Leadership: Leaders who lead

By Maria Millers

This week we saw the funeral of Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of approximately 1.406 billion Catholics across the world. An event that was attended by many world leaders who came to pay respect to a man who often displayed moral courage on some contentious issues.

And at home we have had daily images of our political leaders on the hustings across the country as we gallop into the home straight to the Federal Election this Saturday.

This turns our thoughts to what traits we are looking for in a leader and what are our expectations. There is now inordinate emphasis on the leaders of the parties. Of course, only a handful of us, those living in their electorates, will be voting for the leaders directly. Most will be casting votes for their local representative. Still in the end our votes will determine who will be our elected Prime Minister.

It’s not too far-fetched to say that there’s a growing element of cynicism about politicians at large, as conveyed in the following poem: Politics Today USA by Sandra Feldman which equally applies to us:

“They’re out for the kill!
The raw savagery of politics
Gives no thrill
To some observing citizenry.”

So what then are the qualities we are looking for in a leader who will have to respond to the challenges of the 21st century world: a world facing climate crises, inequality, conflict, rapid technological change, and deep social fragmentation.

Would the advice about stoic personal integrity expressed by Rudyard Kipling in his 1910 poem “If” suit the leadership we need today?

“If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too…”

Or is the kind of leadership we need not just about being effective or popular, but also about being deeply human, grounded, and future-focused.

In many ways the qualities for leadership are eternal

Over the ages philosophers have had a lot to say about leadership. Some saw it as a moral duty, others as a form of power, and some as a balance of both.

In Republic, Plato argued that the best leaders are philosophers. Only the wisest should lead, not the wealthiest or most popular. For Aristotle good leaders govern for the whole community, not for personal gain.

On the other hand for Machiavelli in The Prince effective leadership should focus on results and the means may sometimes need to be ruthless.

Moving into the modern age for thinkers like John Locke leadership was a social contract: A leader’s authority comes from the people and if power is abused people have the right to revolt.

Karl Marx saw true leadership (in a communist society) as classless and stateless, where people govern themselves.

James McGregor Burns in 1978 put forward The Transformational Leadership Theory which focuses on how leaders can inspire and motivate followers to go beyond their own narrow self-interests for the greater good. He distinguished between transactional (basic exchange) and transformational leadership – the latter inspires and uplifts followers to achieve greater goals themselves The leader and followers grow together through this process.He encouraged dialogue and critical thinking, even among those with opposing views.

Long before the term ‘transactional’ became commonly used particularly in describing President Trump’s style, Ralph Waldo Emerson in Ode to Beauty (1847) criticised the transactional nature of politics. Emerson suggested that political systems often commodify values, reducing them to mere transactions.

“To buy iron and gold;
All earth’s fleece and food
For their like are sold.
But a fairer prize,
A better gain,
The love of the eyes
Lighteth the brain;
Lighteth the whole
Influx of soul.”

He’s contrasting material wealth (gold and iron) with the deeper, more enduring value of beauty, perception, and love.It’s a call to remember that not all value is transactional or has a price.

Perhaps it’s timely to revisit Donald Horne and his iconic phrase: “Australia is a lucky country, run mainly by second-rate people who share its luck.”

Horne argued that our prosperity was largely due to natural resources and geographical isolation, rather than the result of visionary leadership or innovation. He observed that Australia’s elites often lacked the ambition and intellectual curiosity necessary to propel the country forward, relying instead on the nation’s inherent advantages.

By challenging the complacency of the nation’s leaders Horne encouraged a more critical and engaged citizenry, urging Australians to demand more from their leaders and to cultivate a political culture that values foresight and integrity.

Ultimately we need leaders who will do what is right for the common good, not what is popular or in the interests of a few; be ready to face uncomfortable truths make tough calls and be prepared to pay politically.

Someone once said: “A vision is not just a picture of what could be; it is an appeal to our better selves, a call to become something more.” People want to be inspired, but not with hollow slogans. We need bold visions for the future, grounded in real plans and shared values.

Today’s leaders must be listeners, coalition-builders, and facilitators of collective intelligence. This means elevating marginalized voices and truly sharing power.

Our world’s problems: climate, poverty, health are interconnected. Leaders must think in systems, understanding how sectors, communities, and global forces interact. It’s not enough to fix one problem without seeing its ripple effects.

The problem is that over the past few decades there has been a retreat from the leadership in the non-political areas such as economics, science and religion leaving politicians dealing with both global and domestic issues without this broader institutional support. These specialists are often relegated to working behind the scenes or ignored and worse politicized.

This means that politicians are now expected to not only be moral leaders, but also solve problems, across all those other areas

It’s a huge burden and, arguably, one that politicians alone can’t carry without broader support from civil society, academia, and spiritual institutions.

Our part is to remain informed, supportive and engaged and when needed openly and constructively critical

Maybe then and only then we will have the kind of ethical leadership expressed by Seamus Heaney in The Cure at Troy:

“Once in a lifetime
The longed-for tidal wave
Of justice can rise up,
And hope and history rhyme.”

Often quoted by politicians Heaney’s lines call for leaders to act when history gives them the chance to bend it toward justice.

The future of democratic leadership will depend a lot on whether emerging leaders can rebuild trust, address real inequalities, and adapt to a fast-changing world without losing core democratic principles.

Australia’s democratic leadership is under pressure but the foundations are strong.

The future will probably belong to leaders who listen better, act fearlessly and rebuild trust with ordinary Australians.

 

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