Leadership and Politics
Nothing in the Leadership Reno County (LRC) class was even remotely suggestive of political advocacy, but I snagged one insight on politics and leadership that made me want to say "Yes! Exactly!" (See the previous post for a longer explanation of LRC.)
In explaining the differences between adaptive and technical approaches to problem-solving, Lynette said something like this: "The promises you hear in political campaigns almost always reflect a technical approach to problem-solving." So what was so insightful about that?
Just this: Every time a politician does this, she or he is demonstrating that s/he is not remotely prepared to lead effectively. Offering technical solutions in situations that call for adaptive approaches is predicative of chaos-in-the-making, with that sand-in-the-gears problem grinding on interminably. Political grandstanding just got even more distasteful to me.
I hate it that on the rare occasions when a political figure attempts to lead "adaptively" s/he is inviting accusations of being detached or cerebral or indecisive--just not able to get anything done. Coalition-building is adaptive work involving very tough, slow going, but the results are more lasting, more peaceable, more orderly, and better all around for the stakeholders than would be the case with alternative ways of working. Once elected, an office holder using positional authority to force technical solutions is offering something inferior and ineffective.
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One of the authors of the slim little volume that serves as a textbook for the LRC class is Ed O'Malley. His name sounded vaguely familiar, but I didn't know why till I read the Wikipedia entry under his name. It turns out that he was a candidate for Kansas governor in the 2018 election. He dropped out fairly early in the race, however, when he determined that funds were not adequate to continue.
I wondered where a person with O'Malley's understanding of how leadership works would fall on the political spectrum. Centrist Republican it is. That sounds about right--or at least as right as Centrist Democrat.
I'm a little sorry that we didn't get a chance to see what a governor of O'Malley's sensibilities would do for the people of Kansas. But then, he might have learned what many principled individuals before him discovered when they pursued political office: 1) Winning an election is almost impossible. 2) Leading effectively, once elected, is almost impossible.
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Only those who knew Steve Graber will understand why I'm reminded of him right now. I learned just now (from Hiromi's dentist!) that he died about a year and a half ago in Manhattan, where the family had moved when they left our area. Steve had cancer.
Steve was a Christian homeschool dad who practiced law. At one point he unsuccessfully sought political office. Our paths first crossed because of 4H, and our family and others spent a good bit of time with their family.
In explaining the differences between adaptive and technical approaches to problem-solving, Lynette said something like this: "The promises you hear in political campaigns almost always reflect a technical approach to problem-solving." So what was so insightful about that?
Just this: Every time a politician does this, she or he is demonstrating that s/he is not remotely prepared to lead effectively. Offering technical solutions in situations that call for adaptive approaches is predicative of chaos-in-the-making, with that sand-in-the-gears problem grinding on interminably. Political grandstanding just got even more distasteful to me.
I hate it that on the rare occasions when a political figure attempts to lead "adaptively" s/he is inviting accusations of being detached or cerebral or indecisive--just not able to get anything done. Coalition-building is adaptive work involving very tough, slow going, but the results are more lasting, more peaceable, more orderly, and better all around for the stakeholders than would be the case with alternative ways of working. Once elected, an office holder using positional authority to force technical solutions is offering something inferior and ineffective.
*****************
One of the authors of the slim little volume that serves as a textbook for the LRC class is Ed O'Malley. His name sounded vaguely familiar, but I didn't know why till I read the Wikipedia entry under his name. It turns out that he was a candidate for Kansas governor in the 2018 election. He dropped out fairly early in the race, however, when he determined that funds were not adequate to continue.
I wondered where a person with O'Malley's understanding of how leadership works would fall on the political spectrum. Centrist Republican it is. That sounds about right--or at least as right as Centrist Democrat.
I'm a little sorry that we didn't get a chance to see what a governor of O'Malley's sensibilities would do for the people of Kansas. But then, he might have learned what many principled individuals before him discovered when they pursued political office: 1) Winning an election is almost impossible. 2) Leading effectively, once elected, is almost impossible.
*****************
Only those who knew Steve Graber will understand why I'm reminded of him right now. I learned just now (from Hiromi's dentist!) that he died about a year and a half ago in Manhattan, where the family had moved when they left our area. Steve had cancer.
Steve was a Christian homeschool dad who practiced law. At one point he unsuccessfully sought political office. Our paths first crossed because of 4H, and our family and others spent a good bit of time with their family.
posted by Miriam Iwashige at
8:56 PM
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