The severe drought... but not the one you are thinking of
The events of this week in parliament highlight the severity of the drought in Australia. The leadership drought. In an era, full of leadership courses, and professional develop, why are we regressing so rapidly in terms of true leadership.
If you cast your eye across world politics, and many industries including our own sheep industry, it is pretty obvious that the leadership drought is real. But why? What the hell has happened to leave us in this situation?
Personally I don’t think modern society is fostering leadership at all. In place of leadership, we are seeing individual ambition flourishing. And all of the leadership courses in the world don’t appear to be helping.
We hear people talk about the Gen Y’s and the Millennial Generation as being self-centred, self-absorbed, self-serving, spoilt brats. Now that may well prove to be true, but right now they aren’t the ones demonstrating these traits. Gen X and Baby Boomers, as it turns out, are the masters of putting themselves and their own ambitions before the greater cause.
Not only that, but our current batch of “leaders” rely heavily upon the concept of divide to conquer. Create some form of fear, or just simply find some grounds to drive a wedge between people. Whether it is the Trumpisms of the US, or simply a sheep industry being derailed by people more interested in protecting and promoting their own interests, all despite the advice of the best brains in the business.
We have lost our way so badly, that it is hard to see any short term change. We have become a world where those with extreme points of view are the ones with power and influence. That might be the far left and far right in politics, or the science deniers in all walks of life. How is it that common-sense, and a healthy respect for scientific evidence have evaporated from leadership. Or perhaps leadership has evaporated from the reasonable majority.
Personally, I don’t think the reasonable majority can be bothered. They simply can’t be stuffed putting up with the bullshit. An so they don’t bother. They don’t bother even trying. They just keep their head down and do their own thing. I can absolutely understand that, but right there is the source of our drought.
I don’t pretend to have the answers here, but it is at least time for individuals to take some ownership. Step up and demand change. I don’t care if you are liberal, labour, greens, wool producer, lamb producer, cropper, environmentalist, professional, journalist or whatever else. You can play a role in getting our society, and our industry back on track. You don’t need a title to be a leader.
If you feel strongly about something, something bigger than yourself, and you have evidence, and I mean real scientific evidence, not just something your friend Dr Google, or some bloke down at the pub told you, then show some conviction and stand up for yourself, your industry, your people or whoever else you can help give a voice to.
It is time for the reasonable majority to properly stand up for itself, and overcome this leadership drought. The longer we wait, the worse things will get. Extreme views, and self-serving interests will continue to prevail.
The time is now. Be the future you want.
