thoughts on the news of the day: leadership

hmmm…..

            I am writing a paper on leadership and in my research, I dug out a book by Edwin Friedman called Failure of Nerve.  He says a well-differentiated leader is “someone who has clarity about his or her life goals, and therefore someone who is less likely to become lost in the anxious emotional processes swirling about.  … someone who can manage his or her own reactivity to the automatic reactivity of others, and therefore  be able to take stands at the risk of displeasing. “ 

            He goes on to say: “It is not as though some leaders can do this and some cannot.  No one does this easily and most leaders, I have learned can improve their capacity.”

            I wish someone would tell the members of Congress about Friedman’s book.  It seems to me that all the leaders in Congress do is react to one another.  Their goals seem to be to win at all costs, rather than slow down, listen and learn from one another.  The whole world is watching and waiting to see how well our leaders lead.  It’s not just about the money; it’s about our place in the world. 

            I like our Presbyterian model of leadership.  It encourages the servant style of the ministry of Jesus Christ.  Yes, it isn’t always followed, and it isn’t always successful in the ways we would like for it to be.  But it is calm, honest, forthright and powerful. 

            Today the debt ceiling problem may be solved.  But in the end, there may not be any winners, only sore losers; and many leaders who live to fight another day. 

            Too bad.

            hmmm…..