Boris Johnson: a sad example of poor leadership

After yet another scandal, and yet another apology, time to reflect about the non sense of the Boris Johnson leadership. I am wondering how little exemplary leadership a leader of the level of a prime minister can have until it’s end of story. And I am also wondering how long ‘the people’ will accept leaders that behave totally different from what they say.
Is Johnson a ‘dead man walking’?

Non-sense of Johnson leadership

While an entire nation was in public mourning for the death of Prince Philip, the Johnson clique was having a garden party. While world leaders and thousands of committed volunteers were striving for a more ambitious COP 26 climate agreement, Britain’s PM took a private plane to attend a dinner in London.

Since Johnson took office a series of events have followed that have shone a spotlight on the PM’s conduct and that of those around him. And it’s all but exemplary, inspirational, and respectful!
I come to the point of questioning the capacity of Boris Johnson to be a prime minister, let alone an exemplary one.

Exemplary leadership or no leadership!

Leading is not a job or a temporary occupation for whatever fool. And fools there are in leadership positions! Leadership is one of the most demanding attitudes one can have. And one should never fail on the exemplarity that comes with it, especially when one impacts others.

If someone has a leading role, that role is inextricably linked to taking decisions, giving direction, and showing exemplary attitudes and behavior. Leaders must inspire, must give hope, must show positivity and yet realism. Because we shouldn’t expect leaders to be superheroes. But anyone taking on a leadership role (as prime minister) also assumes the obligations associated with that role. Leading is an art and not a game!

If a leader like Johnson constantly apologizes for inappropriate behavior or slanders from his entourage, or if he is incoherent between what he says and preaches and does, then he is no longer worthy of being the nation’s leader. Even worse, he detracts from the art of leadership and puts leadership in a bad spotlight.

Leaders are expected to show coherence, strength, and determination. Johnson is predominantly showing weakness and misalignment, by not being on top of the top job, by disrespecting his own rules and by taking others for idiots.

The people who lack courage

It is thought provoking that people accept so much mediocrity from a man who manifestly does not follow the rules, who must bend over backwards to stay upright and who seems to have more and more problems to be seen as the guide of the nation.

It strikes me how often people allow themselves to be fooled by their leaders and barely respond appropriately. The misconduct of the leader is too often the talk of town, the conversation on the bus or the gossip at the office, but hardly the incitement to the final push to ‘no more!’
People often behave like sheep who let everything happen to them, who even endure the disastrous leadership and – even more – suffer from that mediocre leadership.

There are times when enough is enough and where everyone must decide for themselves which choice is to be made.

I promote leadership of the highest standards and exemplarity and am done with the ones who use leadership as a game, and don’t seem to care for the disastrous collateral damage.
It’s human to make a mistake, and it’s honorable to correct it, if possible. It’s an obligation to show exemplarity while being a leader. And failing that, an even greater obligation to resign.

It’s foolish and irresponsible to keep making mistakes, keep apologizing and not stepping down from the role that seems to be a size too big for what one can handle, or an art that one doesn’t master.