The more I reflect on the nature of the crisis Anguilla is in, the more I realize how deep it is and how challenging getting out of it will be. One observation made in my last article is that because the crisis gradually formed and took root, many people in Anguilla are not aware of its depth, damage and danger – although they know that something is wrong. What it is, they are not sure, and some who think they know what is wrong see it mainly as an economic issue which will go away when the economy turns around. They are wrong. The crisis we are experiencing is by far the result of the failure of our political leadership over the years – especially the last fifteen to twenty years – to empower people around them. The term “political leadership” is meant to be inclusive of the politicians, the party elites and functionaries, special advisors, appointees and diehard party loyalists. Over these twenty or so years, Anguilla has been mismanaged under-led, distracted and fooled, sometimes because of self-interest and sometimes because of ineptitude. Over the years as well, there has been rumour upon rumour about corruption, bad governance, lack of transparency, favouritism in appointments and promotions, victimization and threats, lack of accountability, etc., etc. However, because no one has been charged and found guilty, as yet, the various accusations have to remain as rumours. Our elders used to say, “Where there is smoke there is fire,” meaning that there must be some truth to the rumours, but as of now that’s what they are.
The result of all this has been a largely demoralized, demotivated, disaffected and partly dysfunctional public sector where trust is low, levels of insecurity and suspicion quite high, and commitment largely weak. Rebuilding the Public Service, inclusive of the Civil Servants, the Police, Teachers, Nurses and Doctors, must be seen as a task which is urgent and most important if Anguilla is to effectively move beyond the present crisis and become a truly viable state. The point I am making is this: There will be no lasting and viable solution to our crisis, even with an improved economy, unless special attention is given to building and maintaining a strong, highly-motivated, committed, efficient and ethically sensitive public service. Every Civil Servant, Police, Teacher, Doctor, Nurse, etc. must be highly empowered and motivated to function at his or her best because of a strong sense of loyalty, work ethic and deep feeling of fulfillment. These will not come from an increment or transfer, or even a promotion, but from knowing they are valued and from doing something valuable, thus contributing to humanity and to Anguilla’s progress and growth.
Again, I must make the point: The old style of leadership and politics which created the crisis cannot be the cure for it. We definitely need a new type of leadership; persons who are Principle-centered, who truly value people and who understand the importance and dynamics of empowerment. They must lead the charge, and make the change and bring Anguilla to a better place. This is not an option but a must. This brings us to the second distinguishing mark of Principle-Centered Leadership I wish to discuss. It is this.
Principle-Centered Leadership Empowers People: Empowerment is a fundamental concept and a number one priority for Principle-Centered leaders. These leaders always make every effort to ensure that the people around them are being empowered continuously. Empowerment is a relational team which is anchored in the belief that “people are important and that they want to make a difference in life.” Any political leader, or any other leader, who does not begin with this primary belief and trust in people will not empower them. Traditionally, employees in government or in other organizations were regarded as tools to get jobs done. Today, they must be seen and treated as responsible partners who can think, make discussions, find solutions to problems, take initiative and be held accountable for results. Recognizing this calls for a major paradigm shift which, on observation, is impossible for some of our traditional and current political leaders in Anguilla. This is why change must take place.
I made the point elsewhere that in order for Anguilla to make the quantum leap into the future, a new Principle-Centered Leadership has to be at the steering wheel. This is critical for our future which must no longer be undermined by leaders who are manipulative, self-seeking and inept. You see, empowerment is not giving people a new set of techniques. It is rather a new way of constructing the inner understanding of the relationship between the leaders and the people with whom they work, as well as between the employees and the organization. In other words, empowerment is “fundamentally a different way of working together.” It results in people feeling better about themselves and their families, better about their colleagues, better about their leaders and better about the work they are doing. This ”better understanding and feeling” always translates into better output and added value. Empowerment is therefore a “total” concept which inspires and liberates, and which Principle-Centered Leaders understand, embrace, practice and achieve. However, for traditional, self-centered and manipulative leaders/politicians, it is foreign, and an enemy to control and power wielding.
Dr. Stephen Covey asserts that Principle-Centered Leaders (politicians) have what he calls “primary greatness.” By this he means that they have “a sense of stewardship about everything in life – time, talents, money, possessions and relationships …. They recognize the need to use all their resources for positive purposes, and they expect to be held accountable.” Principle-Centered Leaders/politicians therefore willingly give an honest account of their stewardship when required to do so. Do we get this in Anguilla?
