Have you ever watched the question time sessions in the Australian parliament? If you have, you might have noticed that they often turn into heated debates, personal attacks, and interruptions. Is this how leaders should behave? How does this affect the way we view and practice leadership in our own lives? In this post, I will explore some of the key aspects of leadership, such as leading by example, the behaviour of Australian politicians in question time, and the impact on youth and society. I hope to spark some reflection and discussion on how we can improve the leadership culture and practice in Australia, and what we can learn from other countries and contexts.
Leading by Example
One of the most fundamental and effective ways of leading is by example. This means that leaders should model the values and behaviours that they expect from others, and show their commitment, integrity, and competence. By doing so, they can set the standards, norms, and expectations for their followers, and influence them positively and constructively.
For instance, a leader who leads by example can:
- Show respect and appreciation for their followers and listen to their ideas and feedback.
- Take responsibility and accountability for their actions and decisions and admit their mistakes and learn from them.
- Seek continuous improvement and innovation and embrace change and challenges.
- Collaborate and cooperate with others and foster a culture of teamwork and diversity.
- Communicate clearly and effectively and share their vision and goals with their followers.
On the other hand, a leader who does not lead by example can:
- Disrespect and disregard their followers and ignore or dismiss their opinions and concerns.
- Blame and criticize others for their failures and shortcomings and deny or justify their own faults and errors.
- Resist change and stagnate and avoid or reject new ideas and opportunities.
- Compete and conflict with others and create a culture of division and hostility.
- Communicate poorly and inconsistently and hide or distort their vision and goals from their followers.
Here are some examples of good and bad leadership practices, and how they affect the followers and the outcomes:
- Good: Jacinda Ardern, the prime minister of New Zealand, has been praised for her compassionate and decisive leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has shown empathy and care for her people and has taken swift and effective measures to contain the virus and protect the public health. She has also communicated regularly and transparently with the public and has shared her personal experiences and challenges as a leader and a mother. As a result, she has gained the trust and support of her people and has led her country to one of the lowest infection and death rates in the world.
- Bad: Donald Trump, the former president of the United States, has been criticized for his divisive and chaotic leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has shown indifference and denial for the severity and impact of the virus and has taken inconsistent and ineffective actions to control the spread and mitigate the consequences. He has also communicated poorly and dishonestly with the public and has blamed and attacked his opponents and critics. As a result, he has lost the confidence and respect of his people and has led his country to one of the highest infection and death rates in the world.
The behaviour of Australian politicians in question time
Question time is a parliamentary procedure that allows the members of parliament to ask questions to the prime minister and the ministers, and to hold them accountable for their policies and actions. It is also a platform for the politicians to debate and discuss the issues and challenges facing the nation, and to propose and promote their solutions and alternatives. You can think of it as a kind of quiz show, where the contestants are the politicians, and the questions are about the topics that matter to the people of Australia.
However, if you have ever watched the question time sessions, you might have noticed that they often turn into heated debates, personal attacks, and interruptions. Instead of answering the questions directly and honestly, the politicians often evade, deflect, or distort the facts and figures. Instead of engaging in constructive and respectful dialogue, the politicians often resort to insults, sarcasm, and mockery. Instead of listening and learning from each other, the politicians often interrupt and shout at each other.
Here’s a link to the question time sessions, where you can see and hear how the politicians behave and talk to each other in the parliament. Question Time
What are the effects of this behaviour on the public belief of politicians, the quality of democracy, and the trust in institutions? According to some surveys and studies, the answer is not very positive. For example, a recent report by the Australian National University found that the public confidence in the federal government and the parliament has declined significantly in the past decade, and that the Australians are dissatisfied with the way democracy works in the country. Another study by the University of Melbourne found that the Australians are increasingly cynical and distrustful of the politicians and the political system, and that they perceive the politicians as dishonest, self-interested, and incompetent.
The impact on youth and society
The political leadership and behaviour not only affect the adults, but also the youth and the future generations. The youth are exposed to the political discourse and behaviour through the media and education, and they can learn and form their attitudes, beliefs, and aspirations about leadership and citizenship from them. But what kind of messages and lessons are they getting from the current political leadership and behaviour in Australia, and how does it influence their development and participation in society?
I don’t know about you, but I find it very disappointing and frustrating to see how our leaders act and talk to each other in the parliament. I think they are setting a bad example for us and the rest of the world, and they are not doing their job properly. I think they should be more respectful, responsible, and cooperative, and focus on solving the problems that we face as a nation, rather than fighting and blaming each other. I think they should be more like the leaders that we admire and look up to, such as Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, or Jacinda Ardern.
But how do we expect other people to behave better when our leaders are setting the example? How do we hold our leaders accountable and responsible for their actions and decisions? How do we influence and change the leadership culture and practice in Australia?
One of the possible ways to start is to refer to the ad campaign that the government did on respect, especially on public transport. The campaign was aimed at promoting respect and courtesy among the commuters and reducing the incidents of anti-social behaviour and violence on the public transport. The campaign featured a series of posters and videos that showed the positive and negative consequences of the commuters’ actions and choices and encouraged them to think and act differently.
Here’s a short clip from the ad campaign on respect, where you can see the message and the slogan that the government used to communicate with the public. Stop it at the Start – Impact in the Community animation
The campaign was based on the premise that respect is not only a moral duty, but also a social benefit. That respect can make the public safer, smoother, and more enjoyable for everyone. That respect can also create a ripple effect that can spread to other areas and aspects of life, such as work, school, family, and community.
The same premise and principle can be applied to the political leadership and behaviour, and to the leadership and citizenship in general. Respect is not only a moral duty, but also a social benefit. Respect can make the political discourse and behaviour more civil, constructive, and productive for everyone. Respect can also create a ripple effect that can spread to other areas and aspects of life, such as work, school, family, and community.
But respect is not something that can be imposed or enforced by rules or laws. Respect is something that has to be practiced and demonstrated by example. And the example has to start from the top, from the leaders. The leaders have to show respect to themselves, to their followers, to their opponents, and to their society. The leaders have to lead by example.
How can we improve the situation and reverse the trend? How can we foster a culture and practice of leadership and citizenship that is based on service, accountability, respect, collaboration, communication, and engagement? How can we bridge the gap and build the trust between the leaders and the followers, and between the generations?
These are some of the questions that I would like to ask you, my dear readers, and invite you to share your opinions, experiences, and feedback in the comments section below. I hope that this post has sparked some reflection and discussion on the topic of leadership, and that you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Thank you for your time and attention, and I look forward to hearing from you soon. 😊