Pornagraphy, Advertising, Leadership, and Pelosi

Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart had a famous quote regarding pornography in a case he was reviewing: "I know it when I see it." While the quote does not provide any concrete criteria for assessing difficult concepts, it does capture a feeling we each have about certain topics such as advertising, leadership and the aforementioned pornography. These are three very subjective characteristics. Why does one advertising campaign affect some people to purchase while having no impact on others? Why is a movie viewed as cutting edge by some but pornographic by others? Why is one person viewed as a leader by some but arrogant by others? Very subjective.

I tried to get a good definition of leadership but the dictionary definitions fail to capture that special something that leaders bring to life, kind of like the "I know it when I see" feeling. However, rather than a definition, I did find a good description of leadership that does better than the dictionary:

• A simple definition of leadership is that leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal. Put even more simply, the leader is the inspiration and director of the action. He or she is the person in the group that possesses the combination of personality and skills that makes others want to follow his or her direction.

I think this is a good definition of what a leader is. Words like "motivating a group of people", "inspiration","achieving a common goal", "makes others want to follow", etc. help to define that special, gut feeling we get when understanding leadership or effective advertising.

Given this special definition of leadership, how does House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stack up? As Speaker, she is one of the most visible, vocal and important politicians in the country but is she a leader? Me thinks not:

• When Congressman Joe Wilson yelled out "liar" during Obama's address to Congress on health care reform, there was well deserved outrage. However, Wilson apologized almost immediately for the outburst and his apology was graciously accepted by the President. However, despite the apology acceptance, Pelosi insisted on scheduled Congressional time to censure Wilson in what typically turned into a bitter, childlike partisan bickering event. Hardly an act the will establish an atmosphere of "achieving a common goal."
• When one of Obama's czars, Van Jones, publicly and on videotape called all Republicans a#%holes, Pelosi did not to express her outrage that fellow House members were slandered by an administration official. This type of inaction is not going to "make others want to follow her".
• When common Americans expressed outrage and their opinions over the wasteful, deficit spending of the political class, Pelosi called them "un-American." Not a good way of "motivating a group of people" when you question their patriotism for exercising their basic rights.
• And the most recent abysmal non-display of leadership, Pelosi refused to censure Democratic Alan Grayson who earlier this week called all Republicans "foot dragging, knuckle dragging Neanderthals." When pressured by Republicans to censure Grayson like the House had censured Wilson, Pelosi refused. While she may be the Speaker of the House she is in no way any kind "inspiration." A true leader would never allow fellow citizens or team members insult other members of the team, it inhibits the movement towards a common goal, namely addressing and solving the country's ills.

Thus, I am pretty sure I know leadership when I see it and Nancy Pelosi is not leader, failing on every aspect of the leadership description above. She is one of the few people in Washington with the clout and visibility to unite the politicans of both parties for the good of the country but obviously has neither the skill or the desire to do so. Unfortunately, she would rather just muck around in the mud with the other kindergarten level politicians that currently sit in Congress.

I would suggest that Pelosi take to heart the advice from this old saying: "Never mud wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig enjoys it." Get out of the mud, Nancy, and show a little leadership. We will let you know when we see it.