LOCAL ELECTION CAMPAIGNS ARE UNDERWAY
A CALL FOR CERTAINTY
Oct 10, 2011
Uncertainty is dragging our economy down. In fact, uncertainty has a way of draining incentive from one's daily tasks and long range hopes. Straightway, we need to find a way to restore certainty and pro growth in our way of life. And, we need confidence and certainty in the actions of our elected public officials and leaders. The bottom line is... credibility, wisdom, and passion undergirds certainty.
Credibility, wisdom, passion...on kitchen table issues...that is what we need to see in our elected leaders. Local election campaigns are underway in many communities and candidates are pursuing positions for public office. Be it current municipal affairs or governance at whatever level, the national political scene or international affairs, LEADERSHIP--or the absence of leadership--comes front and center and is observable for all to see.
We see leadership in political parties, governmental agencies, private organizations, social gatherings, sporting events and the like. We can spot when leadership is lacking or when an organization is starved for leadership. When there is positive leadership, we see vibrancy and life; when there is weak leadership, the organization appears to be anemic and withering on the vine. In fact, arrogance and "cute" little political games is not leadership at all; in reality, it stems from these three... a lacking in self confidence, signs of incompetence, and questionable credibility.
For starters, anyone who dares to lead must never cease to learn. We believe credibility is the " currency capital" of leadership. One may be an elected or appointed or even a self appointed leader, but without CREDABILITY one is weak, ineffectual, and essentially "bankrupt" as a leader.
Leaders face complexity, ambiguity, and human intricacies. It is through the power of WISDOM, that leaders can sort out the intricacies of a situation and choose a wise course of action.
Credibility and wisdom in leadership is enhanced by PASSION. Our definition of leadership: leaders are "people with credibility and wisdom who leave footprints in their areas of passion." First, one must have motivational drive in what it is they do and a burning desire to make things better. Change management is an exciting but complex process, and passion will see one through it. To put it crudely, one must have "fire in the belly" to fix something so to make it right for growth and productivity. Leadership is a rendezvous with possibility based upon uncompromising integrity... for, with, and by the people. We are reminded that it was Thomas Carlyle who said: "Let each become all that he was created capable of being."
Certainty in leadership requires both soaring creativity and mundane practicality. Great leaders need to be ambidextrous. They need to be practical on kitchen table issues, and visionary in the possibility. The simple truth is... good leadership requires teamwork, open-mindedness, and uncompromising integrity with, for and by the people. That is the beginning of the emergence of certainty.
In conclusion, when the leader's only attribute is personality driven, and motivated by self-centeredness and self prioritization, the resulting leadership impact is anemic, feckless, and ineffectual. The simple truth is, certainty in leadership is not about self. For you see, the greatness of a leader is measured by the achievements of the led. Ah yes, anyone seeking public office or dares to lead, must never cease to learn. And that is how we see it FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE.
Kevin Wysocki, formerly from Cherry Creek, and now from Washington, D.C. contributed to this piece.