, but snowball just keeps on rolling. As time has gone on the buzz that surrounded Barack Obama has turned into frenzy and now an obsession that he will be some sort of saviour, a man to cure the world’s ills, a Second Coming. How can one man live up to this kind of expectation?

Removing my rose-tinted glasses for just a moment and allowing myself a little negative reflection, the world is not in a healthy state right now. America is no longer the land of opportunity, a bastion of truth, fairness and the American way. (In fact much of the world now considers the USA to be acting like the Russia of old in its attempt to force its will on everyone else…you will have our brand of freedom whether you like it or not. Strange really, because they fought this sort of oppression for so long.) She is embroiled in a couple of international wars, has serious political issues with numerous countries and has spawned an economic crisis of global proportions that every country around the world has felt the financial ripples of, like a nuclear blast to their central banks.

Yes, President Barack Obama has one hell of a job in front of him to make a dent in any of these problems. However, the biggest issue he faces is that as so many people have raised him up on a pedestal of unachievable expectations, he needs to deliver something exceptional, and quickly, or they will be just as fast to knock him down.

The world of business is not too far removed from the world of presidential politics. Delivering on expectations is essential to the survival of your venture. Your staff, investors and customers need to trust that you will do what you say you will, as sustained confidence in your promises is essential if you are going to survive to a second term. Just like Barack Obama, you will need to prove that there is substance behind the rhetoric.

Image © jurvetson