Sometimes, leaders forget that the world shares a common enemy. They try to make themselves look strong by waging war against their best friends. In so doing they threaten their country’s own best interests.
I am reminded of this short film. Balance (1989), by Lauenstein & Lauenstein. It demonstrates the inevitable result of treating your friends like enemies.
It is important, especially in times of crisis, to have leaders who can see the big picture, and who understand the value of integrative bargaining.
While some demagogues fight over the pie, better leaders and wiser businesses are working together to find ways for everyone to get more pie.
Suppose a country decided to hog all the medical supplies for themselves and to stop allowing the supplies to go to other countries. They would be forgetting that the other countries are also fighting the same enemy. Not only that, some of those other countries supply the materials that the selfish country needs for making those same medical supplies. In such a case, the virus would win, and all countries would lose. Not only that, the selfish country would come out of it weaker, with fewer friends, and fewer of the resources needed for recovery.
It is just a hypothetical example, fortunately, I wish.
Comments are closed.