Where have all the leaders gone

While the book … Where Have All the Leaders Gone? … by Lee Iacocca with Catherine Whitney, addresses leadership issues on a global and national level, the aspects of leadership to which the author refers apply equally to our City, County and State leaders, public officials, regulators and elected officials. And for my money, they apply equally to you and me. “We” – that’s you and me – obediently stand and upon cue applaud the actions as well as the inaction of our city, county and state leaders, public officials, regulators and elected officials. Equally, “we” are afraid to ask any of these same individuals “tough” questions, settling instead for the PC correct “soft-ball” question allowing them to spout the acceptable prevailing mantra. Whenever a brave soul chooses to ask any leader, public official, regulator or elected politician the “tough” question, most of us cower in fear. Why is that…?

I recently witnessed at two ADEQ public hearings in Sedona convened to address the issues surrounding the proposed Bella Terra project along the banks of that “unique” designated water way – Oak Creek - “we” – that’s you and me – assumed a near reverent attitude allowing those representing ADEQ and therefore our Arizona Governor and her administration to run rough shod and totally dominate and control the tone and the manner in which they chose to answer the questions “we” posed. And “we” (and that most assuredly includes me) like scolded children obediently put our collective heads down passing our power to them, whenever they chose to solely declare any question out of line or to “stone-wall” and cloak their responses in bureaucratic-double-speak. “We” collectively permitted them to treat us like mushrooms, keep us in the dark and feed us bullshit. And some of us continue to wonder why Bella Terra is being permitted by our government regulators at every level to proceed unabatedly…?

The author of . . . Where Have All the Leaders Gone? . . . refers to the nine “C’s” attributes which he notes those espousing leadership should possess. These include: CURIOSITY, CREATIVE, COMMUNICATE, CHARACTER, COURAGE, CONVICTION, CHARISMA, COMPETENT and COMMON SENCE. These qualities are under challenge especially during times of crisis. I dare say these nine attributes apply equally to each of us as they do to those aspiring public leadership positions.

I would like to examine the proposed Bella Terra project through the lens of each of these qualities beginning with CURIOSITY. Had “we” – that’s you and me – chosen to examine the Bella Terra project and all of its ramifications through this lens the scope of questions “we” would have posed not only to ADEQ but to this developer would have been exponentially greater. Alas, in keeping with the quality of our education we chose to limit our dialog to only those topics and issues as chosen for us … “in our best interest” … by others.

CREATIVE … had “we” chosen to be creative, in turn “we” would have asked the regulators as well as the developer to be creative. Alas, in keeping with the expected PC attitude “we” allowed others to select and define the topics and issues “we” would be allowed to pursue.

COMMUNICATE … in this arena “we” groveled and allowed others (i.e. regulators, developers, engineers) to set the agenda, control both the tone as well as the topics to be discussed as well as allowing the regulators, developers and engineers to make unsubstantiated and ill-defined presentations and answers to our questions. “We” failed miserably in getting our message heard and our questions answered with full open disclosure.

CHARACTER … in this field “we” chose to assume the character of an ostrich, keeping our head buried in the sand or as a mushroom allow them to keep us in the dark and feed us bullshit.

COURAGE … in the book, courage is in part defined about balls (and that goes for females also) Courage is a commitment to sit down at the negotiating table and talk, yes about the “tough” questions, too. And, “we” let all of them off the hook.

CONVICTION … “we” mouthed outside ear shot of the regulators, developers and engineers our collective conviction that many aspects of the Bella Terra project were morally and ethically wrong, but we failed to ask any “tough questions” and demand full open complete disclosure of all the answers provided to us.

CHARISMA … is in part defined as that quality that allows people to want to follow you. Those aspiring a position different from that postured by the regulators, developer and engineers did not have or choose to look for that individual with “charisma” to rally around to champion that position.

COMPETENT … pretty simple, you got to know what you’re doing. And guess what “we” displayed our incompetence by allowing the regulators, developers and engineers to treat us as mushroom keep us in the dark and feed us bullshit.

COMMON SENCE … on this topic “we” collectively display our lack of conviction as we continually allowed ADEQ in particular to repeatedly inform us … “that’s not something they can address or they don’t have control over it” … and “we” summarily allowed them to perpetuate this lie.

The author believes during time of crisis these attributes are especially challenged. As the Bella Terra project unfolded and the crisis of credibility arose, “we” permitted ourselves to collectively be mislead, lied to, treated as children, summarily dismissed and essentially treated as wearing the “dunce-cap” we so richly deserved In this instance. We reacted, not unlike George Bush did when he was informed about the breaking events on Sept 11th, we sat as paralyzed as did he.

Perhaps “we” believe the conditions and circumstance surrounding the Bella Terra are now carved in stone and not stoppable. That is a choice, decision, observation or conclusion each of us must solely make. I submit, while difficult making a collective, unified stand now will yield positive results for us in the future. Yea, it’s not easy, and yea, there’s strong vested financial interest in having the Bella Terra project proceed.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead