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10 Leadership Lessons We Learned From This Political Season

Updated: Nov 9



This political season seems to have gone on forever. There have been highs and lows in every campaign and we are nearing the end of this whirlwind election cycle. Through it all there have been more speeches, rallies, interviews, and pundit recaps that we can count - and some have emerged as more inspirational than others.


As leaders, we must always remain true to our core values and styles - but we can also continuously learn from others and adapt their successful traits to work for us.


  • Leaders who lead with negativity alienate their teams and their constituents (or customers).

  • Waffling or constantly changing your stance leaves people confused about where you stand and what you believe in.

  • Clear communication is crucial to ensure that the vision and mission are clear - and that everyone understands the "why."


The quickest way to clear the dinner table is to talk politics or religion - so in that spirit this is a completely non-partisan take on the candidates and what we can learn from them. This isn't meant to favor or endorse any one party or person, but rather share an overview of the best and worst we saw during the campaigns.

So as we all prepare to cast our ballots, here are 5 leadership dos and 5 leadership don'ts we learned from our candidates running for office.


Let's start with the good stuff. What qualities do the best candidates exhibit that we, as leaders, can learn from, embrace, and work to integrate into our style. Here is what they did well.


  1. Prioritize Clear Communication Communication is the backbone of any successful team. When leaders are transparent and straightforward, they minimize misunderstandings, build trust, and empower their teams to make informed decisions. Clear communication has lasting benefits:

    • Creates transparency: When people know what’s going on, they feel included and are more likely to trust. This reduces uncertainty and increases buy-in.

    • Sets Expectations: Open communication makes it clear what the goal are and ensures alignment on what success looks like.

    • Fosters Accountability: Transparent communication creates an environment of accountability, where everyone knows their roles and responsibilities. When teams know the "why" behind the work or the goal, they are more likely embrace the objective.

  2. Lead with Empathy and Understanding Empathy is one of the most powerful tools in a leader’s toolkit. When leaders understand and connect with their team’s emotions and challenges, they foster trust and inspire loyalty. Empathy has several benefits:

    • Builds Trust: Team members feel comfortable sharing ideas and feedback, knowing they will be heard when they share and are not dismissed out of hand.

    • Increases Engagement: Empathy can improve team morale by showing that leaders care enough to get to know their teams and their customers.

    • Encourages Growth: Understanding your team and your customers helps ensure that they have what they need. It can also help you build a well-enabled team that can grow with the organization.

  3. Takes Responsibility and Is Accountable True leaders own their decisions and actions, both good and bad. Accountability not only strengthens a leader’s credibility but also fosters a culture where others feel empowered to do the same. Here’s why accountability matters:

    • Builds Respect: When leaders take responsibility, it shows integrity and earns respect from the team.

    • Encourages Others to Own Their Work: A leader’s accountability sets a standard, inspiring others to do the same.

    • Enhances Team Performance: Teams perform better when everyone is held to the same standards, knowing they’ll be supported and coached as needed. Teams also respect leaders who stand up for them when thing go sideways.

  4. Do Foster a Spirit of Collaboration Great leaders inspire teamwork within their organizations. By bringing people together, leaders create a sense of unity and shared purpose that propels everyone forward.

    • Breaks Down Silos: Collaboration fosters cross-functional interactions, enabling teams to learn from each other and address issues holistically.

    • Promotes Innovation: Diverse perspectives lead to creative solutions, as it unlocks creativity and new approaches.

    • Encourages Trust Among Team Members: When people work together toward a shared goal, they develop trust and mutual respect, enhancing teamwork and morale.

  5. Lead with Positivity Positivity is contagious, especially in challenging times. Leaders who maintain a positive attitude inspire their teams to be resilient and see possibilities rather than obstacles.

    • Boosts Team Morale: A positive leader motivates the team, helping them stay optimistic even in difficult situations and to pivot when needed.

    • Sets the Tone for Work Culture: Optimistic energy establishes a solutions-focused atmosphere, encouraging everyone to contribute rather than finger-point during times of adversity.

    • Increases Productivity: A positive environment empowers teams to be more engaged, productive, and proactive. It also cuts down on sick days and employee attrition.



