Bloomberg, like Steinem, "defected in place"

How did Bloomberg do it? To use a Gloria Steinem phrase, Bloomberg "defected in place." He had the courage to stick by his product development convictions when many industry players doubted his new product would take hold, and buttressed it all by a business model that emphasizes continual improvement: we can do things better, we can operate more efficiently, and, (when times were really lean), we can find ways to do more with less. Bloomberg's operational model would influence scores of new companies and CEOs, particularly those that formed during the record-long "Roaring '90s" economic expansion.

Further, with Bloomberg News on solid footing, Bloomberg successfully transitioned to his second career, that of the highest publicly-elected official in the City of New York.

On the heels of September 11, 2001, terrorist attack, voters sought an experienced, business-savvy manager to help the city navigate through its difficult post-9/11 recovery and accompanying recession. What they got in electing Bloomberg as mayor in November 2001 was just that, plus many of the benefits of the Bloomberg business model (efforts to increase efficiency, innovate, etc.), mixed with populism. His public record, so far? New York City's schools system is stronger, crime continues to trend lower, and a whole range of city services now operate more efficiently and are more accessible to the public. Bloomberg doesn't run New York City's subway system (the MTA does), but odds are that if Bloomberg ever gets a chance to do so, one can count on noticeable service improvements in that agency.

In November 2005, residents of the capital of the world re-elected Bloomberg to a second term, and he agreed to continue to be paid his customary salary: $1 per year. Given that a dollar hasn't bought too much this decade, most New Yorkers agree that Bloomberg's a pretty good value for a buck. Further, many political analysts say Bloomberg could be a viable candidate on the national stage, should he have aspirations for higher office.

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