Advice for Leaders

Andrew Friedman’s “Shoot Some Pool, Make Some Peace” (Voices, May 16), offered some excellent advice to those older people who are trying to run the planet. Friedman’s advice reminded me of my experiences as a younger, and then older, employee: It is extraordinarily difficult to get people in charge to change their minds, even to be receptive to ideas that challenge their notions (I believe) of what is required to keep them in power.

Along the way, I contradicted the cliche, “Start at the bottom and work your way up.” My reformulation ran, “Start at the top and work your way down!” Young people have both ideas and the energy to pursue them; and many of them have the kinds of open minds Friedman described in his piece.

ROBERT M. GORDON

Los Angeles