So reads a headline in The Economist magazine in discussing how CEOs of major corporations have to deal with Donald Trump. Mr. Trump, notorious of wanting adulation, demands supplicants give laudatory remarks about him to gain or stay in his good graces. This morning I read in the WSJ an op-ed by Kevin Warsh on why the Fed needs new leadership. I like Kevin Warsh (and indeed am hoping he’ll get Mr. Trump’s nod among the mentioned candidates), as he has consistently over the years offered suggestions for Federal Reserve policy in line with my own thinking. And today’s op-ed was no exception, minus the obligatory nod to Mr. Trump:

The cost of curiosity is approaching zero, owing to a new age of American innovation. And the rewards for curiosity are surging, thanks in large part to pro-growth policies championed by President Trump. That’s why the U.S. is poised to grow faster than any other major economy. Americans would benefit from higher take-home pay and greater purchasing power if only the Federal Reserve’s leadership stopped defending its mistakes and started correcting them. (emphasis added)

I find this demeaning, not only to the supplicant, but also to the character of the person demanding it. Not because I disagree with that particular praise (I don’t), but because Mr. Warsh felt it necessary to begin his op-ed that way, since he would no doubt like to be named the next Fed chair. I can remember when I was a young captain in the USAF, where I directed operations of a classified intelligence satellite. We had a contractor team, and after a series of mistakes by the team, I was forced to significantly penalize their award fee (it was a cost-plus award fee contract) to get their attention. When my leadership approved my proposed award, it did get the contractor’s attention, and the manager leading the contract team was fired. Suffice it to say, the next management team brought in was more responsive to our concerns. But one of the new leads in our morning meeting would often give me laudatory praise–praise that rather than making me feel good made me inwardly upset. His praise was obsequious (and yes this big word fits), and either he thought I was too stupid to see what he was doing, or he thought so little of my character that he thought I would enjoy the fake applause. I was not, and I did not. But I kept my tongue quiet.

Like everybody, I do enjoy a good attaboy, when I know I’ve done well, or when what I’ve done had a positive impact on something that I wasn’t aware of. And I’m trying to be better about giving attaboys to both people that work for me, as well as those above. I give more frequent praise to those that work for me (but not enough) than I do for superiors, but I occasionally do that too when merited, as they need to be encouraged also. But the key is for clearly superior performance; when you applaud everything, it’s meaningless to the recipient. Further, the Bible is very clear about the dangers of flattery.

But it seems to me that the one demanding flattery has another biblical problem. One of the key admonitions in the Bible is to walk humbly, as God humbles the proud and lifts up those humble in heart. We are told to be humble, because any praise that we receive at some level should be redirected toward a great and loving God, for “what do you have that you did not receive.” For any human to demand praise, rather than demand that the Most High God should be praised, is setting up oneself for humiliation by the God who holds each of our days in His hand. Mr. Trump, beware seeking adulation for yourself, even when deserved. Soli Deo Gloria!