Leaders and leadership are not always the same

Major global trend-forecasters are sounding the alarms that humanity is on the verge of entering into the most tumultuous period in our history. The prospects of a global depression, global war on an unimagined scale and societal collapse are increasing.

Governments have been optimistic with all their happy talk. Is the worst really behind us? Raising interest rates is one way to find out! Maybe our leaders need to look at the facts! Is the economy in deep trouble - hence the delay in raising interest rates now?

Worldwide, the economic crisis has many bubbles. The main event on the horizon is the "bailout bubble" and the general world-debt bubble, which could plunge the world into a Great Depression.

The U.S. government keeps hyping "recovery" the way Bush hyped "terrorist threat" and "weapons of mass destruction" (WMD). The recovery seems no more real than the threats. Indeed, it is possible that the economic collapse has hardly begun.

Government economic policy must address the systemic crisis in incomes of working-class Australians. For many, real income ceased to grow some years ago. As in the U.S., many in Australia substituted second jobs and debt accumulation for the missing growth in real wages. With households in debt and jobs disappearing, these substitutes for real income growth no longer exist. Some 50% of marriages in Sydney allegedly face breakdown because of financial hardship.

How does an economy based heavily on consumer spending recover when so many high-value-added jobs, and the GDP and payroll tax revenues associated with them, have been moved offshore and when consumers have no more leverage to increase their spending? Where is the political leadership that understands e.g., the reasons for increased oil prices?

Urgency for real leadership seems everywhere! Leaders and leadership are not always the same. We desperately need a 'transforming leader' - a person who aims to develop a new level of awareness and understanding among our citizens.

Time and circumstance can forge leadership qualities in men and women. Leaders can be effective but dangerous by their treachery and intimidation - some being responsible for millions of deaths. Great leadership is more than just satisfying one's personal desires - political or otherwise. Morality and right values are also necessary for leadership whether of a government, a political party, company, school or the home. So what characteristics are noticed in great leaders who are known by their fruits?

Leaders provide people with a vision and articulate that vision to show how others may reach it. Embodied within that vision are achievable goals. People need to know where they are going! Double-minded leaders are likely to lead people somewhere else. Leaders help formulate policies to find solutions to problems and move forward. Carping is not about real political leadership!

Great leaders have wisdom, which is the ability to get the facts, then to weigh them up in the light of proper understanding of the causes of effects and to make right decisions under given circumstances. Men and women of truth live in the world of facts, not fictions. Thus great leaders have ability. Leadership positions are not for novices!

Men and women of ability, expertise and experience are required for governing and representing others. Some systems of government promote people to positions of leadership on patronage rather than merit. Often people are rewarded with positions of leadership based more on whom they know than on their abilities. Inevitably the nation/public suffers as lack of vision, inability to articulate it, bad policy, poor decisions and failure to inspire confidence are exposed in poor leaders as we have today.

Whilst Prime Minister Julia Gillard was denying a carbon tax, her government had already committed, without a mandate, $599 million to UN climate-change handouts over the current three-year Budget period. About $470 million has already been allocated.

Ultimately, billions of dollars raised by Australia's 'carbon tax' will go overseas, allegedly helping poor countries "battle climate change." U.N. admits "going green" will cost $76 trillion.

The U.N. Report tripled the cost to $1.9 trillion per year for 40 years i.e., $76 trillion - controlled by the U.N. and the World Bank.

Good leaders show themselves ethical in their words and actions if they are to develop trust and credibility in their followers. A leader's actions are governed by ethics while credibility depends on how others view him/her. A great leader is not intimidated!

The enemies of truth, freedom and justice are highly mobilized, well funded and efficiently organized. The institutional structures of power, whether local, national or global, are effective mechanisms through which the ruling groups of society establish and entrench their influence, build consensus among each other, brainwash and expand their control over society as a whole. Never before have so few controlled so much while so many have so little, globally.

Respect and the ability to teach are qualities people expect in a great leader. Respect for a leader motivates constituents to action. Great leaders are usually skilful communicators.

