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Yes, I know I am in the minority but I do admire politicians. When you work with them, you realise the skill-sets you need to become an elected representative.

Yes, I know I am in the minority but I do admire politicians. When you work with them, you realise the skill-sets you need to become an elected representative. Imagine CEOs who have to manage not thousands or tens of thousands, but millions of people (in populous countries like India and China). You need to command respect from the people, know how to deal with people of varying personalities, you need to know when to follow and when to lead, you need to have the ability to identify potential leaders and teach them to lead, you have to watch out for backstabbers and political opponents, you need to be clear about your self-interests and other people's interest, you have need to know how to negotiate between various power brokers etc. Most of us cynically mock them and even despise some of them, but it really is not easy to be one.

randomdata 4y ago
> Imagine CEOs who have to manage not thousands or tens of thousands, but millions of people Except it is an inverse relationship. You have possibly millions of people, all with conflicting ideas, trying to manage you. If you want to use that analogy, it is more like being a CEO with millions of shareholders who have no distinct profit motive and can't come together and decide, in a unified fashion, what they want out of their company. Although the board of directors is a much closer analog. > it really is not easy to be one. Nor is there much upside, except in the most prominent positions providing a branding advantage, which is why it is a strange choice for those who aren't limited by their own hangups. Academically interesting, for those into that kind of thing, but being brave and fearless is often at odds with having a proclivity towards those academic interests, so while it indeed takes a lot of talent, you don't expect bravery and fearlessness to necessarily come along for the ride.

randomdata 4y ago

> Imagine CEOs who have to manage not thousands or tens of thousands, but millions of people Except it is an inverse relationship. You have possibly millions of people, all with conflicting ideas, trying to manage you. If you want to use that analogy, it is more like being a CEO with millions of shareholders who have no distinct profit motive and can't come together and decide, in a unified fashion, what they want out of their company. Although the board of directors is a much closer analog. > it really is not easy to be one. Nor is there much upside, except in the most prominent positions providing a branding advantage, which is why it is a strange choice for those who aren't limited by their own hangups. Academically interesting, for those into that kind of thing, but being brave and fearless is often at odds with having a proclivity towards those academic interests, so while it indeed takes a lot of talent, you don't expect bravery and fearlessness to necessarily come along for the ride.