You can’t make everybody happy. That’s a truth I’ve seen proved true many times. The folks that try make no one happy. The other half of that truth, though, involves not sticking your finger in some one’s eye on purpose. You can often avoid intensely aggravating someone with just a bit of effort.

As I watch BP and the government respond to that oil spewing hellhole, though, I’m amazed at how little effort has been put into not poking eyes. 20,000 volunteers have signed up to help clean up the oil on the Gulf beaches and have mostly heard nothing. International offers to provide oil skimmers and other equipment tend to go unanswered for weeks.

How can these guys be so bad at managing a disaster?

The basics of management still apply: consider options, make a plan, communicate like crazy, keep checking back on effectiveness, measure results. I’m not surprised the government does this poorly, that’s normal for them. BP, on the other hand, has their survival at stake and should at least be successful in managing their response to this technical crises.