#failure of leadership

[mitigatingchaos]

More Leadership

The sun sets daily on organizations that are lacking leadership. As the sun rises the following day, nothing has changed. Leadership is solving problems. The day your soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership. -source unknown    

[commonsensecommentary]

Two words will forever be associated with Joe Biden’s presidency: Shameless and Stupid. The damage he has done to our nation and our citizens is beyond reckoning.

[sforzesco]

Agrippa, Antony, Actium

I cleaned up an old sketch I did of Antony and Agrippa when I was doing some reading about Actium: it was one of those ideas that I thought would make a cool painting until I realized I’d have to render the ocean and blood diffusing through the water 🫠

something something rival dogs of war. Antony and Agrippa actually ended up being the least interesting thing about Actium imo, when you realize the ocean became a tomb of the unburied. imperialist violence and and dynastic rivalries infecting the water. etc and so forth.

⭐ I have a tip jar (ko-fi)!

⭐ and other places I’m at! bsky / pixiv / pillowfort /cohost / cara.app

[thepersonalquotes]

Focus on how far you have come in liferather than looking at the accomplishments of others.

Lolly Daskal, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

[swordscleric]

I think as a result of their indecision, general dithering on every possible decision and inability to provide a single sliver of rationale behind the actions they have taken, I personally don't think we can judge Bell's Hells on whether or not their decisions are moral or not. Have they wishy-washily and passively avoided every hard question that could have been asked of them? Yes; but that speaks to a lack of interesting ideas and a lack of curiosity on their collective behalf in dealing with the scenarios set before them. I think if we judge them on anything it is the consequences of their actions (or inaction). Realistically, I reckon (depending on how releasing Predathos goes) they will be treated in a similar way to how someone like Vespin Chloras was treated by history - a damned fool whose actions lead to the annihilation of civilisations, the destruction of millions of lives and as such has been (rightfully!) condemned by Exandrian history as one of its greatest villains. Our softening of our view as a fandom on Vespin comes from his editing of Zerxus' pact to save the world from the rage of the Primordials. I think his actions, typical of the Age of Arcanum, echo Ludinus' fatal ideological folly in assuming that they would lead to prosperity due to a change in the divine structures of Exandria; Bell's Hells, having followed Ludinus' plan to the letter, now risk becoming as big of villains as Vespin Chloras for even worse reasons - a total lack of imagination and a deep unwillingness to engage with any hard question that would force them to face their lack of interiority as a party.

[kodasea]

Introducing Scott

[thepersonalwords]

When you feel that others are lacking and failing ....first assess the skill, style, quality, results, mindset, support, professionalism and spirit with which you yourself play the game.

Rasheed Ogunlaru

[potionwine]

Thinking about Margrace as Joshua's name post-Phoenix Gate.

Mar-grace.

In FFXVI the Undying choose their own names (Cyril explains this in-game), and many of them have names drawn from Final Fantasy XII, including their leader 'Margrace' himself, from Al-Cid Margrace. The page for Al-Cid notes that Margrace is likely an alternate form of the title 'margrave', an old title for military commanders on the border.

That aside. This is the name chosen (by the boy himself?) for the boy who should have rightfully been known henceforth as 'Your Grace', 'His Grace'.

Grace (style of address), from the Oxford English Dictionary:

With a possessive adjective: a title of respect, esp. for a person of royal or noble rank. Frequently (in 'your Grace') as a form of address. Now archaic or historical. Formerly (in England until the reign of Henry VIII and in Scotland until 1707) used for a monarch or prince; now replaced by Majesty or Highness. Even so, "Majesty" for the sovereign of England was not used exclusively; it arbitrarily alternated with both "Highness" and "Grace", even in official documents, until "Majesty" finally became the official style to the exclusion of others (source).

Grace (other meanings):

1. Divine favour, benevolence, or providence bringing about worldly benefit or advantage. 2. A person's lot, destiny, or fate; luck, fortune. 3. The quality of being pleasing; attractiveness, charm; esp. (in later use) refined elegance of manner, expression, form, or movement, esp. regarded as natural or effortless; gracefulness.

Whatever the etymology of margrave, the name Margrace in-game is probably meant to call to mind the meaning of 'mar' as in damaged, spoiled, ruined. All the grace that ever belonged to his family, his home, his birthright—marred, of course.

