What Do We Do Now? Leadership Lessons from the Chaos

Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, victors in the Georgia Senatorial Run-off

The usual forward-looking hope and intention of a New Year was brutally erased by the shocking assault on the U.S. Capitol last week. Add the lethality of Covid, with thousands in the U.S. dying every day, and we are reminded yet again how greatly our world has changed since 2020. At the same time, the everlasting importance of good to great leadership remains crystal clear.  

For many—myself included—the news of vaccines by several pharma conglomerates brought hope for amelioration of the suffering from Covid. A smart public relations campaign in mainstream media lessened doubt about vaccine safety, but the slow pace and poor coordination of vaccine distribution points yet again to leadership lack, in this case of proper planning. 

Yet Wednesday’s violent insurrection by mobs incited by an outgoing commander-in-chief is the biggest failure of leadership; Trump’s obvious character flaws and arrested emotional development morphed into transparent attempts to subvert the election results and blatant calls for his followers to be “strong” by marching to the Capitol, which turned into an attack on a co-equal branch of the U.S. government. 

I doubt that the justified drive to impeach this deeply unfit chief executive for a second time will succeed before the inauguration on January 20. I hope to be proven wrong. His corrupt example and the clear and present danger of his influence over tens of millions should cause those who truly care about democracy and the future of our country to rise above partisan politics. When the leader of a major party is so clearly damaged as a human being, how can patriotic Americans continue with petty party politics?? Trump’s legacy as leader holding the title of president is crumbling in ignominy while his communication channels were summarily shut down by the tech platforms. Though I agree in this case with such an action, this demonstration of power by non-elected tech leaders sets a bad precedent.

The Insurrectionist Mob

But what about the rioters? Trump and his enablers spun spurious claims of voter fraud in Democrat-controlled cities though they obviously couldn’t present actual direct evidence to convince the courts in over 60 cases, all summarily dismissed. Trump’s own election security team deemed the election “the most secure in American history.” Trump loyalist Bill Barr admitted that there was no significant fraud. Not long before the MAGA-fueled red hats of a reinvigorated Confederacy bum-rushed the Capitol, soon-to-be former Majority leader of the Senate Mitch McConnell, who The Economist aptly described as being “rarely accused of acting on principle,” denounced the attempt to overthrow the electoral college votes because it “would damage our republic forever.” For once, I agreed with Mitch McConnell.

Yet the seditious resentment and fury energizing the mostly white men terrorizing the Capitol isn’t open to reason. They are open to rage and conspiracy, amplifying their trauma and insecurities via fits of violence. They are true believers in Trump’s lies and are more aligned with the folklore of white supremacy than with democracy and its institutions for redress of grievances. These tribalistic xenophobes should be heard and listened to, as is the case with all citizens, but as they crossed the line of no return, their actions should be condemned; further, they should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, and, if possible, thrown under the jail.

Perhaps while in prison they can become educated about civic life in a multi-ethnic democracy and evolve emotional intelligence beyond the confines of their own Purple and Red tribes. The FBI should round up as many of those who defaced and defamed the U.S. Capitol, while creating a violent scene resulting in five deaths, as possible. It’s a damn shame and dereliction of security and policing that hundreds who could’ve been arrested last Wednesday are only now the focus of manhunts.  

Political extremists on the left and the right threaten to rend an already fragmented body politic even further. The far left will soon become a focus of attention, as the Biden-Harris administration takes office and begins to govern. The “woke” will demand and cajole; right-wing media will react by stoking fears of socialism. Biden isn’t an extremist. If he leads with strength and exercises skillful means with Congress, much can be accomplished in the next two-four years. But national politics isn’t the only place for leadership. State and local leadership matter also, as well as leadership in the other domains of our lives, from family to business. 

To make it through the storms to come, wiser perspectives on leadership are necessary. In fact, that’s the topic of Jewel’s next post Friday coming. 

Ending on a Positive Note

Yesterday on Facebook, my handsome cousin Andre Goodman wrote the following:

Yes. And since Rev. Raphael Warnock’s mom is from our family’s origin in Waycross, GA, the victory over old ways of thinking, believing and behaving is even sweeter. As we look forward to the departure of the 45th president from the White House, and take necessary action against anti-democratic insurrectionists, let’s not lose sight of the victories that move us closer to the fulfillment of our nation’s democratic promise.