The Election and the Leadership Meme – Part 2
In the last post, we talked about the 3 archetypes that relate to successful leadership in the 21st century. But what about the core meme? What were the secrets of success? The answer was interesting, and consisted of 4 connected themes, in the following order:
Unencumbered – the ability to think and act freely, in a way that’s not encumbered by outdated assumptions, bureaucracy, skeletons in the closet.
New Style – demonstrating a relevant and contemporary approach. Think back to the branding, the messaging, the use of channels such as Youtube and Facebook in Obama’s 2008 campaign.
Trusted and Trusting – demonstrating that not only are you trustworthy, but you trust others. Trust is a two-way street.
Quiet Confidence – perhaps the most important of all, this is the ‘comfortable in one’s skin’ quality that every leader needs to stay balanced and secure in a turbulent environment. Notice how Howard Dean destroyed his campaign in 2004 with the infamous ‘scream’. A clear violation of quiet confidence, we can’t take a leader who acts like an hysteric. Not if their finger has access to the Big Red Button.
So, now that you know the meme, we invite you to apply this information to the U.S. Presidential campaign, and decide for yourself which candidate, or if either of them, are close to having these qualities. Who will be a more successful leader? And how would you apply these insights into your own life – as you lead your group, your company, your community, or just your family? Also, if you’re American, vote!