I’ve been ruminating recently over world politics and why I’ve been so grumpy with the politicians and their response to the challenges of this covid 19 pandemic.

And then I listened to Joe Biden’s speech.

And I realised why I was so grumpy.

“Biden addresses nation’s COVID-19 response, omicron surge

President Joe Biden acknowledged that Americans are tired, frustrated and worried about COVID-19. He said those who are vaccinated and boosted should feel comfortable with planned holiday gatherings.”

Source: https://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/biden-addresses-nations-covid-19-response-omicron-surge-81883996

I was grumpy because I had not until yesterday heard any political leader deliver anything that resonated with where the world is at in this pandemic.

To hear a political leader acknowledge people’s feelings was to see people, to hear people, to feel what people are feeling.

That’s what ethical leaders do.

That’s what moral leaders do.

That’s what human rights informed leaders do.

That’s what fit for purpose leaders do.

They mirror where people are at.

They acknowledge reality.

You cannot lead effectively if you cannot meet people where they are at.

You cannot lead people if you cannot achieve rapport with people.

That’s the issue I have with so many political leaders currently.

Politicians sit in positions of wealth and privilege.

They sit in positions of power and positions of trust.

Unyet time and again too many are abusing their power and abusing our trust in them.

So what’s this got to with the leadership, coaching and personal development – let along wise leaders achieving wise outcomes?

Well you only have to look at what is happening to economies in The United Kingdom, The United States and Australia to see what I am talking about.

Look at the death rates from the covid 19 pandemic in The United States and The United Kingdom.

And compare that to the leadership of Winston Churchill during World War 2.

I formed my views of political leadership during the Prime Ministership of Margaret Thatcher. She led The United Kingdom from the dark period of the late 70s and the James Callaghan Labour Government through a deep transitional period and series of challenges to deliver an economic transformation in the late 80’s. This was squandered through political over-reach initiated through the Poll Tax which resulted in her downfall. However, she modernised The United Kingdom during her time in No. 10. Tony Blair in his role as Prime Ministership further modernised The United Kingdom but again over-reach resulted in him loosing moral authority and passing the responsibility to Gordon Brown which led to the period of the Global Financial Crisis.

In Australia, political leadership has been equally turbulent. After John Howard, Kevin Rudd then Julia Gillard then Kevin Rudd. Then Tony Abbott, then Malcolm Turnbull then Scott Morrison.

But what progress has been achieved by these individuals?

Are we stronger as a nation?

Are we more equal, more healthy and wealthier in mind, body and soul?

Robin Sharma is a leading authority on leadership. I’ve read a number of his books. His most recent is reviewed below:

“The Everyday Hero Manifesto

by  Robin S. Sharma

For over twenty-five years, leadership legend and personal-mastery path-blazer Robin Sharma has mentored billionaires, business titans, professional-sports superstars and entertainment royalty via a revolutionary methodology that led them to accomplish rare-air results. Now, in this ground-breaking book, Sharma makes his transformational system available to anyone who is ready for undefeatable positivity, monumental productivity, deep spiritual freedom and a life of helping others.

In The Everyday Hero Manifesto you will discover:

– The hidden habits used by many of the world’s most creative and successful people to realize their visionary ambitions

– Original techniques to turn fear into fuel, problems into power and past troubles into triumphs

– A breakthrough blueprint to battle-proof yourself against distraction and procrastination so that you produce magic that dominates your domain

– Pioneering insights on adopting world-class routines that will lead you to achieve superhuman fitness and become the most disciplined person you know

– Unusual wisdom to operate with far more simplicity, beauty and peace

Part memoir of a life richly lived, part instruction manual for virtuoso-grade performance, and part handbook for spiritual freedom in an age of high-velocity change, The Everyday Hero Manifesto will completely transform your life. Forever.”

Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57343547-the-everyday-hero-manifesto

Having dedicated two decades of my career to working in an audit office both in UK and in Australia, I’ve seen what happening at all levels of Government. I specialised in health policy and systems and service deliver and evaluation and have seen the whole cycle from document to delivery.

More recently navigating a diagnosis of bipolar and then trying to make not only of the diagnosis but the mental health system designed to help those diagnosed has deepened my dissatisfaction with global politics and the outcomes achieved by those in positions of responsibility.

An audit office when evaluating the performance of Government and its policy draws on the framework of economy, efficiency and effectiveness.

To see the chaos of the past two years has been eye-wateringly painful. Framed in the context of my experience post-diagnosis bipolar, I am not at all surprised at what has been happening and what is happening.

Our politicians are failing us.

And our Government(s) are failing us.

I’ve been extremely lucky to have had the wisdom and foresight to transform my whole lifestyle as a result of what I sensed was happening in early 2020.

Unless you have the dictionary, how can you interpret what you’re seeing, what you’re hearing, what you’re feeling?

To draw on the wisdom of individuals like Robin Sharma and the likes of Richard Bandler, John Grinder and others in the creation of the field of neuro-linguistic programming or NLP, and the development of the field of mBIT and mBraining and the book Using your multiple brains to do cool stuff by Grant Soosalu and Marvin Oka has given me what I needed – insight into a new world, a world of healing and recovery, a world of calm and peace, a world free of stress, a world of opportunity to deepen my capacity and capability to be me.

The experience of bipolar has been eye-opening.

To be diagnosed at the age of 43 was a surprise.

To experience mental health services was a shock.

To navigate the experiences of psychosis and depression and be pushed to the edge of the cliff more times that I would like have been deeply frightening and deeply empowering.

I nearly died too many times.

I pushed through.

I should not have had to do it alone.

However I did.

The mental health system and services do not understand bipolar and do not understand mental illness.

That is my journey forward.

Too many lives are being lost to suicide.

Too many lives are being lost to covid.

My work hereon in will be to offer my experience to those seeking to be extraordinary leaders and everyday heroes.