An aspiring country singer once asked living legend Dolly Parton for advice. Her answer: “stay true to yourself and don’t let anyone tell you to change”. Liberal leader Stephane Dion could learn from Ms. Parton.
Whatever happened to Stephane Dion’s knapsack? While the embattled Liberal leader is rarely seen without it, its symbolic value has all but disappeared. The glasses have changed, the English is improving (slowly) and the suits have gotten more statesmanlike. Stephane Dion, likely at the urging of his handlers and image consultants, is trying to look and sound more like a seasoned politician than the respected and thoughtful academic that caught the attention of an Aline Chrétien looking to shore up her husband’s team.
Following his come-from-behind election as Liberal leader, Mr. Dion was quickly dismissed as “not a leader” by a barrage of negative ads and, by all evidence, the message stuck. His predecessor, Paul Martin, was labeled Mr. Dither for his indecision and that message also stuck. As it’s often said in marketing, if you don’t define your brand, your competitors will.
So what should Stephane Dion’s brand be? And is it too late?
The simple answer to the first question is “himself”. Being himself got him elected leader of a bruised Liberal Party desperate for a break with the past. His agenda to turn red into green connected with environmentally concerned Canadians long before the Conservatives made it their issue. And his awkward, professor-like delivery was a refreshing change from slick politicians. Rightly or wrongly, Stephen Harper is perceived as the cold, calculating, and power-hungry politician. No wonder women voters find it hard to like him. Dion should strive to contrast himself rather than emulate Harper’s image. The Liberals should borrow from the highly successful Mac vs. PC advertising campaign. The knapsack is very Mac while Mr. Harper’s pin striped suits and frame make him very PC (excuse the pun).
Liberals would also learn from the insightful observations of Jim Collins, management guru and co-author of Good to Great. What he describes as Level 5 Leadership could help reframe what a true political leader should be. Collins and his team analyzed the characteristics of ‘great” companies – those with long-term sustained performance. Looking at their leaders, they found something they did not expect. They saw mostly men who carried no airs of self-importance and had a total lack of pretense. Some actually came across as meek or soft. However, they were all individuals who blend extreme personal humility with intense professional will. To quote Collins: “It’s not that Level 5 leaders have no ego or self-interest. Indeed, they are incredibly ambitious – but their ambition is first and foremost for the institution, not themselves.”
The same applies to leaders in the social sector. They are not less decisive than business leaders, but as Collins adds: “they appear this way to those who fail to grasp the complex governance and diffuse power structure common to social sectors.”
Rather than attempt to change to become the type controlling political leader the Conservatives want Canadians to think they need, Mr. Dion should follow Dolly’s advice and be himself. Is it too late? Irreparable damage might already have been done but Apple also had a near death experience and recovered quite nicely.
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