[August 11, 2015] I once had a politician tell me that she and her fellow city council members were not required to follow the ordinances from the city of which she was elected. Legally, of course, that was not true … but many people, leaders specifically, often believe they are exempt from the rules and the law. Few are likely to admit it, but unfortunately leaders who do this are commonplace.
Leadership means not only following the rules but also knowing what those rules are and making sure they are in compliance. Leaders who are publically open about their activities also help generate the perception they are doing what others are required to do and are careful to do what it right. I wrote about this once before at theLeaderMaker.com (see link here). My point then was that leaders who do not follow the rules will fail at some point and the failure will be significant.
But there is more to it than simple failure. The real problem is that in many Western nations, the idea that political leaders are exempt from rules – specifically the rule of law – has spread to the point that politicians are regularly vilified and hated. This explains why U.S. presidential candidates that convince the public that they will take action to put a stop to it are receiving popular support. Take, for example, Donald Trump who recently made a number of anti-establishment statements that has endeared him to many.
Good leaders bring people together. Bad leaders divide people. Bad leaders who disobey the law are also those who disparage law abiding citizens who try to do the right thing. No wonder that the U.S. Congress popularity is at a record low. The problem we are facing is that the population is losing its trust and confidence in their political leaders. When this happens, history is rife with examples of turmoil.
Whether those who disobey are the political class or some subgroup in the nation (police, military, a particular racial group, large corporations, etc.), the fact or the perception creates widespread mistrust. And when that occurs, bad things begin to happen.
In my personal example, the politician was later found guilty of embezzlement of city funds and sent to jail for eight years. Such a culture of mistrust is spreading and the city is economically depressed. The youth are leaving in large numbers and none of us should be surprised.
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