Leadership Lessons from the Cherokee Nation: Learn from All I Observe

INTRODUCTION

I began this speech like most of my other state of nation addresses by reciting Benny Smith’s admonition for me to be a student of the Cherokee Nation. It seemed like an overwhelming challenge to influence the mind-set of so many people regarding the value of the Cherokee Nation or government. A sense of entitlement showed up in areas that were surprising. It was not just poor people desperate to make ends meet, but also some Indian businessmen who believed they were entitled to business and contracts from the Nation without regard to their competitiveness, as well as Oklahoma state agencies, politicians, and non-Indians who saw the growing prosperity of the Cherokee Nation and believed they should get their “fair share” of the success. ...