Mar+Grace, the last heir of the oldest unbroken ruling dynasty in the Twins at the time of the opening events of the game**.

The living ghost, carrying the desecrated corpse of his legacy in his new name. Introducing himself by his humiliation: "Hello, I am Margrace", "Hello, I am the ruined dignity of my house." "Call me Margrace", "Call me the wreckage of one fallen from divine favour." "My name is Margrace", "My name is blemished fortunes and diminished nobility".

It's appropriately brutal and dramatic for such a character, especially since the game is frustratingly silent on how Joshua personally feels about the loss of his duchy which is a rant for next time.

**Footnotes:

In the Year 860 (Prologue year/Phoenix Gate), Rosaria is about 260 years old (est. Y600). Older, if you count from the time of the Rose Alliance (est. Y550). The Rosfields have been on the Rosarian throne since the inception of the duchy in Y600, and prior to that House Rosfield was already known to be the chief of/the preeminent house of the Seven High Houses that united to found the duchy. House Rosfield has held ruling power for 260-310 years at a minimum.

For reference, England's longest-reigning dynasty was the Plantagenets, who held on for 300+ years. Rosfields aren't doing half bad!

Veldemarke would have been older had it not been overthrown by Barnabas; therefore Waloed is the youngest nation state at the time of the prologue (only 17 years old). Also we do not know much about the governance of Veldemarke, although as a 'kingdom' it was likely some type of monarchy.

Sanbreque was formed 100 years after Rosaria, and at any rate is not actually a hereditary monarchy. The Holy Emperor is voted into office by his fellow Cardinals, likely the five who form the Council of Elders. We are also explicitly told that Sylvestre 'won his throne' in 865; there is no indication either way that his predecessor emperor was a Lesage. The wording suggests the throne is not Sylvestre's by lineage or birthright. How this is supposed to relate to the concept of Sanbreque having a 'crown prince' (Dion) is unclear and contradictory, since an emperor by election should probably not have the authority to unilaterally decide on the succession of the throne, and his issue—legitimate or no—should not automatically be in the line of succession.

Dhalmekia is a republic with elected officials.

The Iron Kingdom apparently has a royal family, but nothing else is known apart from it being impotent and sidelined by their state religion.

The Northern Tribes likely do have hereditary rule, and Jill is referred to as a princess, but once again little is known.

Ergo—and I am ceaseless in this propaganda—Clive and Joshua are really, properly posh! Absolutely baffling that Anabella would allow anyone to put down the pedigree of her sons when they are so blue-blooded precisely because she is! For someone with such entrenched ideas of blood purity she should not stand for it, no matter how she feels about her eldest.

[bestcadaverinthejujutsumorgue]

All the clans are clearly mentally ill, that’s the trade off to being hereditary aristocracy clinging to antiquated power, you get the brain demons. The cursed techniques come with curses. But whereas the Kamo keep their embarrassments locked down tight (curse wombs secured, possessed old patriarchs symbolically folded back into the family tree, illegitimate children assimilated) and the Zen’in have the sort of of simmering rot-in-the-walls, sprawling gothic horror disease that only rears its head once every few generations, I think the Gojo have been having public breakdowns since the Meiji era. It would go a long way to explaining why everyone reacts the way they do to Satoru, and why his family is so invisible in the narrative. Oh, a Gojo having manic episodes, saying unsettling things, making vague grandiose threats, and exhibiting eccentric behavior? A likely thing for him to do.

[craigtowens]

The Craig And Greg Show: There Are No Shortcuts

Listen to the audio-only version of this podcast by clicking on the player below, or scroll down to watch the video. https://craigtowens.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/episode-95-audio.mp3 When you’re trying to accomplish a task it’s natural to want to search for the quickest way to get it done. But what if that’s not the best way? In this episode Greg and I discuss why rejecting shortcuts and…

[quotelr]

Greatness means setting out to make some difference somewhere to someone in someplace.

