The Compound and Friends

Trump's 10 Commandments for Business

43 snips
Mar 9, 2026
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Yale School of Management professor and founder of the Chief Executive Leadership Institute, explains Trump’s patterned leadership. He discusses tactics like divide-and-conquer, bilateral dealmaking, hub-and-spoke control, message repetition, rapid alliance shifts, and how corporate leaders and boards might respond. Short, sharp takes on what to watch in governance, risk, and strategic playbooks.
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INSIGHT

Patterned Divide And Conquer Strategy

  • Trump's actions are patterned, not chaotic, driven by strategic 'divide and conquer' tactics.
  • He attacks coalitions and institutions (NATO, business groups, trade deals) to prevent collective power from threatening him, then negotiates bilaterally.
ANECDOTE

Harley Boycott Example Of Personal Offense

  • Trump publicly attacked Harley-Davidson after it shifted production due to tariffs, telling people to stop buying Harleys.
  • The CEO was fired and the stock plunged, signaling to other CEOs the cost of crossing Trump and prompting collective defensive moves.
ADVICE

Use Quiet Collective Engagement Not Public Humiliation

  • Do use private, small-group meetings and coordinated but discreet collective action to influence Trump rather than public shaming.
  • CEOs like those at IBM, Walmart, Home Depot met privately or as splinter groups and achieved more effective outcomes.
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