There's No Debate Leadership is Required

Last friday I attended a Houston Mayoral Candidate Debate hosted by the North Houston-Greenspoint Chamber of Commerce (http://www.nhgcc.org) and it got me thinking about the type of leadership needed in the political realm. The city of Houston is very fortunate to have a selection of candidates running that really represents the amazing diversity of the country's fourth largest metropolitan area and they each had the opportunity to articulate their experience, their goals and their vision.

Running a campaign seems like a lot of hard work to me, but if they are truly energized by the political process it should be a joyful experience for them. It seems to me that the ideal person must balance the managerial skills to run a large organization, and also be able to inspire people with a vision of something different or better. Managers aren't typically inspiring, but leaders usually are. Some leaders are good managers, others aren't. Where does the ideal point of balance sit between the two skill sets?

Speaking of balance, leadership in the political realm also involves balancing your own views and opinions with those of the people you represent. There are a million shades of gray between black and white and about that many differing opinions on so many issues. A good political leader has to know where the ideal point of balance is there as well.

So, during the debate I listened as each candidate described how they would manage the process of running the city and also listened for clues about their leadership style and what their "big picture" vision consisted of.  It was fascinating to see how, as they spoke, their personal styles became apparent through their words but also through their facial expressions, their dress and their style of language. I'll be continuing to watch this process to see how it unfolds and what leadership lessons it contains.