“Stand for something, even if it means standing alone. Because often times the one who stands solo has the strongest wings”. Unknown
Australia is currently right in the middle of an election campaign. And yet I couldn’t be any less inspired by our 2 potential leaders than I am right now. One says black, the others will say white. These leaders are so beige and boring. They are not capturing the imaginations of anyone and I’m not sure there are too many people who could tell you what these two leaders really stand for.
In direct contrast the United States of America is in the middle of the election campaign also and as we all know, Donald Trump is a candidate. Loud, brash, inappropriate and strongly opinionated he is far from beige. He offends, he polarises and insights anger. He is brutally honest and will tell you what he thinks most often without thinking it appears!
As crazy as this may sound, the difference between the 3 men I am referring to is this. One has a vision; he stands for something passionately and with conviction and will do what it takes it win. He is being heard. The media is extensively covering him. As wrong as it maybe, he is engaging people, he is creating a movement and his message is relevant to a particular demographic of people with similar beliefs. He is triggering emotions. We seem to hear more about Trump than we hear about what our leaders are doing.
The big difference is we are talking about Trump. Most commonly in a negative sense but he has our attention, people are curious and we are watching. The man is a lunatic in my opinion but somehow he’s got our attention. And yes I am speaking generically here. But open the newspapers and on most days there’s Trump and his really bad hair!
So do you have to be a lunatic like Trump to capture the hearts and minds of people in the political arena? Do you need to have a bit of crazy about you to actually make a strong point and make it loudly? Or do you need to have such an egocentric personality style, such as Trump, who won’t be told how to behave and will not reduce his ‘colour’ to anything near beige?
Personally I wish our leaders would include some colour into their colour palette other than this boring beige. I want them to stand for something. I need them to have a vision, I want to be inspired by that vision and understand what their message is. Not childish, boring babble that they’re talking right now. Get me mad, get me interested, get me something others than really bored!
Leaders can learn a lot from this. More so how not to be in both situations.