“Like
a goal tender in the net, he deflects and catches the slap shots. Occasionally one shot will make contact…on
his person. Then it becomes not a game
of shots and deflects, but a personal game.
A game that takes its toll on his person or his head and then… it
becomes a game of survival.” Elr
It appears a job in public office presents an 'open
season' for the arm chair critics and trolls who live under the rocks and only
come out when the moon is full or when there is something to say about the
politics of the day. Sound cynical? Maybe.
I would prefer to think it is our reality and one which I didn’t think
existed on our gentle Island…until now.
Awhile back I wrote in this blog about a media story
that was written based on rumor (http://littlebaptiste.blogspot.ca/2012/10/a-private-man-in-public-office.htmlhttp://littlebaptiste.blogspot.ca/2012/10/a-private-man-in-public-office.html). Little did I know less than a year
later I would be taking pen in hand (or computer keyboard in hand) again to
make note of this phenomenon called ‘politics’.
All’s fair in love and war…and they should have
added…politics. All seems to be
fair. He gets paid and I will state again you couldn’t PAY me enough to do the job – not that I could, as I am sure I couldn’t. There is a job for everybody but for some, because you are paid from their tax dollars you are in effect their slave
and should do their bidding. Whew! Just the thought of this makes me shiver. His previous job compensation was from the ‘public
purse/government’ coffers as well. In
that job too, a few of the general populace were of the same mindset. They were mistaken. One thing is for sure. His moral compass is still very much intact
and that might frustrate those when he won’t sway from it.
“Here
today - gone tomorrow” is the mantra we repeat often. He doesn’t plan to be in this for a long
time, but for the short time he will do the job he is given and in some
instances he has inherited the sins of the fathers. But politics is all about polls. You will never have the favor of all people –
and that is democracy – gotta love it.
Anonymous
The media are not doing their job well. They report half truths; omit important and
critical facts from their reported pieces, intentionally or unintentionally; or spin the story to their liking
depending on their partisan beliefs. Not
fair? Nope. But I do believe they thrive on the ‘drama’
they create by acquiring a sense of what will rile the masses. I often recall
my Mom telling me to ‘believe only half of what I read’. I never knew what she meant…I do now! Then there is the mud section- the anonymous
comment section. Most online news
reports have it. Occasionally the CBC site will close their article to comments sensing that the piece is just too sensitive.
But the others leave it and never, ever remove posts that are clearly abusing
their paper’s own guidelines. Very few
post (reveal) their real names. It is an
Island after all and the population is small and of course to speak out might
mean your neighbor or whoever would never speak to you again for voicing your
personal opinion. So they hide behind these
crazy anonymous names. For what purpose?
Do these posters realize that the very people they disparage have families, wives,
parents, siblings and close friends…that read these posts? Would anyone really relish reading about
their loved one accused of being corrupt; part of a gang; a liar; dishonest; a fat cat;
immoral or crooked when they know the opposite is true? Rhetorical question…of course not.
There has
been a huge outcry lately about cyber bullying.
The media should take heed. They
are aiding and abetting the very same types to ‘legally’ get away with bullying
and slander, under the guise ‘freedom of speech’. It's a double standard. Unbelievable!
I came across this article; http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/management/10-hard-truths-about-leadership/article7630820/and immediately noticed the similarities with these ’10 hard truths about
leadership’ traits to his. To be an
effective politician, possession of some leadership skills is of the utmost
importance. For anyone who doesn’t, it
must leave them frustrated and confused.
He possesses all ten and I will elaborate as they apply to
the political side of course.
1. Politics are pervasive: The description is very similar to what I have claimed time and again. For him it is ALL about relationships. I am convinced it was why he won the election.
2. You may be unpopular: No kidding! He was never afraid to be unpopular or to make unpopular decisions. He had a lifetime of this. For those who think his background did not prepare him for politics…better think again!
3. Stay out of the spotlight: He has been accused of ‘flying below the radar’ on many occasions. He does not seek the limelight, nor does he seek the photo ops or media attention. They have to literally chase him for a comment or a media release. He leaves it to his media department to handle the press releases. He won’t always answer the calls directly from the media as some have burned him more than once and now they pay the price.
4. Even great leaders are afraid: Those evenings when he is quiet and pensive; yes, you might say he is afraid; but mostly afraid he might not have done enough.
5. Somebody is always watching: There are cameras everywhere (ie legislature or in public) – eyes are everywhere. If they don’t know the story they will make it up. The community is small and they watch every move.
6. Conserve your energy: The last year he faced several personal challenges. Never in his life was he so cognizant to take care and pace himself and consciously surround himself with positive people who could help fuel his energy versus ‘suck the life’ out of him with negativity.
7. Be confident, but be modest: He never acts like he has all the answers. I have written about his humility often. He doesn’t talk just to hear the sound of his voice, but when he does talk his confidence shines through. A reporter asked him a question on the air and the answer was simple; “I don’t know.” Where could the reporter go from there? It was a short media clip.
 |
| Could anyone hazard a guess as to what he is thinking while being interviewed here? |
8. Never, ever talk trash: He will never stoop to the low (wrestle with the pig in the mud because the pig likes it and you will only come out dirty). I have read some of the communication that has been sent to him and listen to the voicemail messages left on our home phone. Then later I will hear him on the phone talking to the same person and I am always in awe of his professionalism. He is definitely a class act.
9. Know what you want: He never loses focus. He always stays on topic – he knows what he wants and he knows how to get it. This just might be attributed to years and years of giving expert testimony in a court of law…under oath.
 |
| Taking his job quite seriously. |
10. Communication is key: He never misses an opportunity to mingle and mix with his constituents. It is subtle and he doesn’t do it because of ‘the vote’. He does it because he truly enjoys it and it shows. I remember teasing him years ago about his passion for ‘working the room’. And through it all he strives to hit the ‘work/life’ balance even with the long hours. We do our best.
 |
| A familiar sight around the community in his straw hat with the Liberal red band. He is clearly enjoying himself! |
So, at the risk of using a very over-used buzzword; “at the end of the day” this politician will often humbly state: “I just wanted to be the MLA.”
Well, Mr. Minister, you were handed much, much, more! And with your usual dignity and grace you are doing it. Have I told you today that I love you? Lady Lorraine
 |
| Achieving the work/life balance. |
No comments:
Post a Comment