| In the case of JonBenet Ramsey accused killer, John | | | | without losing the honor, respect, and admiration of |
| Mark Karr, the media has found themselves in the | | | | followers. All but the most stringent of Bill Clinton's |
| unusual position of actually defending someone | | | | followers will admit that their viewpoint of his integrity |
| charged with a crime.The media is normally quick to | | | | was lessened by his failure to fully recognize his |
| back acquisitions of wrong doing. O. J. Simpson, Robert | | | | sexual indiscretions in the Oval Office, particularly after |
| Blake, Jim and Tammy Bakker, Tom DeLay, and | | | | the truth was revealed. Richard Nixon will be |
| others were quickly vilified by the press as soon as | | | | remembered by many as the President that covered |
| they fell under suspicion. Not so with Karr. Almost | | | | up Watergate rather than the President who restored |
| immediately following his confession, media giants | | | | relations with China.All leaders must reach the point |
| began to deny that he could actually be the killer. Their | | | | that they can confidently be completely open and |
| behavior shows a shortcoming inherent in political and | | | | honest with those whom they want to follow them. If |
| business leaders.Soon after the lifeless six-year-old | | | | the media were to do so in the Ramsey case, the |
| body was found in the Ramsey basement in Boulder, | | | | coverage would change from an emphasis of why he |
| Colorado, the press honed in on her mother and father. | | | | could not be the killer to an open an objective reporting |
| The Ramseys were convicted in the court of public | | | | of both sides of his potential guilt or innocence.Rick |
| opinion despite their claims of innocence. Now that | | | | Weaver is an accomplished business executive with a |
| someone has actually confessed, particularly | | | | wealth of experience in retail, market analysis, supply |
| somebody that the press had not previously | | | | chain enhancement, project management, team |
| considered as a potential suspect, it seems that the | | | | building, and process improvement.Rick career began in |
| media feels a necessity to overcome their earlier | | | | retailing as a stockclerk, eventually becoming the |
| Ramsey conviction by proving Karr could not possibly | | | | Director of Vendor Development at Kmart Corporation |
| have been the killer.Politicians and business leaders are | | | | during it's heyday. In this position he worked with |
| often in this position. They take a stand or form an | | | | hundreds of Kmart's suppliers to improve mutual |
| opinion. After expounding prolifically about their opinion | | | | processes, procedures, and profits.As a consultant, |
| more information surfaces. Rather than acknowledging | | | | Rick has worked with companies in various industries |
| the new facts as having a potentially changing impact | | | | to develop leadership and business strategies.As an |
| on their original position, they work hard to deny that | | | | entrepreneur, Rick has founded or co-founded six |
| the new facts are viable or feasible. They become | | | | successful organizations, including non-profit and for |
| more entrenched in their original position even though | | | | profit.Now in his role as president of MaxImpact, Rick |
| that original position begins to lose credibility. In many | | | | uses his vast experience helping individuals connect to |
| cases this will later cause them to embarrassingly | | | | their dreams and teams connect to a common |
| have to admit that they were wrong. Of course | | | | vision.Rick's presentation style of blending humor, real |
| admitting one's wrong is difficult so if a way can be | | | | life examples, and easy to implement ideas has made |
| found to avoid the submission, it becomes a favored | | | | him a popular speaker at seminars, workshops, and |
| path of omission.No leader can journey down this path | | | | conferences in in 43 states, Canada, and Puerto Rico. |