A sure-fire strategy for losing
Well, it was quite a spectacle. Dour-faced and sullen, the left side of the aisle sat on their hands is solidarity of their hatred for President Trump. Now, to be fair, all parties out of power are opposition parties but there is common ground. I can understand that one might not like some things, but when you sit there in petulant rage while others cheer low unemployment in the very societal segments you claim to want to advance, I mean, come on. And you don’t like the flag, or the anthem or the military or paid family leave or infrastructure spending or American freedom?
Being against something or someone is far more common and a good deal easier than being for something, But regardless upon which side of the aisle you may sit, the over-riding and most compelling characteristic of a winning leader is vision and his or her ability to articulate and define it. It worked well for Obama in 2008. The opposition strategy didn’t work for Romney in 2012 nor did it work for Clinton in 2016. I’m guessing it won’t work for the opposition party in this year’s elections either.
In the analysis put forth in “Shattered,” the book that examined and analyzed that failed campaign, the authors reveal that Hillary blamed her communications team for failing to come up with a vision she could sell to the voters. In leadership dynamics, a “vision” is a desirable and attainable future state. All effective leaders in business, charitable nonprofit organizations, and government possess vision and are capable of articulating and defining it. If a vision is to “sell” well, it must resound with the ring of authenticity. This means it cannot come from a communications team or a PR firm. They can help a dynamic visionary leader promote it, but they cannot effectively originate it because it is a fire that burns within the leader. Clinton tried to run against her opponent but had little else to offer. If the opposition party has little more to offer in this year’s elections than their dislike for the President, I wouldn’t be counting on a shift in power in either house of Congress.
