Shootings, Trump v Harris, Debates & Leadership

What a week! This morning, we hear the news that there has been another attempted assassination attempt on Donald J. Trump. I don't generally spend time commenting on politics and political leadership, as it's too fraught with emotive responses on either side. But these events are big ones. Besides, others said I should say something.

Last week, I published my latest newsletter before the US Presidential debate and commented:

"Globally, we're all paying attention to the US Presidential Election.... There have already been more tacks, twists and terrors than a toga in a tornado and there's still a month-and-a-half till the big day as I write."

What a tornado!

I had commented further in the newsletter that:

"I'm writing this dispassionately and without leaning towards either candidate when I say that Trump always ends up obscuring his purposes when he waxes on about his personal grievances. Harris is not clear about any purpose behind her candidacy either - she is seeking to "change the status quo", yet she is the status quo."

Following the debate there have been an abundance of analyses from all ends of the political spectrum, but most, focused rather poorly on an immediate reaction to the candidates' individual performances, miss the major import of the debate.

After "The Debate", I started writing an article about the night. Before I could complete the article even more has occurred.

My point was going to be that tactically and strategically I do not consider Trump's debate performance a loss, but in fact a big potential win for him. For a variety of reasons, the debate is only one small bout in the match that can be used to great effect by him and his campaign, to a greater potential effect than Harris. I don't have skin in the game either way. I'm Australian. It's not my election. But to be subjective in assessment is what the vast majority of pundits do. I want to examine these events honestly and objectively.

With this morning's news, my intended point regarding the debate is both reinforced and now redundant.

Another assassination attempt potentially wipes out any debate focus and redirects attention once more. I won't mention the human factor here for Trump, his family and for the US by extension. The violent attempts are shocking and require far more preventive work.

Most of us are not involved in high-level political leadership. There are now just 2 people in the world vying for the US Presidency. So comparisons and lessons for our own leadership may be tenuous, but let's take a look...

Leadership - and something about leadership we particularly observe in public politics - is a full contact sport. It's not a set-and-forget task.

Every day, leaders need to adapt and negotiate their way through challenges, changes and consequences that sometimes are foreseen and often are not. We are working with people. They are complex. Just one human being is more complex than the entire internet.

And for all of the fact that there are probabilities and potential that we can address and lead in individuals, groups, communities and societies, neither an individual nor a group will be able to control everyone and their reactions. The more they do attempt to assert direct control, rather than influence, the higher the ultimate likelihood of failure.

Therefore, leaders need to have an overall vision - a purpose that is their driving motivation - and then work with others to aim higher together towards achieving that purpose. Leadership is not about being the sole and smartest person in the room but working with others to achieve something of which they can all be proud.

That requires many characteristics to achieve that purpose: persistence, adaptability, flexibility, working to pace, conviction, cooperation & collaboration and the courage to drive for the right result.

Around the world, there are many millions of tragedies occurring as I write. The violence playing out in American politics is only a tinge of that which pervades countries and conflicts globally. Yet leadership becomes a focal point for conflict. Good leadership helps resolve conflict within families, workplaces, communities and nations. It also works to resolve conflict between those groups. It defends against and opposes injustice. It protects and advances peace and stability. Bad leadership - well, you know.

US politicians love to say the phrase, "Let me be clear" and then proceed to convey the opposite. It's from the playbook to attempt to manage the media and the message, rather than to convey clarity and commitment to their purpose.

We, however, should be clear: clear about our purpose, clear with (and I mean "with" not towards) our people and clear with our plans.

The US Presidential election is such big news not because the individual suffering is any greater or more worthy. It is because if the US, as the world's greatest superpower, does not maintain and advance peace, moral and national excellence and act as a stabilising influence, then it impacts the globe.

US leadership must do better. They can do better.

As I wrote before, most of us have no direct say in their politics and most of my readers are not politicians. You're in business, health, disability services, finance, IT, manufacturing, education and more. Most of you are not even US-based.

So what lessons can you take away for your leadership?

Hopefully, you won't have anyone wanting to shoot at you tomorrow. There will, however, be twists and turns to which you must adapt. You need to be flexible but clear-eyed. Leaders become the focal point, whether they want to or not. Therefore, they need to watch for all kinds of dangers as they keep their people safely pointed towards a desired destination.

We can ensure that WE do better. We can be clear about that.

Lead With Clarity ?

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