Power and leadership and the intrigue that goes along with it. The plotting and the scheming and the ambition of certain individuals to hold sway over the consciences of others. The self-belief to put yourself forward and claim a particularly superior understanding of the world and to project a confidence to others that says within yourself are the answers to dilemmas that confront societies. Why do some people pursue these things with such obsessive zeal?
I must admit I don't get it. I don't understand the lust for power. I have never held ambitions with regards to career or career advancement or status. I have never wanted to hold influence and I most certainly have never wanted to influence anybody on anything. I know full well that I am not a "salesman" and I have absolutely no desire to cultivate "followers".
Sure I have opinions on things but my attempts at advocacy have perhaps been half-hearted and certainly never all that successful. I like to support causes that I believe are worthwhile but I know my talents would never lie in leading a cause.
Yet, for some reason, politics fascinates me. I am drawn to the intrigue. I am drawn to observing the egos that clash in battles for control of power. I enjoy watching heightened political dramas unfold and I enjoy trying to think-through potential outcomes. Tensions are high and the consequences extreme but there is something about the art of strategy that is involved that does absorb me.
There is something about the "craftiness" of people who aspire to leadership that I find repellent. Distrustful. It makes it difficult to know when they are being genuine and when they are just saying something for the sake of advantage.
(Why do we persist with the idea of the leader? Why can't the position of prime-minister be a job share arrangement?
Power can diminish people as much it can empower them - Kerry O'Brien
I have heard it said that the modern corporation is like totalitarian regime in that it has a pyramid power structure that leads to an apex of a particular individual. Why do we encourage these sort of hierarchies?)
What do I look for in a leader? That is a good question and it was pleasing to hear what the panel said with regards to what makes a good leader. And in particular was the observation on what is lacking from today's leaders. Kerry O'Brien spoke particularly forcefully on this.
Leaders are also made by there followers - Margaret Simons
Life experience. A connection to a belief system that has been tested - that has endured a sustained period of ordeal - to have been allowed the time to develop depth - and that carries conviction and holds principle. It has consistency to it that is is born out of long years of struggle, and self-reflection, and refined through an ability to recognise where improvements can be made. In other words, the maturity to acknowledge when one is wrong and the creativity to incorporate new learning into an existing world-view.
I am mostly not overly impressed with today's politicians - especially those put forward by the Liberal and National parties. They lack character and they lack substance. They are interchangeable. They've gone to university, probably studied law, joined a political party, worked as a political staffer or for a think-tank, been pre-selected to a reasonably safe seat. And then just churn out endless cliched drivel once in parliament. Because that is all they know. (Of course I generalise but I think I am relatively close to the mark)
Where is the actual human contact with the broad range of society? Where is the engagement with the wider world? Where is the development of empathy and the ability to place yourself in somebody else's shoes and to imagine life from somebody else's perspective. The sort of stuff that can not necessarily be taught at a university or cultivated within a hegemonic political party social club, but needs to be experienced in the conversations and small talk of varied workplaces, and homes, and a diversity of other social meeting places where the hopes and fears and aspirations of a sweeping range of people dwell.
It comes from experiencing the anguish of life-choices of those whose lives are buffeted by forces so hopelessly beyond their control. That is when you can start to develop a sense of decency towards others and to forge insight into yourself. Too many involved in politics today "don't live a life of building beliefs." They know what they already know and that is all they need to know and they are right and they don't need to consider anything from any other perspective.
Decency and insight are in shockingly short supply in today's Australian politics. Obfuscation and recalcitrance rule the day.
So we have a decaying predominately two party system in an age of rapid technological and social transformation. What could possibly go wrong?
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