Faith Meets Life: A humble job we can appreciate
Canadians are looking south of the border, many of them with not a little envy. We pride ourselves in being different from Americans, but when we see the excitement around the latest U. S. presidential election we would like to be more like them.
Thousands of Canadians showed up in Washington for President Obama's first day on the job. How many Americans came by for Stephen Harper's Prime Ministerial debut? Compared to that of our southern friends, our political scene looks, well, humble.
Actually, as far as I can tell, an aura of humility better fits political life than an aura of mass excitement. Leading, in the end, is a humble job. Here's why.
First of all, political leaders take a lot of heat. When you think about it, it has to be difficult to see yourself criticized publicly in the media. My guess is that most politicians, most of the time, are doing about the best they can, and yet, there is an understanding that our relationship with them has to be largely adversarial. Most of us would not be able to take it.
Second, political leaders can't really create all the change they want. Consider how slowly things change in a relatively small political unit, the Fanshawe student body. Then, imagine the inertia there is to overcome in a village, a city, a province or a nation. And imagine the frustration that comes with trying to create change you think would be good, only to find out how difficult it is to persuade other stakeholders of the value of your proposed changes.
Third, political leaders are flawed. Like the rest of us, they are all too human. They are tempted to surround themselves with like-thinking and appreciative people. Truly listening to the other side is difficult. It's easier to malign an opponent and ridicule her views — something that happens with discouraging frequency in Ottawa.
Fourth, change brings opportunity for failure as well as success. While there are many past precedents a leader can follow, such as where Jonathan Hillis will chair FSU meetings, the political present is always new and unique. The student body continues to grow. Demands for FSU services are increasing. Six months ago, no one foresaw today's economic situation and ten years ago climate change was about vacation plans. With change comes the challenge to address situations never encountered before and real risk of failure.
Leadership and political life is often more about guts than glory, more about blood and sweat than inaugurations and conventions.
So, we need to let our MPs know that we admire their commitment. We need to avoid buying into an attitude of ridicule or cynicism. We can tell Hillis — and any other FSU presidents on our watch — that we appreciate him. When our mayor or church leader, our club president, or our minister of finance, does something we appreciate, we can send our thanks by email. And if we criticize we need to do that without destroying the other person's dignity.
We can help create a climate of appreciation for leaders in the college and the country. And a climate of appreciation can motivate our leaders to work towards the higher goals of justice, fairness and compassion for all the students or citizens they lead. Which, in the end, is really what we want of all leaders.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
Thousands of Canadians showed up in Washington for President Obama's first day on the job. How many Americans came by for Stephen Harper's Prime Ministerial debut? Compared to that of our southern friends, our political scene looks, well, humble.
Actually, as far as I can tell, an aura of humility better fits political life than an aura of mass excitement. Leading, in the end, is a humble job. Here's why.
First of all, political leaders take a lot of heat. When you think about it, it has to be difficult to see yourself criticized publicly in the media. My guess is that most politicians, most of the time, are doing about the best they can, and yet, there is an understanding that our relationship with them has to be largely adversarial. Most of us would not be able to take it.
Second, political leaders can't really create all the change they want. Consider how slowly things change in a relatively small political unit, the Fanshawe student body. Then, imagine the inertia there is to overcome in a village, a city, a province or a nation. And imagine the frustration that comes with trying to create change you think would be good, only to find out how difficult it is to persuade other stakeholders of the value of your proposed changes.
Third, political leaders are flawed. Like the rest of us, they are all too human. They are tempted to surround themselves with like-thinking and appreciative people. Truly listening to the other side is difficult. It's easier to malign an opponent and ridicule her views — something that happens with discouraging frequency in Ottawa.
Fourth, change brings opportunity for failure as well as success. While there are many past precedents a leader can follow, such as where Jonathan Hillis will chair FSU meetings, the political present is always new and unique. The student body continues to grow. Demands for FSU services are increasing. Six months ago, no one foresaw today's economic situation and ten years ago climate change was about vacation plans. With change comes the challenge to address situations never encountered before and real risk of failure.
Leadership and political life is often more about guts than glory, more about blood and sweat than inaugurations and conventions.
So, we need to let our MPs know that we admire their commitment. We need to avoid buying into an attitude of ridicule or cynicism. We can tell Hillis — and any other FSU presidents on our watch — that we appreciate him. When our mayor or church leader, our club president, or our minister of finance, does something we appreciate, we can send our thanks by email. And if we criticize we need to do that without destroying the other person's dignity.
We can help create a climate of appreciation for leaders in the college and the country. And a climate of appreciation can motivate our leaders to work towards the higher goals of justice, fairness and compassion for all the students or citizens they lead. Which, in the end, is really what we want of all leaders.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