Former Prime Minister Winston Churchill described the Nazi threat to Britain: "I would say to the House, as I said to those who have joined this government: I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat . . .You ask, what is our policy? I will say: It is to wage war by sea, land and air with all our might and with all the strength God can give us . . . That is our policy. You ask what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory - victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror-victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival."

Had Churchill not earned their respect, they would not have followed him. He instilled hope in his countrymen when there was little hope to be found. He was a man of action but without pretence.

Churchill's credibility and determination were evident in his famous speech to the House of Commons on June 4, 1940: "We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight; we shall never surrender."

His bulldog persistence, fearlessness in combat and original hopeful speeches created a readiness and a willingness to follow his lead in Britain's darkest days.

A wise leader recognizes the value of humility. Too many people in authority falsely equate their positions as leaders with being automatically smarter and better than those they lead. Conversely, a good leader is inclusive, honourable, fair, compassionate and merciful - i.e., a true public servant.

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd believes starvation of millions in Africa is due to 'climate-change'. His call for Australians to donate to help these starving people is hypocritical!

Financial speculation in agricultural commodities has skyrocketed food prices worldwide and impoverished millions.

Goldman Sachs envisioned a new form of commodities investment, a product for investors who wanted nothing more than to park a great deal of money somewhere, then sit back and watch that pile grow.

Throughout the 2005-2008/2010-crisis commodity prices skyrocketed e.g., wheat by 127% and rice by 170%. Over 40 million people starved and 150 million became poverty-stricken. Yes, Mr. Rudd, over a billion people remain hungry, while wealthy investors continue to reap obscene profits by gambling on the world's most vulnerable.

True leadership goes beyond shallow thinking, personal tastes and comfort zones. An effective leader understands and appreciates the need for sacrifice and service toward others. He is genuinely focused on helping others more than on helping himself.

Good leaders are not dictators, bullies, browbeaters or oppressors but gain respect because of their character, commitment and concern for others. They are respected because they value and uphold the truth. Unprincipled leaders, the 'wolves in sheep's clothing' who lie, manipulate and creep by stealth - are unwanted!

Great leaders shun 'spin doctors' i.e., public relations professionals and bureaucrats who reinvent the truth to present their clients in the most flattering light. 'Spin' is cynically perceived as a form of propaganda: biased, manipulative and deceptive. In bureaucratic public relations, spin commonly implies disingenuous, deceptive and/or highly manipulative tactics to hoodwink the public of the truth. The rise of spin in government is a real problem for a democracy because its pernicious influence in political campaigns/conduct, advertising and corporate strategies masks transparency and provides the public with distorted information.

Washington officials avoid the term 'WMD' when describing U.S. weapons but instead use spin like "precision" cruise missiles and "smart" bombs as well as "depleted" uranium or "cluster" bombs and "agent orange" (dioxin). They lied to invade Iraq and now Afghanistan in unprovoked wars. The sole purpose is not for defence but to give U.S. hegemony - control or dominance over many nations. Where is our leadership that challenges such global covetousness and is a prime contributor to their numerous conflicts with other countries?

Where is our 'leadership' that allows the U.S. to bomb over 30 countries in unprovoked wars and topple numerous governments since WW2? Why does our 'leadership' believe a terrorist is someone who has a bomb but does not have an air force?

Something has benumbed our consciousness against the scandal that while "wanton destruction of towns, cities and villages" is a war crime, the unlawful bombing of cities from airplanes goes not only unpunished but is often perpetrated with very little accountability.

Who is the terrorist - the Iraqi hurler of shoes or the recipient, Bush? Is not the real terrorist the serial killer who, fabricated the Iraq war, massacred a multitude and legalized as well as ordered torture? Where is leadership to put right this upside-down justice?

Why, it seems, are the powerful never judged?Is it a just world when, every minute, $US3 million are wasted on the military, while at the same time 15 children perish from hunger or preventable disease? The military industrial complex manufactures death and devours our resources. Yet the 'owners' of the world only condemn violence when it is exercised by others. Has lame leadership allowed common sense and justice to remain divorced from each other?

Where do we see leaders who can measure up and whose courage, conviction and determination can change history? Good leadership requires acting on principles for the ultimate common good, based on what is right, not what is expedient or delusional.

More than ever the world needs true leadership!