If Walker won’t listen, then he’s not leading

In the last couple of weeks, I've been giving a lot of thought to the question "What makes a good leader?" Given the political unrest in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Jordan, and Bahrain and the protests in Madison (and now other states as well), I think the question is valid.

     To me, it seems that we struggle to answer this question ourselves—well, perhaps not struggle, but maybe we have a difficult time thinking in depth about the idea. For example, in the last two weeks, I've heard a lot of opinions about Scott Walker. I've even shared some of my own. Some have been in support of Walker's bill and many others have been critical. But no one has offered any insightful critiques of his leadership abilities.

     Those who support Gov. Walker believe that his proposed bill will provide major improvements to the budget deficit. Others argue that taking away the collective bargaining rights of public employees deals a serious blow to the rights of workers. Each side forms their opinion of Walker's ability to lead using these arguments, among others. 

     What troubles me most, however, is not that Walker is proposing a bill that essentially takes rights away from workers. It is the fact that he has blatantly said that he will not listen to those who have spoken out against the bill. "I'm not going to be intimidated," he has said. 

     Funny, I was under the impression that our elected officials are meant to represent their constituents. All of their constituents—not just the ones who voted for them. When such a large group of people speaks out against a piece of legislation, wouldn't a good leader at least take the time to reconsider it? Gov. Walker seems content to skip that step and push the bill right on through. Remember, he's "not going to be intimidated."

     Isn't there some compromise that can be reached? A different solution to the problem? Would not a good leader exhaust the possibilities to find a way to close the deficit without upsetting such a large number of his or her constituents? 

     I'm bothered when any leader acts in favor of his or her own personal agenda instead of listening to the people that he or she is supposed to be representing. Democrat or Republican, it is just not good business to disregard the voices of the people. 

     We've seen how, in just a few short weeks, the voices of the people have initiated great change in Egypt and other countries in the Middle East. Overthrowing regimes that have been in power for decades is certainly something to be admired, especially when it happens in countries that have governments that limit the rights of the citizens significantly. 

     We are privileged enough to live in a place that allows us the right to criticize the government and our leaders. Use that right. Think about what makes a good leader and if your executives don't meet that definition, talk about it. Share your opinions and frustrations—our leaders can't improve if we don't let them know what we think.