James Barber Presents An Intriguing Method Into Uncovering

James Barber presents an intriguing method into uncovering and analyzing the presidency. As Barber explains, â€Å"To understand what actual presidents do and what potential presidents might do, the first need is to see the man whole—not as some abstract embodiment of civic virtue, some scorecard of issue stands, or some reflection of a faction, but as a human being like the rest of us, a person trying to cope with a difficult environment.† The President’s personality amplifies in world affairs. Ultimately, James Barber’s breakdown of the presidential character is semi-credible/reliable, offering a unique perspective into Barack Obama’s presidential character that can be described as generally active-positive and passive-positive,†¦show more content†¦The contradiction is between low self-esteem (on grounds of being unlovable, unattractive) and a superficial optimism. A hopeful attitude helps dispel doubt and elicits encouragement from others. Passive-positive types help soften the harsh edges of politics. But their dependence and the fragility of their hopes and enjoyments make disappointment in politics likely.† It is difficult to understand how this description can apply to Ronald Reagan wholly for two reasons. First, how is one able to deem another’s optimism as superficial? Reagan never stopped with his optimistic character, even at the darkest moments during his presidency. Reagan faced great opposition from political leaders because of his ambition. Thus, it is somewhat correct that his hopes brought disappointment. Yet, it was not because they weren’t fulfilled, it was that they were perceived as fragile before they occurred. Secondly, Reagan could not afford not to be personally assertive. Reagan was faced a looming Communist threat. Reagan was surely not passive, running the containment route to face this threat at all. He increased American defense spending to 7 percent of the GDP causing the Soviet Union to have to freeze the production of civilian goods, and helped bring about a drastic oil price drop that denied the Soviet Union large inflows of hard currency. Thus, the Reagan example illustrates that applying Barber’s criteria is based on perception. OneShow MoreRelatedDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesMultiple Approaches to Creativity 179 Conceptual Blocks 183 Percy Spencer’s Magnetron 185 Spence Silver’s Glue 185 The Four Types of Conceptual Blocks 185 Review of Conceptual Blocks 194 Conceptual Blockbusting 194 Stages in Creative Thought 194 Methods for Improving Problem Definition 195 Ways to Generate More Alternatives 199 International Caveats 202 Hints for Applying Problem-Solving Techniques 203 Fostering Creativity in Others 203 Management Principles 204 SKILL ANALYSIS 210 Cases InvolvingRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Pre ntice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesContingent Selection 549 †¢ International Variations in Selection Processes 550 Training and Development Programs 551 Types of Training 551 †¢ Training Methods 553 †¢ Evaluating Effectiveness 554 Performance Evaluation 554 What Is Performance? 555 †¢ Purposes of Performance Evaluation 555 †¢ What Do We Evaluate? 555 †¢ Who Should Do the Evaluating? 556 †¢ Methods of Performance Evaluation 558 †¢ Suggestions for Improving Performance Evaluations 560 †¢ Providing Performance Feedback 562 †¢ International Variations