Dec 8

I Have a Dream – A Sustainable Leadership Model in the Political Arena

Michael Nothdurft
Michael Nothdurft is a Trainer, Consultant and Coach since 2009. With more than 37 years of leadership experience he supports organziations and people on their way.

It is December 08th, 2026.

The leaders of our world achieved a breakthrough in mastering the climate change.
The solid cooperation between the new economic powers in the east, South America, the United States and the “old world” has been celebrated for the 10th year.

Nations and different cultures learned how to cooperate for the survival of our planet. The amount of conflicts is on the lowest level since decades.

People started to request influence on important decisions and the societies learned that real participation makes a difference. The wisdom of the many produced excellent and sustainable solutions.

The biggest impact for this change is granted to a modified political leadership model.

  • The political leaders developed together with their nations a clear picture of the future.
    They are working for sustainable solutions in industry and society. Social coexistence is designed to avoid conflicts and to give the people a chance to master their lives. Based on a broad majority of engaged people, important decisions have been taken and realized. Thus the biggest challenge since mankind, the climate change, is tackled.
  • These leaders are willing to take decisions and to take manageable risks. They are willing to decide. Based on the vision and the information they have gathered by using the wisdom of the many.
    They are willing to test new approaches in prototyping and giving these tests enough time to succeed. Sustainable success is the keyword.
    In these cases they are setting clear and goals and priorities that are supported by their teams. A clear and regularly communication strategy is obvious.
  • Real respect for the people is evident.
    The ideas, wisdom and knowledge of the human beings are used to find new solutions. The politicians accept their support by installing wisdom councils, executing future search, open space conferences, world-cafes and other methods for participatory support. The dialogue between the different stakeholders in communities, regions and countries integrate industry, education, administrations, political parties, commerce, organizations, the people and all other stakeholders to develop sustainable solutions.
    During these processes new, engaged leaders will be discovered that are willing to spend their energy into the society and their own region.
  • Political leaders have learned to listen to the people and are integrating the different cultures, backgrounds and interests into their development.
    It is recognized that diversity is a cornerstone for good and sustainable solutions. The collaboration via the internet became standard and is helping the roll-out of new and sustainable concepts and solutions. In technology as well as in society.
    They accept the fears and sorrows of the people and are working hard to find solutions by including them as well as experts.
    Their membership in parties is not an obstacle any more for pragmatic solutions that are in favor of the community.
    The difference in cultural behavior and thinking is accepted and therefore leads to better solutions.
    They are taking care of the people and are respecting the different needs and settings of the human beings to prevent from burn- out and bore-out.
  • Leaders are authentic. They “walk the talk”; they stand for their values, dreams and are keeping their word. Political leaders that do not keep their word are not accepted any more. Authenticity is a prerequisite for political leaders.
    They are honest, clear and can build up trust. They maintain an optimistic approach.
  • Real and deep listening is a capability that is highly respected. Dialogue is a well trained and an everyday method in decision taking processes, projects and solution providing in communities, companies and institutions.
  • Leaders have a clear, reliable and direct communication. They do not hide things and are committed to their words. They are perfect in motivating other people to engage themselves in finding solutions for a better future.
  • Leaders engage themselves in facilitation or are taking care that good facilitation is taking place in their projects. Good facilitation is accepted as a prerequisite for dialogue and sustainable solutions.
  • Leaders celebrate success with the people that spent their know-how and energy to create solutions for the community.
  • They are investing in social business. A balanced society is the foundation for intact communities. New business models that are based on a high degree of participation are standard. People are balancing between the economic and the social business. They are of mutual benefit.
  • They support constant, lifelong learning and are assuring that their administrations are ruling the best methods to achieve efficient results. People are keen to learn and are used to leave events, meetings if they cannot give or receive a benefit out of it.
  • Leaders are establishing rules and structures that are supporting the vision and are suitable to meet the latest challenges.
    Their organizations are adopted to navigate successfully in the course of change.
  • Leaders that understand humility as an important value in their task are highly respected. They are using their power with respect and in compliance with their stated vision.
  • Behavior that is in conflict of the vision is prevented consequently.
    Optimization in favor of single groups is banned. Delivery of benefits for the society and our globe are standard.

The requirements I have stated for good leadership in the political area may be very optimistic or even utopian, but I can see first elements being realized in our communities.

“Who takes the future seriously and really wants to take care of our planet, cannot pass citizen participation as supplement for the political process.”

This statement from an official impressed me. He really lives this statement and supports his communities to to become experts in these methods.
“We will not succeed to solve the future challenges we are facing without integrating the people. We have to motivate as many people as possible to help the politicians on their way.” That has been the statement of a major that has implemented wisdom councils in his community.

Countries are declaring participation as one of the main issues for the following years. In Scandinavia even big administrations have begun to implement that approach.  Projects are on the way and democratic participation is taken seriously.

Complex problems cannot be fixed with simple solutions. And as Albert Einstein mentioned: “We cannot solve the problems with the solutions that created these problems”.
So we have to find new ways and have to use as much intelligence as possible.
This means integration of diverse people.
Their wisdom and special experiences, methods and approaches will allow us to create new ideas. The experts do not have the only solution. We have to think outside the box more often. Trial and error may be needed and therefore we should use prototyping even in the social and political arena.

Leaders in the political and social arena will face tremendous challenges.
Compared to leaders in the economic field they are much more seen in the public.
But the list of values they should stand for is even longer.
They have to take care of our environment; they have to assure that the people on our planet can be fed; that we can hand over to our grandchildren a livable planet.

In my understanding these leaders should become again the blueprint for all leaders.
Highly respected and standing for their values and their communities.
They are deeply committed to a good future of the planet as well as their local communities. It may be a difficult balancing act, but for the sake of our future it is worthwhile and I am convinced that the path into that kind of leadership is already paved.
Let´s go for it!

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 8th, 2011 at 07:29 and is filed under Corporate Social Responsibility, Editorial, Leadership, Management. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

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  1. Nancy Wells says:

    Thank you for giving a clear voice to a complex model. I believe your vision holds great hope for the future. Certainly not without its challenges.

    Thanks again, for a thought-provoking article.

    Nancy

  2. Michael Nothdurft Michael says:

    Thanks Nancy,
    These are the challenges we are looking for – don´t we??
    Have a great time
    Michael