Dr. Covey goes on: “People with primary greatness return kindness for offence, patience for impatience. They bring out the best in those around them by seeking to bless them when cursed, to turn the other cheek, to go the second mile, to forgive and forget, to move on in life with cheerfulness, believing in the potential goodness of people and the eventual triumph of truth. The moment a person attempts to become his own advocate, seeking to defend or justify himself or to return in kind the treatment he receives, he becomes caught up in the exchange of negative energy. He and his enemy are on the same turf, and they will … fight or flee in such destructive ways as manipulation, violence, withdrawal, indifference, litigation or political battles” (pp.64f). We often see this behavior in Anguilla. These remarks, written at least fifteen years ago, are amazingly descriptive of the Anguilla context. Most of our political leaders are obviously lacking in “primary greatness”, and are thus incapable of providing the Principle-Centered Leadership needed to move Anguilla out of the crisis and into the new future. The fact is that there can be no empowerment if trust is low or absent, and trust can only come from being trustworthy, and trustworthiness comes from being Principle-Centered in all your relationships and transactions. This essential virtue, which is the bedrock of empowerment and which is absolutely necessary for enabling Anguilla to move beyond the present crisis and become progressive and viable, is not obvious in our present leaders. What then do you the people do? Elect new leaders.
Empowerment is the most important single gift that one human being can give to another, and political leaders can give to the people, because with it comes the vision and the appetite for freedom to choose and progress. The gift of empowerment includes knowledge, power resources, authority, responsibility, courage, affirmation, etc. These will ensure that the vision becomes a reality. To be a good leader, then, one must help people reach their potential, and must never trample on or manipulate them. Do you as Public Servants or citizens of Anguilla feel that you are being empowered or manipulated?
Unfortunately, since the inception of party politics in Anguilla in 1976, the political leaders have not led Anguillians well. This is not to overlook the one or two enlightened ones but, generally, as a group, empowering the people has not been a priority. Being “a good leader” does not mean enriching yourself, your relatives and your friends. Good leadership is about empowering others, building them up to take charge of their lives and make a significant difference in their organization and community. By its very nature, empowerment brings constant personal change, organizational development and social progress, because it encourages and promotes growth and innovation among the people. Someone has said, “Change is the price of progress.” You cannot have one without the other. If our political leaders were in the business of empowering Anguillians we would not be in the mess we are in at present. Before 1976, Anguilla was admired across the Caribbean and the world for its vision, spirit, courage and unity of purpose. We were easily considered the “gem” among the so-called overseas territories and regarded as a model in many ways. It is no small shame that today we are the “pariah” among them. Why this great fall? Our political leaders, over the years, were not Principle-Centered and therefore could not empower the island. But, by being self-centered, greedy and lacking the primary greatness, they enriched themselves and kept the people down and in political ignorance and poverty, which is much worse than financial poverty in some ways.
Three things have been identified as enemies of empowerment. The first is fear of losing what you have. Weak persons in leadership roles worry that if they empower or help subordinates, subordinates will replace them, and so they selfishly protect or secure themselves in their positions. This is a particular temptation for these politicians who will not hesitate to employ every device and gimmick to remain in power, the chief of which has been to deprive people of empowerment and keep them dependent and believing that they have no other option. On the other hand, empowered people know that they have options, and they have the courage to exercise their right to choose, and this is really problematic for weak leaders and politicians. The second barrier to empowerment is resistance to change. It was observed earlier that empowerment brings consistent change, and since self-centered leaders hate change, they will resist empowering people. The third enemy of empowerment is insecurity. Weak leaders usually feel insecure and, despite any outward pretences of toughness, internally their sense of self-worth is very weak. As a result it is impossible for them to empower and affirm others. Instead, they become much more obsessed with bringing others down rather than in building them up. It is a truism that, “only internally secure people can be great leaders, and only great leaders can empower people.”
The failure of our political leaders to ensure the empowerment of Anguillians over the decades speaks loudly about their size. It has been a major shortcoming in them, and a major contributor to our crisis. In order to come effectively out of the crisis, Anguillians of all walks must be empowered. However, traditional and weak leaders, lacking in “primary greatness”, are unable to empower them. We therefore need Principle-Centered political leaders to do that. Again, the point has to be made: “The crisis makers will never be the crisis breakers.” We need the alternative to the one in one out, one in one out, cycle of the past.
