At Biteback we frequently come across Big Questions. Does politics naturally progress towards a more liberal viewpoint? Why did Gordon Brown fail to lead Labour to their fourth consecutive election victory? Which is better for dunking a chocolate digestive in, tea or coffee? These are the questions that take more than five minutes to draw solid conclusions about and which can be dramatically detrimental to a hard working day.
In her new programme for Radio 4 called ‘Follow The Leader’ Caroline Quinn sets out to explore the psychology of leadership and answer one Big Question that generates millions of pounds in books and courses each year; what makes a leader? In this vein, we have also tasked ourselves with finally answering one of the Big Questions of our time... How many books can you mention in one blog?
Caroline Quinn introduces the programme by discussing the way many national institutions are built on leadership, from schools and the military to politics and sport. It might sound rather arrogant (apparently a trait of leaders), but we believe that we know a fair amount about these particular subjects, and a little more about football after reading John Nicholson’s We Ate All The Pies.
However, while you can know everything about these subjects, it doesn’t necessarily make you a leader, which can be a much more elusive concept. In order to answer the question of leadership Quinn decides to ask Deborah Mattinson (author of Talking to a Brick Wall) about the troubled premiership of Gordon Brown, one of the most fascinating and curious subjects in modern political history (incidentally covered in Anthony Seldon and Guy Lodge’s comprehensive Brown At 10).
Where did he perceptively go wrong in his leadership?
“Leadership isn’t just about being clever; leadership is about setting out a direction you want to go in and persuading other people that they want to go with you. That’s what he struggled to do.”
Some people say that it comes from a natural ability to speak, as the public arena is what will define you, particularly as a politician. The power of speeches is explored by John Shosky in his book Speaking to Lead, in which he shows how vital public speaking can be to being a leader. If by no one else, the evidence for this is exhibited by Margaret Thatcher, who was known for her stirring speeches and the way she represented herself in interviews (the best of which can be found in Biteback’s Margaret Thatcher: In Her Own Words).
In the Radio 4 programme though, Mark Steel stated his firm belief that:
“It isn’t just that someone is a great leader and is able through the force of their oratory to command the support of large numbers of people, the circumstances are right for people to be able to do that and then, within those circumstances, someone emerges who is able to articulate what people are thinking and then they are hailed as a teacher.”
Ok, so... the circumstances are right, we are on the Biteback blog, and we believe we can articulate what you think, so let’s see if you’ll follow our leadership and do what we tell you...
Buy all the books below. The leader has spoken.
We Ate All The Pies by John Nicholson for £9.99
Talking to a Brick Wall: How New Labour stopped listening to the voter and why we need a New Politics by Deborah Mattinson for £17.99
Brown At 10 by Anthony Seldon and Guy Lodge for £20
Speaking to Lead: How to Make Speeches That Make a Difference by John Shosky for £14.99
And
Margaret Thatcher: In Her Own Words edited by Iain Dale for £12.99
(and the answer to our Big Question... How many books can you mention in one blog? Five.)