Will the real Gordon Brown please stand up?
He has held his position... for now, but Gordon Brown is a long way from having the full support of his party, or the full confidence of the electorate. Journalists, political commentators and - let's face it - bloggers are having a field day dissecting Brown's leadership - his supposed 'flawed' personality, alleged temper tantrums and toe-curling appearances on Facebook.
And yet, there's a dichotomy - those who know Gordon Brown, who have spent time in his company, describe him as utterly charismatic, engaging, humorous and with a brilliant, searing intelligence. Who is Gordon Brown?
Is it the case, as his supporters suggest, that GB is a great politician but simply does not have the media presence required of a 21st century leader? It's certainly true that we expect our leaders to be skilled orators, to speak from the heart, to capture the imagination and hope of the people (look no further than Obama). It's a common-held belief that the key role of a leader is to talk things up, inspire and motivate. But what the current crisis shows very clearly is that leadership is so much more than polished communication skills - indeed a few inadvised sessions with a presentation coach may do more harm than good. Remember his 'heartfelt' sentiments for Britain's Got Talent loser Susan Boyle on GMTV? One thing that the public will judge more harshly than an awkward presentation style, and that's one that looks fake.
No, a lack of confidence in leadership comes not so much from what is said, but from what is done (or not done). Public criticisms revolve around a lack of openness (cf. 'stealth' taxes) and in the more recent MPs' expenses scandal, a lack of moral leadership. Within the party, outgoing Ministers have cited a "bullying" and non-inclusive style of leadership, and talked of an inner circle within the Cabinet. So in this media-saturated world, no matter how often that Facebook clip is replayed, we should not lose sight of the fact that Brown's leadership crisis runs far deeper than a few misplaced smiles.
And yet, there's a dichotomy - those who know Gordon Brown, who have spent time in his company, describe him as utterly charismatic, engaging, humorous and with a brilliant, searing intelligence. Who is Gordon Brown?
Is it the case, as his supporters suggest, that GB is a great politician but simply does not have the media presence required of a 21st century leader? It's certainly true that we expect our leaders to be skilled orators, to speak from the heart, to capture the imagination and hope of the people (look no further than Obama). It's a common-held belief that the key role of a leader is to talk things up, inspire and motivate. But what the current crisis shows very clearly is that leadership is so much more than polished communication skills - indeed a few inadvised sessions with a presentation coach may do more harm than good. Remember his 'heartfelt' sentiments for Britain's Got Talent loser Susan Boyle on GMTV? One thing that the public will judge more harshly than an awkward presentation style, and that's one that looks fake.
No, a lack of confidence in leadership comes not so much from what is said, but from what is done (or not done). Public criticisms revolve around a lack of openness (cf. 'stealth' taxes) and in the more recent MPs' expenses scandal, a lack of moral leadership. Within the party, outgoing Ministers have cited a "bullying" and non-inclusive style of leadership, and talked of an inner circle within the Cabinet. So in this media-saturated world, no matter how often that Facebook clip is replayed, we should not lose sight of the fact that Brown's leadership crisis runs far deeper than a few misplaced smiles.
Labels: Facebook, Gordon Brown, leadership
posted by Eileen & Katrina at 10:19 PM
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