Negotiating with Nightmares: Peering Through the Political Looking Glass
Down the Rabbit Hole: Unmasking the Mad Negotiators of Our Political Time. From Reality TV to Real Consequences. The warning signs are there.
The Weekly Walkaway highlights negotiation in its ‘good’, ‘bad’ and sometimes ‘downright ugly’ forms. Issue No. 80 (7th June 2024).
We will remember them
Happy Friday Walkawayers, it is that time again when we go off on a negotiation rant and shout at the wind.
Today I find myself sitting in front of my PC with a nervous twitch in my eye.
Am I tired, stressed or just angry?
It could be all of these things and more but I blame the current political and geo-political environment we currently find ourselves in.
The 80th Anniversary of D-Day has brought this all into focus and the history of the good, the mostly bad and the sometimes downright ugly negotiators in history.
History teaches us so much, the warning signs are all there for us to see. All we have to do is watch how these politicians negotiate and it will tell us everything we need to know about who they really are, and who they will become!
We here in the UK are ramping up for a General Election and I do not trust any of the candidates.
It is infuriating, embarrassing even and it's shocking considering the wider issues that look to threaten all of us in the coming years.
As I do, when the world threatens to close in on me, I sit down with a cup of earl grey and lose myself in a good read.
And it was a good read.
I had the pleasure of reading an article from Vanity Fair which draws on Ramin Setoodeh's upcoming book:
"Apprentice in Wonderland: How Donald Trump and Mark Burnett Took America Through the Looking Glass," (https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/trump-apprentice-negotiations)
“.. the twisted alliances, nutty gambles, and reality TV distortions that, for better or much, much worse, brought Donald Trump roaring back into the public eye.”
It explores Donald Trump's rise to prominence through the reality TV show "The Apprentice".
I know.. A flecking dumb absurd ‘Reality Show’ that boosted him into The White House and presidency of the most powerful country on earth!
I mean guys please let's get real! The "reality" in the show is less about showing real life and more about a carefully curated circus with a heavy sprinkle of BS and fairy dust.
The article talks about how Mark Burnett, The Apprentice’s producer, crafted a powerful and authoritative TV persona; Trump. Which Trump later used in his political campaigns and as his presidential personae!
I know, right..? BONKERS! A charade.. A fake.. A charlatan! And so many bought it and still do, to this day!
I was drawn, of course, to the particular highlights of Trump’s negotiation style; egotistical, super competitive and vindictive.
An approach which is absolutely, totally, unquestionably necessary in the highest office IN THE freaking WORLD!
NOT!
Trump’s aggressive negotiation tactics give us a broader persona, one that he is very proud of and which significantly contributed to his TV popularity but can be seen as a warning from history!
I highly recommend the read and I thank Ramin Setoodeh and will look out for his upcoming book. But it got me thinking…
Does history prove that there are negotiation traits that can be witnessed in early careers that signal a good one from bad ?
The IDIOTS, BUFFOONS and PSYCHOS!
In line with Ramin Setoodeh's book, let's take a look through the looking glass, let's jump down that rabbit hole together and see what we can see!
It is not surprising and it doesn't take long searching political history and I find obvious tell tale signs. It is often written large in their negotiation styles long before they even sniff the intoxicating aroma of ultimate power.
Let's go poke a stick at some of those who have disgraced our world.
Adolf Hitler: If ever there was an Academy Award for the most catastrophic negotiation style, Adolf would nail it. His early political manoeuvrings, marked by fiery rhetoric and a penchant for stirring nationalist fervour, hinted at his future use of aggressive, coercive tactics with devastating consequences.
Attila the Hun: Speaking of no subtlety, Attila took negotiations to an entirely new level, think less 'carrot and stick' and more 'sword and torch.' His approach was simple: capitulate or die.
Napoleon Bonaparte: His early military exploits revealed a man who saw negotiation as a mere extension of battle, a tool to outmanoeuvre opponents both on and off the field. His subsequent political manoeuvres, from the coup d'état, which brought him to power, to his self-crowning as emperor, showed that for Napoleon, diplomacy was merely a pause between conquests.
Gaius Caligula: When it comes to sanity, Caligula’s negotiation style was, well, insane. From declaring war on the sea to wanting to appoint his horse as a consul, Caligula’s methods were so out there they make modern political idiots and buffoons look inspired.
Vladimir Putin: Bond villains look like underachievers alongside this peach. Early signs pointed to a man who wasn't afraid to play hardball, and I mean like, really hard ball. KGB-infused cold war negotiation tactics and ruthlessness, like a bear charging through a China shop when they know they are trapped.
Donald Trump: And so we finish with the one who got me all started. Trump is the guy who brings a baseball bat to a chess match. Aggressive and retaliatory, it's not just business; it’s personal! And this was all on show before his presidency, and surprise surprise, his style hasn't changed a bit. It is less about creating alliances, mutual gain and cooperation and more about ego, personal gain and winning at all costs. A style that can only be described as 'divisive'.
It’s shocking. The more I pull a name out of my hat and search for their history the more I find buffoons, idiots and psychos everywhere.
It’s not rocket science.
If a politician negotiates like any of the above then maybe, just maybe, they won't handle power with the diplomatic care we expect, that we need.
And so, why do I have a nervous tick in my eye?
I look at our candidates in The UK, to represent me, you, and I’m disappointed. Yeah, I’m frightened and frustrated.
History teaches us so much, the warning signs are all there for us to see. All we have to do is watch how these politicians negotiate and it will tell us everything we need to know about who they really are, and who they will become!
Who do want to see? I want to see candidates with the best elements of Winston Churchill's WWII leadership and his ability to form strong alliances; with Nelson Mandela's diplomatic skills and his focus on reconciliation rather than vengeance; with Margaret Thatcher’s firm resilience and why not let's finish off with some Dwight D. Eisenhower, his charisma and military understanding and his appreciation for the realities of ‘war’.
My eye twitch is fuelled by the parade of politicians who seem more caricature rather than caretaker and it is a wonder my twitch hasn't developed into a full-blown convulsion.
History repeats with a vengeance. Those idiots, buffoons and psychos aren't just strange anomalies; they are warnings.
I’m frightened people can't look beyond the bluster and bravado, past the theatrical, the reality show, to find the truth.
Those subtle signs of true leadership where power, when wielded with wisdom and skill, can unify rather than divide.
