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Why does leadership matter? It's as simple as traffic and taxes
Why does leadership matter? It's as simple as traffic and taxes
Harry S. Truman said leadership is the ability to get people to do what they
don't want to do, and like it. If so, it ain't happening here.
That's the thrust of today's special report on leadership in the Puget Sound
region. Today's story, based on a series of discussions, tells of a common lament:
"namely that things don't get done as efficiently, that leaders don't lead like
they used to, and the region doesn't seem to have a clear vision or direction."
Seattle Times reporter Alex Tizon writes, "If leaders seem more reluctant
to lead, followers seem more reluctant to follow. The whole dynamic has changed
and continues to change as perceptions of leadership evolve."
Therein lies our purpose in publishing the story. Not to mourn the situation,
but to understand the evolution. How did it get this way and how might it be
different?
In tomorrow's Times, reporter Jolayne Houtz takes a fresh, provocative look
at the late John Stanford's leadership of the Seattle School District. On Tuesday,
Times science writer Eric Sorensen reports on the most recent research into
whether leaders are born or made. The possibilities are fascinating.
Jacqui Banaszynski, assistant managing editor, says the topic of leadership
can seem sort of esoteric, but it's not. It touches everyone who lives here.
It's what they complain about when they're stuck in traffic or angry about taxes.
She pledges that in the months ahead The Times will raise important questions
under the mantle of "Who's in charge of tomorrow." The project is part of the
Front Porch Forum, a reporting partnership of The Seattle Times and National
Public Radio station KUOW (94.9 FM).
Its central questions are: What kind of leaders does our region need to solve
the problems of the future, and do people really want that kind of leadership?
You can start providing answers right now. Look to Page 17 for some questions
about leadership. You'll also find instructions on how to let us know what you
think and what you would like to see us cover as we look into the question:
Who's in charge of tomorrow?
Leading by example
The most important way a newspaper can lead in its community is by asking
tough questions and seeking the truth. That's what The Times is doing in regard
to I-695, the tax measure on the Nov. 2 ballot.
Last Wednesday we published the first of our "Truth Squad" stories, examining
the initial radio ads against the measure. Our conclusion was that the claims
in the ads could be misleading if taken literally because they are based on
unlikely, worst-case scenarios.
"We view these truth-squad stories as just one of the many ways we try to
help readers sort out the I-695 debate," explained Barbara Serrano, Times government
and politics editor.
"Campaign ads can be incredibly powerful in the way they convey messages and
try to manipulate people to vote a certain way. And a newspaper can help the
public make sense of the strategy and rhetoric behind a political campaign.
"To me, that's the central reason anyone should give a damn about politics.
We need to know how people in power and government institutions affect our lives
and spend our money," she asserted.
In this particular campaign over I-695, there have been lots of budget figures
and statistics thrown out by both sides. "We think the truth-squad stories will
provide an effective way for us to scrutinize that information and see if it
holds up," Serrano said.
In addition to the truth-squad story, The Times has had revealing coverage
of both campaigns, including reports last Sunday and Monday by Jim Lynch and
David Postman of our Olympia bureau.
Lynch provided some very smart reporting and in-depth research on where this
car tax came from, how it works and why people dislike it so much. Postman recently
traveled to Colorado, which approved a voter requirement on tax increases in
1992, to see what might lie in store for us if we approved a more sweeping provision.
"Through their work, we've tried to help readers step back from the emotion
and realize that much of what might happen with I-695 remains unknown. The hardest
budget decisions would come after Nov. 2, and it's anyone's guess how the Legislature
and courts might respond," Serrano said.
"Much of the campaign has been spun by emotion - distrust of politicians and
frustration with the tax on the part of the supporters, countered by fear and
anxiety by public officials and business leaders who think the initiative will
cripple government.
"So our biggest challenge as a political team and as a newspaper is in making
sure we don't let one side dominate the front page. The last thing I want is
for the public to think we're consciously or subconsciously taking sides," she
added.
"We've already had discussions internally about how we select stories, where
we put them in the paper and - even - what headlines we put above a story.
"I've covered politics long enough to realize that all of those things enter
readers' minds when they pick up the paper and look for our election coverage.
So I'm working very hard to leave them with one overriding impression: that
we give all sides a fair shot at making their case and ultimately, hold everyone
accountable," she concluded.
If you've missed our reports to date, you can find them here on our Web site.
But the best way to stay informed is to read the newspaper daily.
You may not think you want to know about some of this political stuff, but
when you appreciate what it means to you, I'll bet you like it.
