An Authentic Leader in the White House?

The resounding victories of Barack Obama and John McCain in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C. -- Obama by an average of 34 percentage points and McCain by 28 -- confirm a growing desire of the American public to elect an authentic leader as its next president.

At every talk I have given this past year on True North and authentic leadership, one of the first questions is, "Is it possible to have an authentic leader in the White House?" At first, I begged off these questions, saying my research on leaders was based entirely on business and non-profit leaders. Privately, I had my doubts that our political process, which has become so negative and vicious in recent years, would permit an authentic leader to prevail.

As this extended primary campaign moves on, it is becoming increasingly clear that the American public is not only open to an authentic leader as President, but demanding one. The two leading candidates at present, John McCain and Barack Obama, are on the rise precisely because they are authentic.

The media seems to think this election is about gender and race. I think it is about authenticity. Most people under 40 are so cynical about politicians who promise one thing and do another, or who are unwilling to admit their mistakes and shortcomings, that they will only get engaged for a leader that they are convinced is authentic. No wonder that both Obama and McCain have such a following among independents and the younger generations.

On the Republican side, Mitt Romney may have been the best qualified candidate in either party, but he failed because he lacked authenticity and seemed to say whatever people wanted to hear. His positions on key issues changed so dramatically since his years as governor of Massachusetts that no one knew what he stood for. The same could be said for the precipitous fall of Rudy Giuliani, once the Republican front-runner.

McCain, on the other hand, who was left for dead last summer as his campaign was falling apart, came back on the strength of his authenticity. McCain, who experienced his crucible as a prisoner-of-war in Vietnam, tells it like it is. He is not afraid to go against popular positions or the Republican hierarchy, including the current president. As he has assumed front-runner status for the nomination, the hard-liners in the Republican Party have tried to bring him in line, but he has steadfastly refused.

On the Democratic side, Hilary Clinton is fully qualified to be president, but people don't seem to know who she really is. She is extremely skilled at playing the polls and figuring out the right appeals to voter subgroups, but this has only led to unusually high negatives in the eyes of many people who are politically aligned with her positions. The one time she showed a little emotion in New Hampshire voters responded by giving her a surprise victory over Obama. Then she returned to the negative side in South Carolina, and her support has been slipping ever since.

Obama's authenticity is precisely what makes him so appealing to such a wide range of voters. He seems "good in his skin," and is able to rise above the negative attacks. His message of hope and change, backed up by specific programs that seem logical to most people, is inspiring a lot of Americans to get engaged in the political process. For all the talk that he would wither under the pressure, he seems to get stronger and more confident as he goes.

Obama talks openly about his crucible -- coming from a mixed race family, watching his parents divorce while he was very young, moving to Hawaii, and being confused in high school about which direction to go -- until he found himself in his early twenties. His opponents say that he lacks experience, which is not really true. At 46 years of age, Obama has had an abundance of life's experiences, which enable him to understand the lives of ordinary Americans and to empathize with their challenges.

He is confident enough to sit down with a wide variety of world leaders, even those with whom the United States currently has hostile relationships, and try to work out solutions. He uses the same approach to health care, offering to bring all the interested parties around a big table and seek solutions, something his opponent steadfastly refused to do in the early-1990s and is currently belittling him for today.

In a topsy-turvy election year, there's no assurance that either McCain or Obama will be elected president, but that doesn't take away from voters' desires for an authentic leader in the White House.

This just might be the year. Wouldn't that be a change?

Bill George is the author of the best-selling books, True North and Authentic Leadership, and the former chairman and CEO of Medtronic. His web site is www.truenorthleaders.com.

Comments

[MichaelLeeStallard]

Bill is right that John McCain and Barack Obama are not perceived as typical politicians. They are viewed as being more authentic. Here’s another perspective to consider. Recently I read comments in The Economist about McCain and Obama that caught my eye. The British magazine wrote about Obama that he had the ability to deliver the “dose of unity” that America needs. Regarding McCain the same article pointed out that he had a long record of “reaching out to his political opponents.”

What I hear in these statements is that The Economist is recognizing that McCain and Obama are connectors. They are viewed as being the type of individuals who build relational bridges to their political opponents rather than burn the bridges across the table.

