by Stephen R. Covey and Robert Fersh, The Washington Times, February 3, 2009

When asked recently how he would manage the inherent competition between his powerful White House staff and his strong choices for the cabinet, then-President-elect Barack Obama responded — “If the tone I set is that we bring [enough] intellectual firepower to a problem, that people act respectfully towards each other, that disagreements are fully aired, and that we make decisions based upon facts and evidence as opposed to ideology … people will adapt to that culture and we’ll be able to move together effectively as a team.