Every Leader Is an Artist: How the World’s Greatest Artists Can Make You a More Creative Leader

Chapter 12

Criticism: Take Me Seriously, Please

Question: Am I worthy of being judged and appreciated as a leader?

Poster from the film Maniac(Magnum Motion Pictures, Inc., 1980)

The late film critic Gene Siskel admittedly walked out of three films. The illustrated poster, on the facing page, depicts one of them: Maniac. Maniac is a highly graphic splatter film in which a potbellied wacko randomly kills and scalps women, dressing up mannequins in his apartment with their clothing and remains. The scant plot is simply a vehicle to introduce serial violence.

By criticism we don’t intend to engage in the contested question of “Who is to judge?” We ...