Ask The "Experts" For Advice? Sure, But Don't Ask Them To Lead!

In an article called the Paradox of Leadership from Harvard University, leadership is described as an art, not a science. That to me means rules, formulas, and equations common to science aren't the right fit for art. Sometimes, successful art comes from breaking the rules and changing the formulas. It takes years and study to become an expert in science but is the same to be said in "art"?

What Is Good Leadership?

The Harvard article describes leadership as characterized by Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu this way. "A leader is best when people barely know he exists when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves. This is the art of leadership at its best: the art that conceals art." Ask yourself - Does that sound like your boss? Does that sound like political leadership In America today?

There are no easy definitions for art or leadership as demonstrated by some 15-thousand books having been written and thousands of more articles written on leadership each year, but one of KIT's great listeners has some thoughts on what leadership SHOULDN'T be. His thoughts make sense to us and we thought you would find them interesting and unfortunately, in play in our society today!

We'll share the "Editorial" in its entirety below but I first want to share a couple of reactions to the piece on leadership by Mike Johnson.

Consider the Ramifications of Being Lead By The Expert Class

It starts with this. Was our withdrawal from Afghanistan the overwhelming success that President Biden has crowed it was?

IF you think so, stop reading this now, do not pass go, do not collect $200, and proceed directly to the DNC website and give them all your money and whatever is left of your mind.

If not, if it seems (I say seems not seemed because we aren't finished) chaotic, poorly designed, tragically dangerous, and incompetent and incomplete - violating basic American values, then please keep reading, as we may have something that will resonate with you.

Too Many Experts Can Spoil The Soup!

Think about the freedoms we have with our Constitutional Republic. We can question and challenge the policies and decisions of our ELECTED leaders. Their authority to lead us comes from the "Consent of the Governed", not from a textbook or some subject matter EXPERTise>

On the subject of experts, BEWARE the Halo Effect. VeryWellMind dot-com writes, One great example of the halo effect in action is "our overall impression of celebrities. Since people perceive them as attractive, successful, and often likable, they also tend to see them as intelligent, kind, and funny." When in truth, they may actually be dumb, mean, and humorless. Being good at one thing doesn't automatically translate into being good at everything else.

Experts have a role to play. They should advise based on their area of expertise but as Mr. Johnson points out, living up to the title of "Expert" limits the options open to leaders and can lead us into trouble like with COVID, Afghanistan, the Economy, and more!

Here's Mike's Editorial

Progressive Governance Guarantees Afghanistan-style Failures In America.

"The President’s devastatingly inept Afghanistan withdrawal and his newly announced vaccine mandate painfully demonstrate the nature of “Progressive” governance. From the early American progressives like Woodrow Wilson to now, Progressivism means ‘Government-By-Expert.’ And here’s what should now be clear to everyone…

Our Progressive “Experts” aren’t very expert. This mediocrity automatically flows from the fact that Government-By-Expert cannot allow multiple opinions or viewpoints. After all, the Experts’ claim to power is based on their supposed expertise! So, Progressives always reduce real knowledge and learning by censoring debate and collectivizing everyone into a Grand Plan.

It’s the governmental method of choice for those who believe that a widespread “existential” crisis can only be addressed by rapidly coercing a stubborn, ignorant populace to collectively change their behavior. So, progressivism must censor, must collectivize, and must coerce to effect change.

We Rotarians have something called The 4-Way Test. Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Progressive government can’t allow these questions. If you think that’s an overstatement, consider the new vaccine mandate.

Is it true that only universal vaccination will defeat COVID and allow normal life again? Manifestly, no. The acquired immunity of the COVID-recovered is likely better and more durable. And healthy people under 60 have actually been roughly five times more likely to be murdered in Yakima than to have died of COVID.

Is a vaccine mandate fair to all? Again, no. Antibody tests can show a person’s acquired immunity, but this is nowhere in the plan. And what happened to bodily autonomy, or to "informed consent" as the basis of medical ethics?

Will such mandates build goodwill and better friendships? No! They’re ripping communities and families apart. Is a mandate beneficial to all concerned? Not when healthy people under 30 may actually experience less risk by achieving acquired immunity.

Public information-sharing platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube censor and ban people from applying Rotary’s four-way test to COVID policy. They must… because progressive governance always requires censorship and coercion to achieve collective action.

This year should show us that the proverbial canary lies caged and dead in the dark coal mine of progressive governance. I can only hope we leave the mine before it explodes, and America suffers the same swirling chaos and ineptitude that defined our departure from Afghanistan."

We are experiencing the most full-on big bite of progressive governance in our lifetime. The Pelosi/Schummer/A.O.C./Bernie/Warren/ Obama leftovers crowd teamed up whoever it is behind the scenes pulling Biden's strings are indeed trying to fundamentally change America. It's only been 8 1/2 months. How far down this road do you want the experts to take us? Remember, the expert on you is YOU.