I've been thinking about leadership a bit recently, what makes good political leaders and how bad ones can derail or undermine a group, a party or even an entire movement.
All the things that affect leadership are magnified when the group or organisation is operating in a hostile environment, and as we are living in increasingly fraught times, I thought I'd write a list of what I see as some key principles of good political leadership - in no particular order of importance.
- Know the difference between autocratic action and strong leadership; the latter is good, the former is not. Autocratic leadership and an undemocratic structure can work well in organisations which, for example, are formed to respond quickly to a political issue but seldom last the course and are doomed to fail if the organisation tries to move beyond single issue campaigning into a wider political arena.
- Know your people. Some people will embrace even bad leadership because they feel secure when being led; some will happily accept good leadership but resent and reject bad leaders; and some will baulk at any leadership, even if it's the best possible.
- Identify your loose cannons; if they can't be well-anchored, make sure they're not loaded or their fuse can't be lit, or better still, pitch them overboard. At the very least, have some sort of contingency plan to deal with the casualties from the recoil.
- If you are dealing with drama queens, either within or outside of the organisation, do not provide them with a stage or write scripts for them. Do not make the mistake that their theatrics can be harnessed and utilised.
- If you have loose cannons who are also drama queens - best to part company as quickly and amicably as possible.
- Find ways to encourage and enable people to contribute. Not everyone will feel confident enough to push forward and, by mistaking this for a lack of interest, ability or commitment, you may be missing out on talents and experience that will benefit the organisation.
- Ensure there is a clear distinction between governance and management ie be clear about who takes the decisions in principle and who carries them out, ie do not fall into the trap of thinking that not only are you best placed and qualified to take decisions, but you are also best placed and qualified to carry them out. That way lies burn-out for you and resentment from others.
- Ensure decisions are properly recorded and the record is readily available to those who are expected to carry them out and/or are affected by them. Transparency, like sunlight, is almost always beneficial. Shade or opacity may be essential at times but too much inhibits growth.
- Have clear financial rules including providing accurate information on finances to those who have a vested interest, such as donors and members; even if you are structured in a way that does not legally require this, it is an ethical requirement and avoids misunderstandings.
- Try to avoid wasting people's time by making promises that you cannot keep or have no intention of keeping, as this will breed resentment - and it is not a matter of if there will be resentment, but how much and how intractable it is.
- Avoid being seen as applying double standards eg demanding unconditional support from members for a political principle, eg unfettered free speech, and then acting in ways which deny that principle within the organisation. This double standard may go unnoticed by some of those you lead, but will result in feelings of anger and resentment in others.
- Have lines of communication that allow any misunderstandings or resentments that do occur to be explored and resolved - ie proceed from the understanding that closing down debate may serve to allow misunderstandings and resentments to fester and find another avenue for expression.
- Behave towards others as you'd like and expect them to behave towards you, ie if you dislike your political opponents attacking you with hyperbole and emotion-laden rhetoric, don't deploy that yourself.
- And finally - and platitudinally - set the leadership bar high and consistently aim to clear it.
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