A World Transformed - Part 2

Though not a quote one other principle caught my attention from the Bush Administration (41st), his attention to building relationships. The President detailed how throughout his political career, he worked to build relationships with foreign leaders and specifically, establishing them away from the conference tables and outside of the office. He used Camp David and Kennebunkport extensively as casual, relaxed settings to establish a comfortable atmosphere to enhance open dialog with world leaders. The President understood that if he had a strong bond with the key leaders of the world those ties would stand the test of each crisis that would arise. He would be able to take them back to their casual exchange of ideas, in some cases, years prior to remind them of the mutual trust and respect they'd have for each other. Brilliant!

I also got a chuckle that like Reagan almost did to a small cottage prior to one of his watershed meetings with Gorbachev, Bush too had a run in with starting a log fire in the fireplace, though his was in the Situation Room, set off the fire alarm which in turn had the Secret Service busting into the room with weapons drawn. We're all human.