Trump, please keep your mouth shut!

The language of leadership in times of great crisis: Houston Police Chief, Art Acevedo, on CNN, "Let me just say this to the President of the United States. On behalf of the Police Chiefs of this country, please, if you don't have something constructive to say, keep your mouth shut, because you're putting men and women in their early 20's at risk. It's not about dominating, it's about winning hearts and minds."

Chief Acevedo is of course talking about the words and actions chosen by President Trump in his handling of the protests and civil unrest that is sweeping across the United States.

As we well know the sparking point of all this was the death of 46 year old African American, George Floyd, whilst in police custody outside a convenience store in Minneapolis on 25th May. The alleged crime, was using a counterfeit $20 note in the store.

Police officer, Derek Chauvin, was filmed kneeling on the neck of the handcuffed Mr Floyd, for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, despite his very haunting and desperate pleas of "I can't breath."

Chauvin did this with three other police officers helping him. He did this whilst simply looking with indifference at those filming him with their phones. He did this without listening to members of the public who were telling him that George Floyd was not conscious, not responsive. He did this whilst keeping his hands in his pockets, as if to show just how easy it was for him. I will never, ever forget that video footage and I hope none of us ever do, because it speaks loud and clear to all of us everywhere and it is gut-wrenchingly disgusting.

The four officers have been fired. Derek Chauvin has been charged with murder and the other three stand accused of aiding and abetting.

Horrendously, as we know, this is not an isolated incident of African Americans and American people of colour being killed in similar ways. The fatal shooting of 25 year old Ahmaud Arbery whilst he was out jogging, by white father and son Gregory and Travis McMichael, was in February, just three months ago. March saw the fatal shooting by police of 26 year African American, Emergency Medical Technician, Breonna Taylor. The officers shot from outide her house in a botched case of mistaken identity. Breonna died from no less than eight bullets. The list goes on and on.

It is incredibly crystal clear that in times of crisis, as a leader, the words you choose and the actions you take can make or break a situation. They can unite or they can divide. When President Trump was "advising" the State Governors on a call about the protests and civil unrest he used words such as "dominate, not showing weakness, and not looking like jerks."

Then came Trump's speech in the White House Rose Garden, which included the National Guard and personally sending in the US Military if State Governors didn't comply. Oh and that word "dominate" again.

It feels like watching The Handmaid's Tale or listening to President Snow talk in the Hunger Games. But, as Chief Acevedo said in the CNN interview at the top of this article, this is not Hollywood, this is not The Apprentice, this is real life and it's time to be Presidential.

In these incredibly challenging times and still in the storm of COVID-19, the words and action chosen by Donald Trump clearly and visibly create the space and energy for division, collision, derision supression, absolutism, racism, oppression and confusion to thrive. The words chosen pour more fuel on the fire.

No injecting disinfectant or putting cleansing sunlight where the sun don't shine was advised tby the President on this occasion. Words chosen, words chosen, words chosen.

In contrast, the leadership language of Police Chief, Art Acevedo, is about winning hearts and minds, bringing people together with love and engagement, taking responsibility for the things we can control which are our own actions and our hearts. He encourges people to lift their voices by using the ballot box. He says bluntly, that too many people who are throwing rocks and bricks and damaging property didn't vote, so to exercise, without fail, our right to vote. He uses the collective words, "we" and "our" a lot to drive home the importance of working together (the community, the police who serve the community, young people, government and politicians) for a common goal.

As a police officer himself he is in a very challenging position, but he holds no punches from landing on fellow police officers when he transparently and genuinely urges people to continue to march peacefully, so the focus can remain on bad policing and criminal policing. He also speaks to the hearts and minds of people by plainly and directly saying that it's also about society in general and the disproportionality in education, health, food and everything that we hold near and dear.

The voice and passion of a leader. I wonder momentarily if it's too late for Art Acevedo to be nominated as the next President of the United States.

Thank you Art Acevedo for being a shining beacon of strong, wise and uniting leaderhip in a time of huge crisis. That's exactly the medicine we all need right now. Words and actions that acknowledge, take ownership, apologise, bring together and that demonstrate kindness but not weakness. Words and actions that bring about change and get things done.

On a final note on President Trump bringing in the military, watch this short video with the very clearly chosen words from both the former Secretary of Defense, James Mattis, and very interestingly the current Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper...

#georgefloyd #leadership #communicationskills #communication #inseadforgood #insead