Given the nasty partisan atmosphere in Washington these days and America’s declining reputation in the world, it may be that voters yearn for a president who reaches out and connects with others, both at home and abroad. Our research at E Pluribus Partners clearly establishes that great leaders have the ability to connect with people and foster connection among a group of people. In fact, a high degree of connection (or social capital as it is also referred to) is necessary for nations to thrive. The ability to bring people together is an essential skill to possess in order to be an effective president. The Commander in Chief must also be the Connector in Chief, especially in difficult times (think of FDR during the Depression and World War II).

What do you think about McCain and Obama as connectors? Are you aware of any examples that would help us judge how these two candidates stack up when it comes to their history of increasing connection, community and unity among the people they were responsible for leading?

[realitytrumpsbull]

I second, and I support Ron Paul. I think the good doctor would gladly apply a little 'medicine' pretty much right off the bat, and that'd get some of those special interest people mad, but ya know...little plastic hitler hats kind of says it all, as far as I'm concerned...

[Herrington]

Mr. George, I must agree with your assessment of the public mood. The people are looking, starving actually, for authenticity in their government.

Politics has always been shady. But this most recent epoch of poll tested gridlock and specious wedge issue politics has been so tiresome that the typical American is ready to try anything. We are drowning in mendacity and struggling to break the surface and get some air. We seem to see that a mountain of unsolved problems are going unresolved in a party system whose first priority, only priority, seems to be keeping the opposition out of power.

I note Mr. George, that you are a business leader and have authored books on the topic of leadership. I have not read your work, but I suspect that you might appreciate the 2008 campaign as a bottom up phenomenon. I was privileged to work in early Silicon Valley as a founding engineer at Symantec, VisiCorp, Apple and others. Along the way, especially at Apple, I discovered that the most effective leadership is bottom up. It is not paternalistic, it is inclusive and channels the energy and creativity that is found in nearly all contributors. The individuals in an organization are the source of innovation and creativity, and Steve Jobs will be among the first to say so.

Bottom up leadership is, almost by definition, authentic. Everyone has a stake in the plans and process, from the receptionist to the CEO. It is a very good analogue of a representative democracy. And although most folks could not articulate why what they hear from Obama sounds authentic, they are moved by his singular message of ‘we’ instead of ‘I’. His campaign and his message are and inclusive.

Americans are driving this election bottom up, as if to say to Washington, if you can’t solve our problems we can, so get the hell out of our way. And despite the lamentable conditions that started this phenomenon, it is both fascinating and thrilling to see a nation attempt to take back its government.

[bllstar]

You lost me when you said Mitt Romney would be a good leader. What! He's an idiot.

[WAdem]

The resounding victories as you called them, only prove how effective the media has been in creating a horse race. Haven't you noticed how Republicans have crossed over to influence our choice? Haven't you noticed that Rove and Chris Matthews and Tim Russert also want Obama as the Dem nominee? Doesn't that scare you even a little? It should. It's not natural.

Today's "public funding" gambit by McCain is pure Rove. It's the beginning of the end of the honeymoon for Obama. It will be checkmate, if we nominate him. Edwards was our best hope, but Obama will end up just like Harold Ford Jr., IMHO.

[DietrichMoody]

Great highlight - Authenticity rules, but you're quote:

"there's no assurance that either McCain or Obama will be elected president";

There IS no assurance. Nothing is assured, but I would hope dam so in this case - at this juncture in our history. Anything else will make us look stupid to the rest of the world. And we have not been playing the isolationist game over the last 8 years as much as Pat Buchanan wants. So we can't say "f*ck the world" right now. We are already loosing moral authority over our actions. And our use of force is not at all making us look tough. What now? we're going to show no authenticity too, and easy at being taken-in by trickery? We will look like we have no spine.
Just disagree with the aforementioned quote. Authenticity needs to rule.

[BillZBubb]

Sure, McCain is "authentic" if you ignore the past 7 years. Once those are figured into the equation, McCain is transparently phony.

[Ides]

McCain's full of crap, luckily it's becoming more and more apparent.

[Querent]

Yes, McCain is authentic. He's an authentic phoney.

[StephenDedalus82]

Obama is about as authentic as any other megachurch preacher asking for donations.

[duh]

There is very little authenticity in the three contenders. Especially not Obama - cult of personality great savior- and let's not call waterboarding torture, McCain. Give us a break.

