Leadership Viewpoint

Watching the news has become a rather “seedy” experience these days. We hear about important issues, like terror plots and wars. Much of the news, however, focuses on people that have succumbed to some sort of temptation. Whether it is the celebrity du jour or the latest political scandal, it is diversionary and wastes our time. Even the coverage of presidential debates is typically on trite “gotchas” rather than laying out candidate positions on important issues.

Despite the proliferation of news channels and programs, it is more difficult than ever to stay well informed. Reporters rarely ‘report’ anymore without an ‘angle’ that serves as a hook for the intellectually lazy. This makes a lot of people a lot of money, but has, unfortunately lowered the level of discourse throughout our society. So many people, thinking they are informed, try to discuss issues of the day. It is often embarrassing to engage people on these issues, as they are often well informed of one side of the issue, and know nothing of the competing arguments.

When a friend asked me how I managed to learn the facts I used during a political discussion, I mentioned a variety of sources. Honestly, she looked shocked! Reading, CSPAN, research and genuine intellectual curiosity have gone the way of Model T. It’s easy to assume that the nonsense presented by our favorite newscaster is the whole truth; easy, but wrong. I encourage people to remember that leaders are readers. This applies to more than the latest book on leadership. It’s also important to be well informed about the issues of the day. Read a variety of sources and opinions and decide for yourself.

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