Election Time Leadership - Part 1

All voters need to be well informed about the candidates and not be swayed by history-making events. While I am personally excited that with either party, this country is making powerful and positive moves forward in cultural history, I feel very strongly that people need to study, read, and listen closely to policies, tactics, and strategies of the candidates. Their differences are enormous and each party’s policies will greatly impact you and this country’s future.

Unfortunately, I hear many people, during this election cycle particularly, making a voting decision on non-policy reasons. I’ve heard it in the past regarding youth, looks, and charisma but nothing like the fever pitch of this election. I don’t mind if candidates use all of their strengths to effectively market themselves (in fact it is foolish if they don’t) but voters ought to have more depth in their choosing process than superficial “look and feel” qualities. It’s okay when you are buying a sweater but not when choosing the President/Vice President of the USA.

Another disturbing item I am hearing is folks deciding on a candidate due to one issue which has a morale or social change focus. Most morale and social issues we take to the government to solve were not intended to be taken there for management and control. Our Government was not designed to resolve issues for the individual but for the masses so it is difficult to compromise and negotiate in a satisfactory manner for either side of the argument. We see this in companies all the time – if you bring your personal issue to your manager, you will get personal attention verses addressing the executive staff or HR who will create a policy for the company which may or may not address your particular situation.

Foundational to both parties, and to Presidents specifically, is economics and foreign affairs and there are clear differences in how each party's Executive Branch will manage these issues. In this election, if we are not truly focused on those two issues (not exclusively but they ought to be priority) we are missing the vital aspect of Presidential elections.

As a whole, we don’t seem to really understand which branch of the government is responsible for what. When Senators are candidates, this misunderstanding becomes even more muddied. Many, if not most, of the “changes” Obama and McCain talked about in their convention speeches were not Presidential responsibilities – most of the issues they talked about will be debated, legislated, and decided in the congress and senate or ruled upon by the Supreme Court. Presidents can apply pressure, submit to the congress, and veto but as we have recently seen in the GHW Bush, B Clinton, and G Bush terms, that pressure doesn’t seem to have the same influence as with the WWII to pre-Vietnam Presidents.

Even when Presidents nominate the Justices, once they are in the Supreme Court, we have seen traditionally defined conservatives become liberals and visa versa. Why? Because they are Constitutionalist in nature and assess their judgments based upon past rulings, precedent, and the constitution which may or may not agree with national party politics.

We seem to be in a time of minimizing the complexity of Government because it doesn’t fit into a sound bite. Our cynicism searches for the “conspiracy” in every and all situations. This is being brought into the corporate world, too. Especially since the 70’s, corrupt leaders have been paraded to court (justifiably so) but the millions of ethical and professional leaders haven’t received the same kind of emphasis. The few taint all. I personally would like this changed.

Take the lessons you learned by being a good business leader to the voting booth - listen, learn, study, assess, and review all policies, tactics, and strategies objectively. Talk with others - on all sides - and listen to the details. Focus on what the candidates have direct responsibility for and learn who their closest advisors are.

All aspects of this election needs to be analyzed by each voter because the outcome is one of the most important in our life time.