As I write this, some people are criticizing Barack Obama for "dithering" about whether or not to send additional troops to Afghanistan.
This criticism reflects a prevailing cultural belief about leadership.
In the corporate world and on the shelves of our bookstores, the "take charge," "decisive," and "unyielding" leader is often the one sitting at the top of a company and at the top of the bestseller lists.
Those who are certain of their judgments become our Sunday morning talk show pundits.
On television and talk radio, those with the most definite opinions have the highest ratings.
In this age of uncertainty, we turn to people who seem certain.
In spite of Plato's desire to see "Philosopher Kings" rule the world, reflection and contemplation are not something we seem to value in our leaders and our commentators I suggest, however, that it is precisely our belief in this kind of "decisive" leader and commentator that has led us into the mess we're in right now.
Our financial leaders were decisive in their belief that derivatives and other arcane financial instruments would eliminate risk.
Our political leaders were decisive in their belief that Saddam Hussein had "weapons of mass destruction.
" Our military leaders are convinced that more troops will surely lead to victory in the "war on terror.
" Writing in The Futurist magazine in September 2004 ("Humanity's Common Values-Seeking A Positive Future"), Wendell Bell notes that, "One of the reasons why deadly conflicts continue to occur is what has been called "the delusion of certainty.
" Too many people refuse to consider any view but their own.
And, being sure that they are right, such people can justify doing horrendous things to others.
" In John Patrick Shanley's play (and movie), Doubt, the main characters are a nun and a priest.
We see the priest being compassionate towards an African American student who is lost among a sea of white and unfamiliar faces.
The nun sees a pedophile priest and is so apparently sure of her judgment that she forces the priest out of the school.
We in the audience are left with doubt as to which view of the priest is correct.
In the very last scene of the play, the nun reflects our doubt when she tearfully confesses to another nun, "I have such doubts.
" I'd like to see a lot less certainty and a lot more doubt among our leaders and it has led me to create a "Leader's Prayer" that I suggest be consulted whenever one of our leaders is certain of the "rightness" of his/her opinion.
The Leader's Prayer I pray that I may give up being a "decisive" and "take charge" leader and, instead, become a leader who dithers, procrastinates, debates, consults, collaborates, compromises, considers, questions and listens.
May I be called a "wimp" all the days of my life for then shall I know that my decisions are just and fair.
May all my meetings take twice as long as scheduled for then shall I know that all voices were heard and all input considered.
Grant me the strength to ignore the daily stock market fluctuations as well as my greed and the greed of those around me so that I may finally do what's right and not merely what is expedient.
Give me the strength to apologize, to admit I was wrong and to change course, horses and opinions in midstream.
Let me be like those Native Americans who consider the impact on seven succeeding generations of every decision before making any decision.
Banish all "experts" from my midst for expertise is the death of creativity and "out of the box" solutions.
  And please, please save me and those around me from our "delusion of certainty.
" Amen.