A few fresh facets of leadership: Is the era and ethos of strongman governments gone for good? (3/4)

IS it only charismatic leaders and dynamic political messiahs who deliver results? We continue from where last week’s column began to analyse political leadership styles along the paradigms of definitions, theories, styles and roles; by adding processes, values, impacts and frameworks.

- By Wijith DeChickera

The discussion of the past weeks feeds food for thought into the much debated smorgasbord of an issue — as to whether Sri Lanka ever truly benefitted from the ‘strongman’ model of political leadership, as was assumed in the past for a plethora of reasons, including patriotism and propaganda machines doing their part.

This ongoing survey of the extant literature on key facets of political leadership the world over is an attempt to discern if there is an ideal model — one that would lead Sri Lanka away from the myths about political saviours and the misadventures of national messiahship in which we as a country and people suffered.

Processes follow on from roles played by leaders. And because “political leaders gain their initial authority through election not appointment, they require continuing consent from those who they govern and serve” (Hartley, 2010), which is a cyclical and even chronic process.

Other processes entailed in political leadership necessitate “maintaining a critical mass of political support, developing strategic policy direction, seeking to further leadership priorities outside the organization [or party, or government organ such as cabinet, or legislative assembly] and ensuring task accomplishment” (Hartley, 2010).

Three types of political leadership are also involved in processes: to wit, the ‘Creative’ type/ style — demonstrating “an effective ability for the new development of the system”; the ‘Administrative’ type — showing “effective ability for efficient management of operations and the nation in an existing system”; and the ‘Symbolic’ style — leading with “effective ability in a mature country and society in the process of establishing traditional values and a sense of loyalty” (Ishii, 2010).