Adaptive Leadership: The Heifetz Collection (3 Items)

those times, we find it far more difficult to get to the balcony and

see that the challenges we represent to others remain distinct from

our own essential identity.

For example, when Geraldine Ferraro ran for vice president in

1984 and was attacked mercilessly regarding her husband’s business

dealings, she held a massive news conference. Some of you will

remember. She told the reporters that she would stand up and

answer every one of their questions, however long it took, to clear

her name. And in fact, the news conference lasted hours.

Did it actually let her bring the attention back to the real issues?

No. The media, on behalf of their readers and viewers, kept invent-

ing newer variations on the attack even when she answered their

questions, because ...