Leadership Styles

Leadership Styles —  updated at bottom with examples of leadership (or lack of leadership).

For about two years now I have labeled 0bama’s primary leadership style as Laissez-faire (a.k.a. Delegative). For a long time when posting at No Quarter I would list a website in my sign-in which explained leadership styles. The thing is that if used wisely the lais sez faire style can work fairly well. BUT only very skilled leaders can use this method of leadership. It is very helpful essential if the boss or parent using the Laissez-faire leaderhip style has clear goals and shares those goals with her/his team.

Delegative (free reign) also known as — Laissez faire:

In this style, the leader allows the employees to make the decisions. However, the leader is still responsible for the decisions that are made. This is used when employees are able to analyze the situation and determine what needs to be done and how to do it. You cannot do everything! You must set priorities and delegate certain tasks.

This is not a style to use so that you can blame others when things go wrong, rather this is a style to be used when you fully trust and confidence in the people below you. Do not be afraid to use it, however, use it wisely!

Three main leadership styles have been identified:

* Authoritarian or autocratic
* Participative or democratic
* Delegative or Free Reign

Although good leaders use all three styles, with one of them normally dominant, bad leaders tend to stick with one style.

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There is another leadership style which involves two leaders, one who is the Charismatic leader and who most would consider the leader. But this sort of leadership style often requires an organization co-leader who is content to remain in the background. The website Mind tools has an expanded list of ten leadership styles,  which is probably more information than most people are interested in. Here’s a link for a short quiz to see what your leadership style is.

Right now we are watching 0bama dog padding among Olympic style swimmers in the pool of world leaders. Anyone with common sense and who has watched politics, could have predicted that 0bama was going to be a poor leader, as some of his former cheer leaders are now admitting.

When Governor Bush became President in 2000 it was obvious that Bush managed to trade on the value of his last name. As a leader of the people, GWB didn’t do so well and so the people were willing to elect anyone with a “D” after their name. So the DNC gave the people BH0 or 0bama. He was sold as a brand — Brand 0bama. His brand was on commemorative junk-ware sold, just like any other flash in the pan junk, to the masses for a quick buck.

Where’s the leadership?

Health care — Harry and Nancy — go take care of that for 0bama so he can give a speech about giving the country 0bamacare. So Harry and Nancy enlist the aid of health care lobbyists to write a bill. To get enough votes to pass this bill, deals were made with hold outs. Two of the main problems with health care were ignored by Harry and Nancy — One payer, rather than multiple layers of middle men we now have. Then NO COST control was included anywhere in either the Senate nor the House version of the bills.

Leadership grade — D + (0bama didn’t want single payer — NO single payer provision can be found in either bill.)

End the wars and huge drain on the budget and on we the tax payers.
War is still going on in Iraq and Afghanistan — and surrogates (drones) are waging war in Pakistan.
(Leadership to end the war — F, Leadership to continue the war and the profits for the Military Industrial complex. Pro-War leadership grade B)

Jobs, Economic Stimulus. Job outlook is still poor, no improvement. We are still waiting for the bottom to drop out of the commercial real estate market.

Leadership on Jobs and Economy — F

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The Job of President comes with a whole range of problems and special skills are required. One skill is the ability to pick people who will advise and carry out the plans of the President. The problem is that 0bama arrived at the White House with a shallow pool of talent. He doesn’t seem to have long term friends upon whom he could call. All of the people surrounding him seem to be his newest, best friends, or people who saw him as a star that they could manipulate. Again we just don’t see the leadership that makes for the Great leaders and Great Presidents.

Well for this first year of on the job learning and working for the people, President 0bama receives a D+. Right now 0bama is toxic for the Democrat party. Candidates be warned — distance yourselves from this President.

For the 0bots out there — we told you so. For the world —  0bama charisma is fading.

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Leadership Styles in the News

Foreign leaders have recognized that a new style of leadership is required for our Interconnected world. Singapore’s Foreign Minister, George Yeo gave the first lecture in the Fullerton-SJI Leadership Lecture series. Mr. Yeo concluded that the new networked “world requires a more democratic style of leadership”. Yeo goes on to tell about his experience with Facebook and the importance of honesty. 0bama really should have attended this lecture, because he has a slight problem with honesty which becomes obvious when everything he says and does is archived someplace on the Internet.

The foreign minister added that there is also some untidiness which leaders and the people have to live with and that is part of the changing landscape.

