October 17, 2010
The Penalty of Leadership
BEVERLY HILLS (MI) -- One of the greatest automobile advertisements ever produced was a magazine ad for Cadillac, written way back in 1915 by legendary Detroit ad man Ted MacManus, entitled “The Penalty of Leadership.” It read in part:
“In every field of human endeavor, he that is first must perpetually live in the white glare of publicity. In art, in music, in industry, the reward and punishment are always the same. The reward is widespread recognition; the punishment, fierce denial and detraction. The leader is assailed because he is the leader, and the effort to equal him is merely added proof of that leadership. Failing to equal or excel, the follower seeks to depreciate and to destroy—but only confirms once more the superiority of that which he strives to supplant. If the leader truly leads, he remains—the leader. That which is good or great makes itself known, no matter how loud the clamor of denial. That which deserves to live—lives.”
“In every field of human endeavor, he that is first must perpetually live in the white glare of publicity. In art, in music, in industry, the reward and punishment are always the same. The reward is widespread recognition; the punishment, fierce denial and detraction. The leader is assailed because he is the leader, and the effort to equal him is merely added proof of that leadership. Failing to equal or excel, the follower seeks to depreciate and to destroy—but only confirms once more the superiority of that which he strives to supplant. If the leader truly leads, he remains—the leader. That which is good or great makes itself known, no matter how loud the clamor of denial. That which deserves to live—lives.”