[DemandTruth]

How can you call someone authentic who decries torture one minute, then votes to legalize it the next? How is that straight talk? How can you call someone authentic who (rightly) denounces the hateful on the right and then kisses their asses the next? How can you call someone authentic who claims he was the ONLY one to call for Rumsfeld's ouster when Chuck Hagel was more outspoken than he was, and McCain NEVER even called for Rummy's resignation? I call that what it is, just like what Olbermann (rightly) called the President last night. That, sir, is a LIAR. LIAR. In all caps. Full stop.

I'm sorry, the only thing authentic moment I've ever seen in John McCain's life was when he said we'd "follow Osama to the gates of Hell". Not that I believe he's actually concerned about catching Osama (if he was, he could have done something from the Senate). Only that he's gonna take us ALL right down to the gates of Hell with him.

Thanks, but that's not the kind of authenticity I want running my country.

[StephenDedalus82]

"At 43 years of age, Obama has had an abundance of life's experiences, which enable him to understand the lives of ordinary Americans and to empathize with their challenges."

You just declared every 43 year old in the country qualified to be president.

[Eoin45]

He did nothing of the sort and you know it. It says nothing about the QUALITY of other 43 year old's experiences. Other 43 year olds were not community organizers or State Senators. As usual, you're full of it.

[StephenDedalus82]

I'm rejecting this Obama-as-messiah narrative that takes every event in his life as evidence of his special uniqueness among human beings. The fact is, his resume is so thin he has to pad it with meaningless narratives from his childhood. As if Hillary Clinton or, for that matter, John McCain, haven't had an "abundance of life's experiences." It's just so disingenuous and arrogant.

[mexamerican]

obama is 46. ever hear of wiki?

[StephenDedalus82]

I'm just quoting the post.

[JimR]

No, he didn't. He was talking about Obama's own specific experiences.

[Incredulous]

How can you argue that McCain is authentic?
He voted against Bush's tax cuts, and now that he's running for President he's all for them.
Immigration reform; flip flop.
Every moderate stand ever taken, now pandering to radical extremists.
McCain is just another mealy-mouthed opportunist who will say or do anything to get elected. He's no maverick. He's a flip-flopping opportunist. The media can repeat the Maverick mantra until the cows come home, but it's not going to change the facts.

[grendl]

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are hypocrites.

After much deliberation, it pains me to say their status as superdelegates qualifies them as hypocrites. I know they're honored by such power, to be voters whose independent votes count more than mine, but that was never what our forefathers intentioned in creating this republic.

People seem to think because a system is in place for a certain amount of time, that its success in flying under the radar of public consciousness is some sort of justification for its existence, but thats not the case.

The system of superdelegation is undemocratic, unfair andjust plain wrong, and the fact that neither of these candidates are more vociferous in its condemnation, or advocating its eradication shows a profound lack of courage and integrity on both their parts. Mr. Obama voiced with his patent subdued cautious style his concerns about the will of the voters potentially being swayed by superdelegates should the convention in Colorado be brokered.

What about the fact that the system is inherently, intrinsically undemocratic, Mr. Obama. What about the fact that your vote carries with it more weight than mine. What about the fact that we hear about Bill Clinton calling some 21 year old little Lord Fauntleroy twerp superdelegate to wheedle his support for Ms. Clinton. I didn't get any calls like that last week.

So I'll keep my vote, you super delegates. Some say you're the lesser of two evils, but I'm not so sure. Your status as superdelegates makes you royalty in a country born of a desire to break from such elitist mindset. I'll keep my vote which doesn't count as much as yours, and you can keep telling yourselves you're serious in restoring democratic values to Mad King George's America.

[ATLiberal]

The founding fathers were concerned about the country, not whether political parties were fair and democratic in their operations. That said, do what you gotta do. And thanks for sharing.

[grendl]

What's the difference about concern for the country and fairness in the political process?

[Querent]

Hey grendl, since you're not going to vote, nobody has any interest in anything else you might have to say. Just go away.

[Ides]

That makes absolutely no sense given Obama's statements on the subject.

[grendl]

Statements aren't action.

And will you explain to me why Mr. Obama's vote should carry more weight than mine?

Don't explain the system's cause, or origin, but why their is an inequity in one American citizen's vote from anothers.

Explain it, use all the mental resources at your disposal. Bet you can't.