Iron Lady

“To me consensus seems to be: the process of abandoning all beliefs, principles, values and policies in search of something in which no one believes, but to which no one objects; the process of avoiding the very issues that have to be solved, merely because you cannot get agreement on the way ahead. What great cause would have been fought and won under the banner ‘I stand for consensus’?”  Margaret Thatcher. 

Prime minister Thatcher made her transition today and she was a person that I have always been interested in meeting.  I remember a conversation where we were discussing what famous person we might want to have dinner with.  Thatcher was the one I thought about.  From what I know about her she was never mediocre about anything and becasue of that she had many fans and many enemies.  And yet through it all she never seemed to waiver from what she believed to be right.  I love the quote above and wish that I could be that clear in my communication.

Perhaps we have weakened on our principles because we all have to give a bit to accomplish anything in a large group.  The negotiations become important in order to find ways to agree and find common ground.  That is all good too but we must not ever give up on things we feel strongly about.  Rest in peace Mrs. Thatcher.