Well, it’s that time again. Election season is upon us and here we go with ongoing coverage of national and local hotly contested mid-term races. Don’t get me wrong. I’m a news junkie like the best of them flipping television channels to catch the latest late-night scores as if election coverage were the Super Bowl.
But, this year there has been more mudslinging than ever. I continue to be both amazed and dismayed by the lack of real discourse about the issues. There is a pervasive lack of attention to frame policy discussions and have substance debates. Unfortunately, most state and local campaigns have turned into yelling matches, smart side-swipes, and tossing of catch phrases.
The challenges that persist include heated exchanges including misinformation and unimaginable disrespect. “Man up” references in the Nevada senate race? Repeated news stories about “I’m not a witch” in the Delaware senate race? This is not to mention more high-profile references to physical anatomy of candidates and existing public officials that have blazed the news headlines.
As I have mentioned in my book Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider’s Guide to Success, I believe sometimes politicians resort to a wild west shoot out rather than substantial talk about how those vying for public service leadership roles would really tackle these jobs.
On the contrary, I recommend that prospective leaders – and particularly those seeking the nation’s highest public office – take the high road and consider bringing more depth and preparation. Here is two cents worth of free advice from my book Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider’s Guide to Success:
• Frame the issues including benefits and drawbacks to shape your arguments
• Ask clarifying questions to demystify any process
• Provide rationale instead of stooping to insults and slander
• Assess the impact of your position and response
• Anticipate next steps to the extent possible
• Diffuse false accusations tactfully
• Be consistent and take the high road staying focused on the issues
Can you imagine if the next go-round of elections included real debates rather than posturing? Yes, I’m talking about substance and depth. I’m talking about candidates bringing to the table real debates and positioning about solutions to policy problems. Ok (sigh). It’s only wishful thinking that we could expect more from our top leadership.
-Dawn McCoy, author of Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider’s Guide to Success
