
Boardsmanship – Build & Be a Board Pro
There was just one goal I didn't accomplish while mayor, and that was to offer training to elected representatives about their roles and responsibilities on the many boards on which they serve. My knowledge came from building my own corporate board at the age...
Psychoanalysts Put White Collar Criminals on the Couch
White-collar crimes are nonviolent, opportunistic criminal activities by people of high respectability and status in their jobs. Psychoanalysts say leaders can proactively mitigate and defend against malfeasance by understanding the drivers of white-collar crime....
Editors Applaud “The Four Virtues of Happiness”
Editors at Psychology Today position Peterson’s “The 4 Virtues of Happienss” as an Essential Read.
Honest Elected Officials – How Do You Find Them?
Political Psychologists suggest the following practices to protect against political insider corruption:
1. Trust your eyes and compare notes with others.
2. Wise up to weasel words, aka rationalization.
3. Review and report—audit local government meetings.
4.Who do you serve? Is power for self-enrichment or a way to serve others?
5. “Not for sale.” Know the character traits of people who are incorruptible.
6. Beat the bully. Dupuy and Neset find that several studies support Tepper’s (2010) recommendation that the abuse of power is curtailed when people are provided with skills to confront and report corrupt officials.
How Not To Elect a George Santos in Your Town
How to elect people with integrity: 1. People who think of their integrity as non-negotiable have the strength and the willingness to act in ways that align with their moral standards.
2. People whose moral judgment is independent of external influence are more willing to resist pressure from authorities and confront wrongdoing.
3. People who feel in control of their lives and have a strong sense of moral responsibility are less likely to comply with unethical requests.
Government Is the Most Important Problem for Americans
Four ways to elect honest representatives:
1.Trust your eyes and compare notes with others.
2. Wise up to weasel words, aka rationalization.
3. Show up–review and report.
4. Who do you serve?
San Luis Obispo County Has the Highest Fentanyl Accidental Death Rate in the USA
San Luis Obispo County has paid a high price for inviting felons to open cannabis dispensaries. It’s killing their children. SLO County now has an accidental fentanyl death rate of 68 people a year per 100,000 population. To put it in perspective, San Francisco’s rate is 44 deaths per 100,000 population. At that rate, the County will lose 200 people this year to fentanyl overdoses. What can you do? Psychologists say that when we inform people about the real consequences of corruption, it reduces corruption. It’s easy – tell everyone you know not to buy black-market cannabis and regularly follow, like, comment, and share posts about the consequences of corruption.
Do Political Gender Quotas Reduce Corruption?
Research indicates that gender quotas, now in half the world’s countries, do increase the number of women elected to government posts.
CITY COUNCIL 101 – Insider’s Guide for New Councilmembers Featured in the Southern California Record!
It is an honor to have a new book featured in any publication. When it's the journal for the Los Angeles area legal community, it's a double honor! Here's what the Southern California Record wrote about CITY COUNCIL 101 - Insider's Guide for New Councilmembers,...
The Psychology of Government Fraud – The George Santos Effect and Twice Quoted in The Southern California Register in January 23
Citizens must pay attention lest they continue to put people in positions of power who are self-serving rather than public servants.