Lolly Daskal, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

[dentpx]

Idk. I think it became really clear that every time they put Biden on tv or in a political forum, he was losing votes and the natural conclusion is that he would not have won in November. And the party attitude of ���put your head down and VOTE” was not helping. Obviously lots of people have mixed feelings on Harris but at least she’s coherent. It would have been insane to continue the slow Joe death march and the fact that he pulled out shows that the party REALLY doesn’t have confidence in him and he might honestly be doing worse than we thought.

[commonsensecommentary]

“Perhaps the wildfires now destroying homes, businesses, and human life in California are the perfect symbolic coda to the four long and horrid years of the Biden administration, which has established a record of incompetence, propaganda, graft, censorship, and stupidity that will not (if we are lucky) ever be equaled in our lifetimes—all while managing to torch our country’s safety and security at every opportunity.”

[usakikun]

I'm the alpha, I'm the leader

Haha I'm not the alpha or the leader, it was me Dio

[ct-hardcase]

There's a more minute aspect of Pyre and Tierny's relationship on tumblr much since I overlooked it during my watch of swres while the series was airing. I wouldn't consider either of them "the dumb one", but Tierny tends to rely on her brains more than her brawn due to her FOSB duties, while Pyre, being in the role of a military commander, is more associated with combat as a rule.

This sort of dynamic usually tends toward the more strategic of the pair being the cynic or realist of the duo, but that role actually goes to Pyre during season 2, with Tierny more frequently playing the optimist against him.

It makes sense when you look into it canonically—Tierny's confident in Tam and her plan to use her to draw out the Colossus, and as season 2 unfolds, it's implied that Pyre is either shielding Tierny from how much Kylo and Hux are pushing them to destroy the Colossus, or else; or he doesn't have the clearance to tell her.

[askshivanulegacy]

That tweet is on point. This is exactly why "Democrats don't do anything." Because they (the voters) don't. And despite the message that voting works, these people STILL don't bother to vote. The most affected populations not voting is why Trump won the first time, and here we are again.

We like to think Republicans are stupid, but honestly, Democrats are the same brand of stupid. You look at the Republican talking points and you think that no one with half a brain would believe that nonsense, that any basic Google search for information would give you reality.

But then you look at the Democrat despair points and it's the same thing. Who TF would believe that nonsense? Anyone with half a brain could do a Google search or simply vote just in case.

But that's all you hear from all the lefty sjws. "Oh no, America is so evil! It's so terrible!! Capitalism bad! I hate it here! I won't vote because Palestine exists! My non-engagement is totally a message! Whine whine cry cry sob."

The truth is so obvious: America is NOT bad or evil. It's a landmass with a government like any other country. If you want better living and working conditions, if you want it to be YOUR country the way you like it, you VOTE. Change the government. If you want a government that will help your special little blorbo country, then you VOTE. Change the government.

Capitalism is nothing more exciting or evil than any other economic system. It works. It's not going away! What's bad about it is unregulated capitalism. It's the absence of perfectly logical social programs that the people of any country deserve and government has an obligation to provide. And how do you change that? You vote for the government that wants to regulate it and provide protections for the people! You vote for the government that places people above billion-dollar corporations!

But nobody wants to hear that. They want to cry in a corner about how everything's evil, and anyone ever who "participates" in that "evil" (aka dares to run for office to make whatever positive change they can) gets kicked to the curb for not being a perfect little angel and immediately magically fixing everything perfectly, even though the nature of democracy is compromise. They want to attack each other for buying a chicken sandwich at a problematic restaurant or enjoying a children's book written by an author with bad opinions.

Democrats are just little purity babies with no grasp of reality. If "both sides are the same," they're the same because the voting populations are equally stupid, not because the policies are the same.

The Democrat party needs a real come-to-Jesus meeting about their propaganda. Clearly, the Republican style of messaging works. They need to adapt it. They need to stir up existential panic and selfishness. We know panic by itself won't work (see Harris' "I'm not Trump" campaign). They need to tap into the inherent sjw selfishness, because that's what the non-voters and the sjw platform truly runs on. It doesn't run on the sympathy or compassion for other people. Purity politics is all about being better than the next guy and looking good. It's not about intelligence or logic or science or reality.

And honestly, that's why Republicans and Democrats are the same - not the party platform, but the voters themselves. Same motivations, same selfish desires. The Democrat party just needs to figure out how to push the right buttons.