Leadership. It’s a simple word that’s easy to throw around, but it’s one of the most complex subjects known to man. Countless books and theses have been written about it. There are leadership matrices, leadership grids and leadership dimensions, to name just a few ways the experts have tried to quantify this mystical quality.
However one chooses to measure leadership, there are undoubtedly several traits successful leaders share. Those traits include integrity, vision, candour, transparency, inspiration, intelligence, maturity, passion, compassion, energy (and the ability to energize others), building consensus and the ability to execute. It definitely is not dictatorship. Those running for civic election would have us believe they possess leadership, but do they really? It’s easy to lay a claim to leadership, but it’s quite another to walk the walk.
The two candidates for mayor in Sturgeon County are both laying claims to leadership. Incumbent Don Rigney insists he’s a proven leader. He cites his work bringing the North West Upgrader to the county as one example of leadership. That may be so, but has council proven itself to be effective under Rigney’s leadership? That is a point of debate. The rash of 4-3 vote splits and the fact that the former Capital Region Board chair was brought in last year to give lessons on good governance would indicate there is not a lot of consensus building on council.
Tom Flynn also insists he’s a proven leader. Again, has council proven itself to be effective with Flynn sitting on council? Flynn was also a part of the 4-3 vote split and was there for the good governance lesson. In short, the old axiom that it takes two to tango applies in Sturgeon County. While it is true that personalities clash and people can’t be forced to get along, good governance must take precedence and occur in spite of that.
In St. Albert there is also a battle for leadership. The battle has been so intense that intelligence, maturity and transparency have taken back seats to mudslinging, bravado and behind-the-scenes hi-jinks. In the mayoral race, Shelly Biermanski represents the camp that is for lower taxes and curtailed spending. There’s also the incumbent Nolan Crouse camp that seems to stand for everything the Biermanski camp does not. The campaign has degenerated from ideological differences to who said what to whom when.
The election is only five days away. We can only hope that whoever is elected to lead our municipalities will have the good sense to try and exhibit the qualities of a true leader. Consensus needs to be built amongst the councils and amongst the region if we are to move towards meaningful progress. The idea is not to build fiefdoms, but communities that provide an affordable, but enhanced quality of life for their citizens.
For that to happen, our leaders need to check their personal differences at the door.