He said: “In this new world, it’s trust that enjoys the special premium. I have been blogging and posting on Facebook for the last three years and after a while if you are not consistent and honest, you will be found out.

“And if you are unable to be comfortable with yourself and be truthful in the presentation of yourself, you will be discovered very quickly.

“Perhaps in the past that was not as important, but going ahead into the future it is very important – be what you are and be accepted for what you are.”

Personally, above all I want an honest leader. As soon as a leader lies then I lose respect and trust for that leader. There are cultural exceptions to lying.  Small little lies are something we do socially. “Does my butt look big in this dress?” I’ve learned to make vague responses in public to the questioner. If they ask that sort of question, then they probably know the answer. But if the question is about purchasing a garment — then I will be as honest as possible. (Well, if you don’t sit down, those slacks look great.)

We’ve been lied to by 0bama in a big way, not the little social lies. He has a consistent pattern of flip-flopping or telling outright lies. To me this indicates poor leadership. 0bama also has a history of “tossing” people and groups “under the bus”. As soon as someone is no longer of any use to 0bama, out with the old and in with the new. So how can 0bama gain the trust of the people?

When the voters of Massachusetts went to the polls almost a week ago (or stayed home), they were voting on 0bama. Sure there was an election for the office of US Senator. The candidate who won was elected by the Independent voters and by the fact that a large percentage of registered Democrats stayed home. The Democrat candidate indicated that she would support 0bamacare and the Republican candidate said he was opposed to 0bamacare.

The voters of Massachusetts have had a full year to watch 0bama’s leadership style. They were also able to watch 0bama closely during the primary campaign. Voters in the Western States have very little contact with the Primary candidates compared to the unending attention that voters receive in several key eastern states. I was living in Massachusetts during the 1976 Presidential primary campaign. The Carter people were all over the state, as were the other candidates. Compared to what happens in Massachusetts, Washington State is almost ignored during Primary season.

So the voters of Massachusetts had a very long exposure to 0bama and ample opportunity to watch him flip-flop. They realize that 0bama’s word cannot be trusted. Great leaders need strong core values and frankly I’m not certain what 0bama’s core values are. If you ever what to silence a right-winger who goes on about 0bama being a socialists — ask them if they know what 0bama’s core values are. How can someone with no core values be a socialist? I will say: “0bama has no core values that I can detect.” The right-winger will agree with you, amazed that you can make such a statement and that both of you can agree on something. Then I ask: “How can someone with no core values be a socialist. 0bama is for 0bama.”

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Update #1

David Michael Green on commondreams.org has a lengthy article called: How to Squander the Presidency in One Year: Hey, Conan Obama: How About Now? Can You Hear Us Now?

Green gets right to the leadership void in a point by point – blow by blow, detailed list of 0bama’s lack of leadership. The examples he gives are pure Laissez-faire leadership style — but with no guidance or real comprehension of the legislative process, nor any idea of the character of the people who are drafting the health care bill. 0bama’s message — go write a bill I can sign — and don’t bother me with the nasty details — attitude. Laissez-faire leadership is ONLY effective when the leader knows what the hell he (or she) is doing in the first place. Leadership on the health care bill required someone who completely understands all the issues involved and THAT is NOT who 0bama is. 0bama is a show horse not a work horse.

* He does not lead.  Americans, especially in times of crisis, want their daddy-president to pick a point on the horizon and lead them to it.  Often – especially in the short term – they don’t even care that much which point it is.  They will happily follow a president whose policies they oppose if he will but lead.

* And if he will demonstrate some conviction.  I have never seen a president so utterly lacking in passion.  This man literally doesn’t even seem to care about himself, let alone this or that policy issue.  He doesn’t seem to have any strong opinions on anything, a sure prescription for presidential failure.

* He has therefore let Congress ‘lead’ on nearly every issue, another surefire mistake.  Instead of demanding that they pass real stimulus legislation – which would have really stimulated the economy, big-time, and right now – he let those dickheads on the Hill just load up a big pork party blivet of a bill with all the pet projects they could find, designed purely to benefit their personal standing with the voters at home, rather than to actually produce jobs for Americans.  And on health care, his signature issue, he did the same thing.  “You guys write it, and I’ll sign the check.”  Could there possibly be a greater prescription for failure than allowing a bunch of the most venal people on the planet to cobble together a 2,000 page monstrosity that entirely serves their interests and those of the people whose campaign bribes put them in office?