If you read the Tao Te Ching, the element that stands out to me the most re leadership is that the good leader does want to lead or isn't interested in the act of leading. I realize this sounds like a contradiction, in terms, but it makes a certain amount of sense.
I don't know how many times I've heard a political candidate say that he/she wants to be elected so that they can serve the public. It sounds so ennobling and, almost, Taoist. Unfortunately, the actions of the candidate belie their lofty rhetoric.
It is a sad reality that most candidates/elected officeholders in the US will do whatever it takes to get [re]elected and to stay in office. If they need to lie and distort the record of their opponent[s] to win the day, so be it. If they need to misrepresent current governmental policies, so be it. If they need to make campaign promises that they have no intent on keeping, so be it. If they need to change the rules to discriminate against their adversaries, so be it. If they need to take special interest money and kowtow to the rich and powerful, so be it.
These various aspects underscore that "public service" is not their chief aim. As I wrote in Part 2 of this miniseries, their number one objective is to be out front. They will do almost anything to get there and to remain there. Many would sell their souls to the devil, if they were confident it would get them to and keep them in office.
The individual who truly wishes to serve the public would run a clean campaign based solely on the issues. They would never stoop to mudslinging because they would understand there is no one right path to good governance. They would state their case to the public and then simply allow the chips to fall where they may. If they were elected, they would serve. If they were not elected, the would find different ways to serve.
This is the last part of this miniseries on Leadership. Hope it spurred some thought.
Related Posts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
I don't know how many times I've heard a political candidate say that he/she wants to be elected so that they can serve the public. It sounds so ennobling and, almost, Taoist. Unfortunately, the actions of the candidate belie their lofty rhetoric.
It is a sad reality that most candidates/elected officeholders in the US will do whatever it takes to get [re]elected and to stay in office. If they need to lie and distort the record of their opponent[s] to win the day, so be it. If they need to misrepresent current governmental policies, so be it. If they need to make campaign promises that they have no intent on keeping, so be it. If they need to change the rules to discriminate against their adversaries, so be it. If they need to take special interest money and kowtow to the rich and powerful, so be it.
These various aspects underscore that "public service" is not their chief aim. As I wrote in Part 2 of this miniseries, their number one objective is to be out front. They will do almost anything to get there and to remain there. Many would sell their souls to the devil, if they were confident it would get them to and keep them in office.
The individual who truly wishes to serve the public would run a clean campaign based solely on the issues. They would never stoop to mudslinging because they would understand there is no one right path to good governance. They would state their case to the public and then simply allow the chips to fall where they may. If they were elected, they would serve. If they were not elected, the would find different ways to serve.
This is the last part of this miniseries on Leadership. Hope it spurred some thought.
Related Posts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
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