The President of a nation should not only be technically qualified to fulfill the role, but also personally capable of building effective relationships with citizens and other leaders. When you take a look around the world today, how many presidents demonstrate the ability to both do the job and inspire others? Not many.
It STRUCK me today that there are very few heads of state throughout history that could be classified as being both competent and "inspirational" leaders. Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Nelson Mandela come first to mind, and I'm sure that some may also include the likes of Alexander the Great, John F. Kennedy and Margaret Thatcher.
Modern elections, though, only seem to focus on two things: experience and controversy. Why isn't more attention paid to personal qualities? Experience is valuable, but it isn't enough to make someone a good leader. Controversial issues are also important to uncover, but to be honest, the appetite to expose every sin in a candidate is insatiable and unproductive.
In thinking about the upcoming U.S. presidential election this fall (2008), I came up with the Four 'Must-Have' Personal Qualities of a President that I would like to see combined with technical expertise or applicable experience:
1. Integrity. A president must not violate his/her moral code. Leaders of nations will be forced to compromise in order to get things done; however, they should never compromise their integrity. A leader knows when to take a stand for what is right, and he/she should abide by the principle of a matter when it comes to moral issues. A president will earn respect from all by exhibiting integrity in his/her actions.
2. Empathy. A president must be able to understand and identify with others without feeling sorry for them. Great leaders know that empathy empowers others and encourages partnership, whereas sympathy enables others to continue down a path of self-pity or dependency. A president will benefit from understanding peoples' problems and seeking to find empowering solutions that enhance self-esteem and encourage independence.
3. Courage. A president must have the capacity to subdue his/her fears and embark upon difficult paths, many times travelling without the support of others. Leaders find ways to get beyond obstacles through perseverance and a willingness to try new things - both of which take courage. A president must not fear the consequences of doing what is right, even if it isn't popular.
4. Charisma. A president needs to be likable. Respect is very important, but let's face it, leadership positions at any level are largely about building relationships. Having a magnetic personality, or the ability to inspire others, is a tremendous asset to a leader. A charismatic president has the ability to win the hearts of the people and the friendship of other nations.
On a scale from 1 to 10, I don't think that a president has to be a 10 at all of these qualities; however, he/she can't be less than a 5 on any of them. By the same token, even if the president is a 9 or 10 on all of the personal traits yet a 3 or 4 on competency, then that is not a good thing either.
For example, some might say that John Adams was a great technical President of the United States, but he was terrible at building relationships with others. Conversely, Jimmy Carter was an outstanding relationship builder, but he was extremely inept at the technical aspects of running a country.
A great president is one that has both good technical skills and personal qualities. When I look at the race for President of the United States this year, the only candidate that meets this description, to me, is Barack Obama.
I'd love to hear what others think about this topic, as well as insights about great (or terrible) heads of state around the world. Please feel free to make a comment.
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5 comments:
As a Relationship Coach, I saw striking similarities between the "four must-have personal qualities of a president" and the "must-haves" for a potential relationship partner.
Integrity equals honesty. People should seek relationships with people who are honest and forthright - full of integrity. Becoming involved with someone who has the integrity of an alley cat or thief is courting disaster.
Empathy is compassion. People should seek relationships with people who are compassionate in times of illness or distress. However the empathy should also encompass a firmness; the ability to put a fire under your butt if necessary.
Courage is necessary in a relationship to overcome your fears of loosing yourself if you fall in love. It takes courage to love, particularly if you have suffered failed relationships. For example, to get back in the dating scene after a painful divorce takes great courage.
Charisma In relationships, we might call it sex appeal or chemistry. Either way, that 'something' should be felt (but not necessarily immediately) toward a potential love interest. Some people have to grow on you.
Carmin Wharton is a Relationship Coach, professional speaker and the author of Lessons Learned: While Looking for Love in All the Wrong Faces; a gritty, sometimes painful but always entertaining memoir about one women's journey to love. To connect with Carmin or invite her to speak at your next event, visit her at http://www.lovelessonslearned.com or write her, carmin@lovelessonslearned.com
Thanks for the comment and analogy.
I happened upon this article or post while attempting to write a short paper for a government class I am taking. I have been reading several assigned articles about opion polls and how their results often effect the decisions of officials... blah blah blah. These opion polls however are often skewed for several reasons and I don't think they should always be trusted when making decisions. Which is how I happened on the topic of the qualities people should focus on when electing a President. All too often people support the candidate that supports the same ideas that they do. Similarly, candidates base their campaigns on the issues that they support the most. I believe that this is a very ineffective way of electing a qualified President. The issues that face our nation change on a monthly (if not more often) basis and so do the feelings we have about them. A President should be someone who is willing to listen and honestly consider the opinions of the nation; someone who acts according to the best interest of the nation regardless of its effects on his/her public image; someone who is willing to compromise when neccessary; who is willing admitt to faults. The list goes on. And while some Presidents may have these qualities, it certainly is not what the people are focusing on when electing our Presidents. I think our system is quite backward at the moment and a lot of people need to open their eyes and realize what is going on.
Sounds like an interesting paper. It's good that you're thinking about these types of issues, and there isn't any right or wrong answer. The role of President is important for many reasons, and like any leadership position, there are a number of qualities that go into making that person effective in his or her role. To me, the four included in the post are 'must-haves,' but I understand that different people will have different points of view. Thanks for the comment, and I hope you will feel free to share your name and engage further in conversation next time.
Wow. You were right. Good Job.
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