When we turn on the news or log onto our digital newspaper, stories of global conflict are inescapable, because “if it bleeds, it leads.” Yet despite this tumult, we cannot imagine a life without American democracy and our First Amendment. Both are the hallmarks of an egalitarian if not momentous election followed by another peaceable transition of power marked by a seamless White House inauguration.

Change in leadership is an increasingly commonplace occurrence in Corporate America, with the new occupants of corner offices a reality of mergers, divestitures and impatient boards seeking new thinking at the top. It’s the assurances and the willingness of a communicative incoming leader to embrace employees and customer constituents that encourages the most ardent of naysayers to take a “wait and see” consideration of their talents. The big ideas become an organic movement, and the new leader brings his employees and his organization’s customers with him.

If more CEOs employed listening when they assume a top job, they would learn that the customers of their organization, and the employer enterprise for which they are responsible, are bigger then they are. They would not be testifying before Congress, looking like the emperors with no clothes who are begging for taxpayers to excuse their decisions to make products that don’t last and for which there is a dwindling market. That’s called being “tone deaf” in business parlance.

All evidence is that President Obama has set a uniquely optimistic tempo for listening and inspiring. He has kept his sage friends close, and his “enemies” closer. His team unites seasoned experts and newcomers from both industry and government. There’s a lot to be admired in his charisma but even more to be emulated in his early stewardship of change for a vocal stakeholder population of some 303,824,640. (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/us.html).