No endorsement, no preferences indicated, no swaying of opinions already made based on fact and sound reasoning. Simply a statement of those traits that I value in any leader at any level in any capacity.
Sharing some of the leadership qualities that I admire, and although I am thinking, specifically, at the local level, these same attributes apply statewide and nationally.
—–Integrity : without honesty and transparency there is no leadership. Any person in a position of power who is devious and slippery will do irrefutable harm. No trust, no success.
—–Balance : a combination of good will, sound judgment, and the greater good are earmarks of a stable and sincere leader. Personal agendas can be killers.
—–Intelligence : those who assume leadership roles must be smarter than their followers. If not , chaos will occur as they are led down a road that is unknown , unwanted, and unacceptable . Intelligence is innate; has little or nothing to do with a formal education.
—–Experience : lack of experience for leaders is a disaster. Going through the learning experience, working the work, and observing great leaders are a beginner’s road map. The ” already-know-it-all ” attitude is a disaster in the making.
—–Expertise : the ability to put to use gifts and talents. Expertise comes from much experience and ” grinding away ” and understanding that it is never easy.
—–Passion : the heart and soul of it all. If the calling is not the “end-all” , the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night, and the innate desire to make the right decisions at the right time , then it is useless..
I don’t profess to have all the answers. I confess that I have not made the best voter choices all the time. I struggle with my heart and my head when they disagree. I shudder at some reasoning I hear from other voters. I worry that I don’t know the whole story. But I do my research. I say my prayers. I make my own decisions based on the best information I have.
Am I always right ? Absolutely not. But I am not blind nor deaf, so I read and I listen.
And I believe in my city, my county, my country. And I believe in the process of having my very tiny say. And I vote, faithfully, happily, and , hopefully, RIGHT ( whatever that might be ! ).
And to all of my friends who are reading this ,
“Take a minute to think of how you would describe the leader you will vote for “.
Applause. Well said. I have used your theory in voting. I used to vote on the democratic ticket in local elections in Toccoa for what and who I thought was right for the county
Thank you, Ron ! I have all the confidence in the world that you would make good choices when choosing your candidates………..
Well writen, and with compassion so many choices in 2024 election I hope you post this in the local paper as well. Great words to live and breathe! Respectfully
Thank you for your kind words. I started blogging during the pandemic, and Shane, at the Citizen, contacted me about publishing in the paper. I told him the blogs were public and to feel free to use. For the last couple of years, he has lifted each one and used. And I appreciate that.
Politics, in my opinion, must maintain at least a semblance of the greater good. NO one is perfect, but honesty , transparency, and NO personal agendas are critical.
As always, looking for the best outcome. Good luck………….