This may have been one of our most contentious and negative election cycles we have ever seen - and as a result there were some lessons about what not to do as a leader.


Here is where this recent candidates have struggled as leaders.


  • Making Empty Promises Empty promises can erode trust faster than nearly any other behavior. Leaders should only commit to actions they intend to fulfill (or at least put forth maximum effort, as Dead Pool would say). Here’s why broken promises are problematic:

    • Undermines Credibility: A leader who makes empty promises quickly loses trust and respect.

    • Creates Disengagement: When promises go unfulfilled, team members become disheartened and less invested - and trust erodes.

    • Inhibits Growth: Without follow-through, important initiatives may falter, leaving teams rudderless as they don't understand the direction.

  • Waffling on Values and Vision A clear, unwavering vision is fundamental to effective leadership. Leaders who change their direction based on convenience or external pressures can confuse and demoralize their teams.

    • Confuses the Team: Unclear values and direction can lead to inconsistent actions, leaving teams uncertain about priorities. It makes new initiatives feeling like "flavors of the month."

    • Dilutes Team Motivation: If values shift frequently, team members lose faith in the mission, which hinders motivation.

    • Weakens Organizational Alignment: Strong values and a steady vision bring unity, but constant changes in vision makes it difficult for everyone to row in the same direction.

  • Letting Ego Drive Decisions Effective leadership means serving others, not just advancing oneself. Decisions made out of ego instead of purpose ultimately hurt the organization. When it becomes about the leader's agenda it is difficult to lead teams or serve customers. Here is why:

    • Creates a Toxic Work Culture: Ego-driven decisions breed a competitive, distrustful environment where collaboration suffers.

    • Clouds Judgment: Decisions based on personal pride often lack objectivity and miss important insights. It also makes it hard to stay on message.

    • Reduces Team Trust: When leaders prioritize ego, team members feel undervalued and disconnected.

  • Disparaging Others Great leaders uplift, they don’t tear down. Respectful communication, even in disagreement, strengthens team bonds and morale. The best leaders know how to firmly disagree without escalating a situation.

    • Fosters a Respectful Culture: When leaders respect all voices, they set a standard for mutual respect throughout the organization. That doesn't mean they back away from a tough situation, but they do so respectfully, and with conviction.

    • Encourages Open Communication: Teams are more likely to share ideas when they know they won’t be dismissed out of hand or treated poorly for raising a concern.

    • Builds Trust: Respectful interactions create an environment where everyone can contribute fully. No leader can have all the great ideas, so we all need teams who will challenge us and share their great ideas.

  • Ignoring Integrity Acting with honesty and integrity is crucial to building a strong team and cultivating a loyal client and customer base. Leaders who sidestep it lose credibility and can foster a culture of inconsistency and mistrust. This is especially true of leaders who steal credit from their teams. This has the following impact:

    • Erodes Trust: A lack of integrity makes it difficult for teams to rely on their leaders. They become

    • Encourages Attrition: No one wants to work for a boss who steals credit, is dishonest, or doesn't follow fair wage practices.

    • Weakens the Team’s Foundation: Accountability and integrity keeps teams focused, disciplined, and on the same page with foundational behaviors.



This political season has been perpetual stream of information and has left many dizzy from the rhetoric, grandstanding, and negativity.


It is fair to say that this season has been far more about what not to do as a leader than what to do, but there were some bright spots that give us hope. The bright spots came from all sides, all tenures, and all geographies. And when great leadership did shine through it shined brightly.


Great leadership does that. It cuts through the noise, the negativity, and the nonsense to craft an inspiring and optimistic message that sets a vision teams can embrace and champion.

More to the point, it puts people at the center of everything.


Tony Johnson


* Written by a real human, not A.I.



 

Tony is an award winning speaker and author on the topics of sales growth, customer experience, and leadership. Tony speaks to thousands annually and has been featured on ABC News and Fox News. He is available for business planning, motivational keynotes, leadership workshops, and employee service skills training.


Tony is the founder of Ignite Your Service and the Chief Experience Officer for 4xi Global Consulting.


Tony is available to help with your Customer Experience and Employee Engagement Strategies, inspirational keynote talks, team training and development, and executive leadership coaching.

 

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