How can a ‘leader’ lead, when they cannot be trusted?

How can a ‘leader’ lead, when they cannot be trusted?

Today it was announced that the Metropolitan Police has issued a fixed penalty notice to Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak for breaking the Covid laws that they themselves created. These are thought to be in relation to a Birthday Party held by Carrie Johnson at Number 10 Downing Street in June 2020; when it was illegal to socialise indoors with more than 1 other person.

But why is this so important? It’s only a fine...

Conservative MPs have tried to downplay the criminality of Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. ”Everybody else was doing it” or “It’s no different to a speeding fine”. But i’m going to tell you why it’s 170,000 times more damming than a simple speeding ticket.? The Covid laws that were put in place by Boris Johnson and his government were there to save lives. The laws were designed so everybody as a society did their bit to stop the virus. Boris has been proven to hold parties whilst hundreds of people were dying every day - this law of social distancing and not socialising was simply a law for others to follow and not him.?

• People missed their loved ones dying moments as they followed Boris’s laws.?
• People held funerals limited to just 10 people as they followed Boris’ laws.?
• People canceled weddings as they followed Boris’ laws.?
• People put their lives on hold as they followed Boris’ laws.?

Michael Fabricant, Tory MP for Litchfield, claims what Boris did is no different to what teachers and doctors did. Go back to their staff rooms and have a drink after a long day. Except, I don’t remember seeing or hearing about these drinks - the vast vast majority of people followed the laws at great expense. Just because a tory backbencher can dream up examples of other people breaking the law, doesn’t negate the fact that what Boris did was wrong.?

The fine itself is also not the only important part of this latest development. We’ve heard for months now, as Boris Johnson stood at the despatch box in parliament, furiously denying he attended any parties, then denying he saw an invite and thought it was work, and then deny any rules were broken. It’s the lies that are important here. Lies after lies after lies. And that’s what I’m going to focus on.?

Whenever you see ‘covid rules’, think laws, that’s what they were even if some politicians try to conveniently rebrand them

How can a leader lead when they cannot be trusted??

Leaders sell their vision of the future and how we will get there

• Leaders inspire others with the direction they set and vision they have. Great leaders know that a strong vision is paramount to other following them. Many a leaders careers or ambitions have been dismantled as they couldn’t get people to realise their vision. If people do not believe in a leaders vision, they won’t follow, and if they don’t follow, that vision will not be realised.
• Going forwards; whatever Boris announces in terms of policy (or propaganda), why should people believe in it? Will this vision be another Brexit Bus ￡350m? Will it be a party he didn't attend or didn’t think it was a party? Arguably it won’t matter. The answer will always be it’s a misunderstanding on the readers behalf.?

People give discretionary effort for those they trust & admire (or are fearful of)

• Leaders inspire their teams to put effort in when times are hard. They inspire their teams to go over an above to deliver what is needed.?
• This is how teams who have been together through tough times, lead by a good leader can achieve so much more than a newly formed team; it’s the implicit trust and admiration they have in their team and leader. They will do what is needed to ensure they don’t let each other and their leader down.
• Will we now see a useless government, waiting for the ‘axe to fall’ on Boris Johnson’s premiership?? Or does Boris Johnson have something on his cabinet members? What will likely happen is no work will get done at all as the whole cabinet will be on self-preservation mode, stay close enough to Boris Johnson in-case he survives, but not too close that you’re tainted with his poor judgment. (Unless your name is Nadine Dorries, and you’ll ‘back Boris’ until the cows come home).
• Boris is now going to go into full on defence mode; making quick and impactful decisions that try to steady his position as leader of the Conservative Party. These decisions will likely be not thought through but big enough to make positive headlines for his base - none of these decisions will likely last beyond his term as prime minister as their sole purpose will be to try to save his position.?

The actions of a leader, create the culture underneath them

• There has been lots of talk about Radical Candor over the last few years; and how a culture can be created around that. I’m not overly sold on it’s uses (it is very easy to use as a shield for poor people management); however I can agree with how it’s stated that leaders must do as they say and act how they wish others to replicate.
• We’ve heard lots about how there is a bad culture at Number 10, and Boris Johnson is the man to clean it up. But the actions of a leader directly impact the culture of the teams underneath them. Will Ministers be likely to think they too can lie to public and parliament as they will likely still keep their job? Does a leader lying give others the permission to lie too?

Ultimately, the United Kingdom has now got a proven liar, and criminal in office. The leadership shown by Boris Johnson creates a dangerous precedent; does it matter if you lie in public office? Does it matter if you lie as a leader??

A note from the author.

This article was written for selfish cathartic purposes; yes all views are my own. But I’d hope all those I chose to work for (and chose to be lead by) align with my core values of honesty, ethics and fairness. Boris Johnson and this Tory Government have presided over widespread criminality in office, the biggest real drop in wages in decades, the highest energy costs in history, the biggest waiting list for the NHS? - all while companies (especially energy) cash in with all time high profits.