(Newswire.net – January 2, 2013) – As President Obama and Congress debate over remedies for the ‘fiscal cliff’ crisis, many commentators and journalists now point to a root cause of the current situation – a profound lack of leadership in both branches of government.
Commentator Robert Samuelson from RealClearPolitics.com feels President Obama’s failed leadership stems from his inability to lead the debate on the tough choices ahead.
According to Samuelson: “Government can no longer fulfill all the promises it has made to various constituencies. Some promises will be reduced or disavowed. Which ones? Why? Only the president can pose these questions in a way that starts a national conversation over the choices to be made, but doing so requires the president to tell people things they don’t want to hear. That’s his job: to help Americans face unavoidable, if unpleasant, realities. Barack Obama has refused to play this role.”
Meanwhile, Julian Zelizer at CNN.com focuses on lack of Congressional leadership in a recent article. “In the House of Representatives, Speaker John Boehner has had almost no success keeping his troops in line,” Zelizer says. “He has led a Republican Caucus that continues to drag down the image of Congress and create the impression that Republicans can’t handle the responsibilities of power. The past two years of his leadership have revolved around the constant collapse of budgetary negotiations.”
In a recent article from CNBC.com, Susan Battley decried the five ‘deadly leadership behaviors’ our political leaders are displaying:
• Denial: Outright rejection of unacceptable facts or feelings. (“There is no problem.”)
• Minimization: Lessoning the importance of a fact or situation. (“It doesn’t matter.”)
• Rationalization: Justifying an action or stand. (“Everybody’s doing it.”)
• Black-white thinking: All-or-nothing approach. (“We’re right, they’re wrong.”)
• Blaming: Directing responsibility elsewhere. (“We’re not the problem, they are.”)
Organizational development consultant Sandy Cormack adds: “True leadership, be it in Congress or in any organization, requires leadership skills that put an end to these dangerous behaviors.” He offers the following to counter each:
Denial: “Strong leadership requires integrity, not Machiavellian dishonesty. When a problem exists, a leader gets to the root of the problem.”
Minimization: “Some leaders rely on facts and data to paint a picture of the problem. But this isn’t enough: simply talking to the people most affected by the problem will reveal the true gravity of the situation.”
Rationalization: “When a leader has a strong, clear vision for the way ahead, rationalization isn’t needed. When the vision has broad acceptance, the policies needed to realize the vision can be more easily sold.”
Black and White Thinking: “Leaders must ensure all points and positions are heard before making a decision. But leaders must avoid the poison of ‘consensus,’ especially when the consensus direction isn’t the best.”
Directing Responsibility Elsewhere: “Strong leaders who can face reality and communicate honestly need not worry about casting blame – even when the blame lies with the leaders themselves.”
For leadership development, Cormack recommends focusing inward – on the brain itself. “Everyone has a unique leadership style that’s highly influenced by their mental preferences,” says Cormack. “Understanding these preferences – and the preferences of those you manage – can make you a better leader, and help you understand your people in a new and different way.”
Developing leaders is a high priority in many organizations, according to Cormack. Success depends not only on how leaders learn to leverage their strengths, but how well they overcome their inherent leadership weaknesses.
Cormack has developed a free left brain-right brain test which gives professionals insight into their strengths and weaknesses. For more information email Cormack at sandy@leftbrainrightbraintest.com or call at 410-459-5508. For more information on leadership discover Norman Schwartzkopf’s wisdom on leadership.