EDITOR’s NOTE: This was written in mid-January.
In the wake of a tragedy, how leaders respond is telling to their ability to lead — or, more precisely, their inability.
We have a crisis in this county. It’s a crisis of leadership, and it’s infected the deepest corners of our institutions — from local governments to private corporations.
It’s easy to blame elected officials for taking advantage of a situation, but that’s what politicians do; they’re opportunists. They make promises they never intend to fulfill.
Unfortunately, the real blame can be found in the mirror. Collectively, we’re the ones who sent these opportunists to public office to inflict their particular brand of damage.
The government has two functions at its most basic level: potholes and public safety.
Elected officials, non-elected bureaucrats and policymakers are responsible for maintaining infrastructure and keeping the citizenry — the taxpayers who fund these operations — safe. Yet, far too often, their focus is on other feel-good initiatives that attract goodwill from the constituencies deemed relevant at the expense of the core functions of government.
Good leaders are hard to find. Many of the people in “leadership” roles are not leaders.
They pretend, barking orders to all who will listen and basking in the glory of power. But their shortcomings are laid bare when it matters the most — in the wake of a tragedy.
Unfortunately, by then, it’s too late for those affected by the tragedy.
Just look at how many elected and other government officials react after a tragedy. How often do they stand up and take responsibility? How often do they absolve themselves of all wrongdoing?
Just consider the reaction of some leaders in the wake of the New Orleans New Year’s Day terrorist attack.
“We did indeed have a plan, but the terrorist defeated it,” New Orleans’ police superintendent said, according to NBC News.
It was obvious to anyone with a pulse that “the terrorist” defeated the city’s plan, which by all accounts seemed to be a bad plan based on the hope that someone looking to cause harm wouldn’t drive around a barricade. That begs the question: Is a bad plan really any better than no plan?
People don’t need officials to point out their obvious failure with the demeanor of “We tried; we’ll do better next time.” They want to hear “leaders” confidentially and firmly clarify what they will do to prevent it from happening again.
Yet, officials often can’t admit when they were wrong for fear of losing their grip on power. A true leader would stand up and accept responsibility. A feckless one shrugs their shoulders and says, “Too bad.”
It’s not just public officials who often lack leadership. It extends to the private sector. Consumers can choose whether to engage in business with a private company; it’s impossible to stop doing business with the government.
If leaders won’t admit their mistakes, will they at least learn from the past and what went wrong. If they won’t, they are doomed — as the bumper sticker says — to repeat it.
