The Three Levels of Leadership – Scouller Leadership Blog December, 2016 | The Three Levels of Leadership - Scouller Leadership Blog

Why Don’t We Get The Political Leaders We Need?

Posted on December 19, 2016 by James Scouller

This is a new version of a blog article I wrote in May 2011 that struck a chord judging by the comments I received.  I felt an update was timely with what’s happened politically this year in the UK and USA.

I’ve met people who feel our political leaders aren’t leading us anywhere.  They suspect that while maybe they’re solving short-term problems, there’s no sense of destination … that the same old issues keep recurring.  Like boom and bust.  Or fighting wars we don’t support.  Or house prices outstripping earnings so fast that even people with jobs are being turfed out by landlords when they can’t afford the rent.  Or politicians making silly or insincere pre-election promises and quietly binning them when they take office.

Others believe there is a sense of direction, but don’t like what they’re seeing.  I suspect people who didn’t vote for Brexit or President-elect Trump feel that way.

How are those who feel there’s no direction … or don’t like the direction they’re seeing … reacting emotionally?

From what I’ve seen their response ranges from anger to apathy.   Apathy often accompanies feelings of impotence and resignation; the sense that life won’t ever improve.

But there’s another factor at work.  A factor that’s making the atmosphere even more unpredictable: people’s worldwide distrust of political leaders. Continue reading →