"Across the Field"

Because these columns are read all over the United States and the planet, I am aware that most of you are not Ohio State football fans. In fact, I would wager that a significant number of you loathe the Buckeyes. Bear with me as I use their recent troubles to illustrate how our nation stepped into the mess where we currently find ourselves. Those of you who follow college sports are probably aware that the OSU football team had to suspend five of its star players for 5 games this season and another 3 players for two games because they accepted illegal benefits as a result of their celebrity status. In addition, their highly successful coach for the past ten years was forced to resign. One of the five five-game suspendees decided to bolt for the NFL rather than face further sanctions for his misdeeds. He was the quarterback.

All of the suspended players were to be juniors or seniors this season. As a consequence, the Buckeye football program finds itself floundering with a 3-2 record after the first five games, and even when winning have looked bad. It’s the worst Ohio State team in the last twenty years. Certainly the suspended players are all talented athletes, but Ohio State prides itself on its ability to “reload” rather than rebuilding. The underclassmen that remain are talented athletes too and should have the athletic ability to play Big Ten (Twelve) football at a high level. The new head coach (interim) was an assistant under the previous regime, and as a former player with the Buckeyes should have a “handle” on the traditions and policies to continue the caliber of play OSU teams have routinely experienced.

The lengthy preamble to this column is intended to create an example of how our nation and our troubles came about. Any coach will tell you that talent and skill are important attributes for players, but leadership and team unity are absolutely vital for a winning program. The eight stars for the Buckeyes (actually seven because the quarterback skipped town) should be the leaders and the mortar for building team cohesion. Their transgressions, however, undermined their capacity for leadership because the other team members can no longer trust their judgment or rely on their sense of priorities. They have demonstrated that their personal preferences trump their responsibilities to the team. As a consequence, a talented group of athletes appear to be navigating the football season with no rudder and no compass. Those who should be leading and uniting have forfeited their status, and the remaining players are struggling to define their new roles within the system.

Our federal government and our national psyche are similar to the OSU program. Because of their venality, profligacy and inattention to the national good, our political leaders have lost their credibility and forfeited their stature as trusted leaders. They stumble around the national field and fumble opportunities to right the ship of state. When they attempt something grand to gain our approval, they throw an interception or miss the wide-open chance to score. When they attempt to tackle a vexing issue, they do so half-heartedly while allowing the problem to gain even more territory. Failure after failure causes the political class to stop throwing the long ball. They begin to diagram plays so as not to lose rather than designing them to win.

The fans and the citizens become increasingly frustrated with the ineffective activities taking place on the field. The clamor for change grows louder, and boos echo throughout the national stadium. The wrath of the people unsettles the team and the politicians even more as they grope for an antidote for the current mess. All, the team, the politicians and nation, overlook the obvious. In the midst of chaos simplicity works best. Reduce the playbook to what can work. Fall back on tried and true principles and do them well. Eliminate the superfluous and the “feel-good” gaudy. Stick to the basics. Block and tackle with power and intensity. Look to people of character to lead by example, and bring the team together around them. Do the simple and do it well. Restore the playbook to its original size and master the fundamental tasks. Kick butt and win games.

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Leadership

One of the common themes surrounding extraterrestrial aliens visiting Earth is “Take me to your leader.” Many people in the United States are asking, “Where is our leader?” Leadership is a rare and precious commodity. Good leaders inspire us and motivate us. Excellent leaders lead by example with character and humility. Leaders are neither anointed nor appointed. They emerge. They lead. They are not elected, but when we see one, she or he is detected. We know a leader when we encounter one. Some leaders are charismatic, but not all of them are. Some leaders look as if they were from central casting, but not all leaders look that way. As I examine our political “leadership,” I note a paucity of authentic leaders. When I look for leadership in the civil affairs of our nation, state and communities, here’s what I’m seeking.

When I look for a leader, I want a W.H.I.P….a person with wisdom, honesty, integrity and principles. If a cause is just, a leader will advocate for it even if the prospects are dim. A true leader does not wait for the sentiment of the audience or the public as a cue for becoming involved. The leader knows what is right and what is not. A leader chooses the right. A true leader does not look for the expedient way of doing something. Expediency is often confused with true leadership because the mass media and many citizens confuse leadership with “getting something done.” Historically, that approach has not served our nation as the expedient route has often led to unprincipled compromise.

This column is not intended to be the definitive word on leadership. Literally thousands of books, treatises  and columns have addressed the subject. Most have focused on a utilitarian approach wherein the leader‘s accomplishments are more important than the underlying principles that guide her or him. When selecting writers who believe that principled leadership is critical for organizations or governments, I prefer to read John C. Maxwell. Dr. Maxwell has penned more than 50 books while primarily focusing on principled and effective leadership. As a result of his work, I have no need to duplicate nor expand upon his ideas and formulas. My attempt to zero in on principle as a core function of leadership is simply to cast some light on how our nation and corporations have drifted into the present morass.

Wisdom, it seems to me, is sorely lacking among the so-called leaders in the United States today. It may be because of our nearly fanatical praise of youthful energy and zeal. It may be a result of our amazingly fast-paced technological innovation. The underlying assumption being that if you don’t “tweet,” you’re a dolt. Wisdom is a product of faith, discernment, knowledge and experience. Real wisdom is rarer than saber tooth tigers or dodo birds. Among our self-appointed leaders we find those who say the first thing that comes to mind as they pander to their listeners, but there is another group who hesitates to say anything definitively for fear of offending voters or constituencies. Wisdom includes the ability to speak truthfully in a manner that makes the truth unassailable. Wisdom doesn’t seek consensus. Wisdom generates consensus.

Honesty is honesty. There are no gray areas, no fudging. Honest leaders work with honest people, and honest people do not compromise principles for short term gain. Honesty is a major structural component of integrity which includes sincerity as well. It seems to me that we must have sincerely honest leadership for our nation to survive and thrive. Most of us are familiar with the old joke that a good politician can “sincerely fake sincerity.” As our people become more cynical and more skeptical, true leaders will find it difficult to shatter the clutter. That is the cost we pay for allowing our leaders to “fake it” without challenging them.

Principles are vital for a true leader. They must be deeply ingrained in her or his essence…core…being. Principles are more than ideas and certainly more enduring than feelings. Principles are rock solid, unmovable fundamental truths upon which one anchors his or her life. Principles create the platform from which all decision making begins. Principles are not the answers for most issues, but they are the starting point for discovering the solutions. Principles help the leader during stressful times by providing the basis for sound, honest and wise decisions. Let’s find true leaders, and let’s WHIP them into shape.

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