Just Said It

Seven score and seven years ago today, President Abraham Lincoln delivered a two minute speech in the farmlands of Pennsylvania which is considered to be one of the most important dedications in our country's history. In these times of civil disagreement, a corrupt political establishment, and government sponsored social change, it is much easier to see the parallels of history that led to that day.

How can you improve on these great words . . . .

The Gettysburg Address
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Project Manager's, Sales People, and Engineers all need to be personally accountable. But what does personal accountability mean in today's team based environment where even the simple projects require multiple people with specialized skill sets? How do you separate items of personal accountability when everything is so inter dependent? For the manager today it can be a real challenge to manage the goals and objectives of each team member, but its even more difficult to attach singular accountability.

This is made even more difficult when you have to ask 10 follow up questions to get to the point of a simple answer.  Many of us today seem to be adept at answering around a question?   Perhaps this is a trait spurred by watching 24 hour news where politicians and media personnel seem to never be able to answer directly.

Here is an illustrative video to make my point . . . .