Saturday, July 8, 2017

Is Trump mentally fit to be President?

Let's check the U.S. Army's field manual on leadership!
Shall we?

Source: The L.A. Times by Prudence L. Gourguechon

"Since President Trump’s inauguration, an unusual amount of attention has been paid to the 25th Amendment to the Constitution.   That's the measure, ratified in 1967, that allows for removal of the president in the event that he is "unable to discharge the powers and duties" of the office.   What does that mean, exactly?   Lawyers surely have some ideas.   But as a psychiatrist, I believe we need a rational, thorough and coherent definition of the mental capacities required to carry out “the powers and duties” of the presidency".

"Although there are volumes devoted to outlining criteria for psychiatric disorders, there is surprisingly little psychiatric literature defining mental capacity, even less on the particular abilities required for serving in positions of great responsibility. Despite the thousands of articles and books written on leadership, primarily in the business arena, I have found only one source where the capacities necessary for strategic leadership are clearly and comprehensively laid out: the U.S. Army’s “Field Manual 6-22 Leader Development."

  • Trust:
    According to the Army, trust is fundamental to the functioning of a team or alliance in any setting: “Leaders shape the ethical climate of their organization while developing the trust and relationships that enable proper leadership.”
  • Discipline and self-control:
    The manual requires that a leader demonstrate control over his behavior and align his behavior with core Army values: “Loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage.”
  • Judgment and critical thinking:
    These are complex, high-level mental functions that include the abilities to discriminate, assess, plan, decide, anticipate, prioritize and compare.
  • Self-awareness:
    Self-awareness requires the capacity to reflect and an interest in doing so.   “Self-aware leaders know themselves, including their traits, feelings, and behaviors,” the manual says.
  • Empathy:
    Perhaps surprisingly, the field manual repeatedly stresses the importance of empathy as an essential attribute for Army leadership.   A good leader “demonstrates an understanding of another person’s point of view” and “identifies with others’ feelings and emotions.”
More details at the L.A. Times!
I don't know how much longer I can take this!   I'm drinking too much already!!!

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