Someone, stimulate leadership

This week, I had the opportunity to hear an elected official holding statewide office address a group of business people on the state of the economy. In the room were owners of companies who never have the luxury of just looking at the problem, but who must get up every morning and figure it out and pray for provision. The government official gave grim news on declining tax receipts, oversized state government and stated that there was “no good news.” I kept waiting for the proposal, “So here’s what I’m meeting with leaders about…” There was none. I left confused, having admittedly missed the point.

Today, Peggy Noonan summed similar sentiments in The Wall Street Journal:

Politicians keep saying, "People have to begin to understand we're in bad shape," and "People should realize it's a crisis." I think they know, Sherlock. Do you? Our political leaders are like a doctor who rushes to the scene of a terrible crash, bends over a hemorrhaging woman and says, "This is serious, lady, you can't take it lightly." She looks up at him: "Help me, do something, I'm bleeding out!" The doctor, to the local TV cameras: "I hope she knows she's in trouble."

No longer can we afford to have politicians who castigate the others with whom they share power as a way to pass the buck. You were elected to work together to solve the problems that arise, not simply report the news.

Leadership is the willingness to say, “If it goes well, it’s time to credit everyone else. If it goes poorly, it’s time to look in the mirror.” Unfortunately, we’re not seeing many examples of that today because maybe the only safe thing in the economy is to keep accruing years on a government pension by being reelected. Getting reelected today seems to mean making sure you’re showing people the problems, not proposing solutions. Solutions are messy. If it doesn’t work, it’s easier to be on the outside passing judgment and placing blame.

The wonderful thing about the people in that room is that they will survive, and they will lead, even if the public as a whole never gives them accolades. They can’t afford to simply diagnose. They have to stop the bleeding and get the patient on her feet again. They will provide the examples of leadership for the next generation and maybe even the politicians.