Leadership Lacking

Some general notes on leadership, as randomly observed over the past seven days.

• When asked to appear at a public function, don’t just send a letter instead. Especially during an election year, when the public event in question is a family affair only a block from the legislature, in a month when you should be getting back to work, and you happen to be the premier of the province. Sending a letter may prompt a sassy children’s entertainer to make a joke about sending you back a free cupcake, totally upstaging your well-intentioned letter.

• When asked to appear at an all-candidates meeting, at which representatives from all the other major parties will be attending, it’s generally good manners to have at least one of your own party members in attendance—especially when yours is the ruling party up for re-election. Otherwise, people may think you just don’t give a damn.

• Remember, people talk. If you say something stupid, be ready to answer for it. And if you say something stupid to the press, expect headlines. As my pappy always told me, “It’s better to say nothing and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.”

• Play the long game. If there’s even the barest glimmer of political leanings in the back of your mind, keep your clothes on, watch what you sign your name to and don’t drop acid and drive while the camera is running. Keep in mind that the internet never forgets.

• When addressing a crowd during an election campaign, it’s better to speak your heart than toe the party line—even (or especially) if you don’t have much to say. Be honest; we’re going to be.

• Rather than apologizing for never having smoked pot, all candidates should seize the opportunity to light up and share a moment of affinity with millions of Canadian voters. We’ll all be glad you did.

• If one is a high-ranking civic official in a position of authority that hinges on perceptions of respect, honesty and integrity, have the good grace to either resign or go on leave before embarking upon a torrid affair that’s sure to be leaked to the media. Especially if you’re the chief of police trying to rebuild your department’s image.

• If one is the highest-ranking civic official, stop putting yourself in positions of conflict-of-interest that could justifiably raise questions about your performance with the general public. And stop making closed-door decisions intentionally designed to keep the public in the dark.

• Fear is not an admirable campaign tool and ignorance is not a defendable position.

• It’s better to spend millions keeping your domestic economy healthy than to invest billions in emergency funding after wasting nearly a trillion on an unnecessary, unwinnable war. (For a truly terrifying experience, watch the cost of the war in Iraq calculated before your eyes at nationalpriorities.org/costofwar_home. It’s literally thousands a second.) M