Van Jones Teaching Moment

On the politics of mutually assured destruction, there is no shortage of opinion on the left or the right about Van Jones’ short-lived appointment means.

We’ll leave the political commentary to the political blogs.

However, absent the lessons in game theory, partisan politics, and right and wrong, the Van Jones fiasco provides several teaching moments for us all.

Words live on forever on the Internet. Whether its email, message boards, or speeches (YouTube), your words take on a life of their own on the Internet. The two most troublesome keyboard options: FORWARD and PRINT. The most misleading: DELETE. Once you press send or submit you no longer have control of your message or how it is used.

Be careful what you sign. In explaining his signature on a petition calling for an investigation on the government’s role in 9/11, Jones suggested he didn’t really know what he was signing, or hadn’t read the petition thoroughly. Whether it’s a mortgage re-fi, credit card application, or hospital form, your signature reflects your consent and agreement. It is not something to take lightly.

Never provide your adversaries ammunition. No matter how noble the cause or dedicated the public servant, most public figures are undone by their own actions and misdeeds.  No one is perfect, and we all make mistakes. But we must always be mindful of how our actions are perceived by those who don’t want you to succeed.

We can all become collateral damage. Whether it’s real politics or corporate politics, we may not be the primary target. But we can all become collateral damage in a high stakes game no matter how obscure your position and/or title may be.

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