Leaders often earn their positions. Some get their positions of authority and power through circumstance. Others have a birthright that places them on a throne. Some even reluctantly fall into their slots through no ambition or desire of their own. In free societies, public leaders most often get their through the ballot box.

But no matter how a leader gets to the stage, when the lights come on, leader are there for everyone to see and observe. And May God bless ‘em!

And on the stage of leadership, the swooning admirers and ravaging pundits are hungry for fodder with microphones and cameras at the ready. Effective leaders understand that people are watching and act appropriately. Tone-deaf leaders ignore the audience.

The Brightest of Lights

The most powerful leader in the free world is the President of the United States. The position offers a stage for the world like none other. The current occupant of that office started his first term with a thunderous roar of approval, but has seen his publicity fortunes and popularity fade since being inaugurated.

With the mid-term elections coming in the United States Congressional elections in November 2010, many of the national political polls are trumpeting the long decline in President Barrack Obama’s poll numbers. There are many underpinning to this decline in popularity that are understandable because of economics. But others reasons are simply caused by a lack of listening to voices outside of his circle of interests.

Economic conditions of the electorate are stymied. And with high unemployment numbers being set against record federal spending and monumental budget deficits caused by the President’s desires to stimulate the economy, his popularity has hit a backlash.

And the world is watching. The lights are bright.

Some Reasoning

On top of this economic trouble and a muddled response to the Gulf of Mexico oil crisis, the President and his administration maintained a dogmatic approach to a federal takeover of financial and housing markets, automobile manufacturing, healthcare, and more. Although there was opposition all the way, the President focused on his objectives with fervor.

For his country, these types of changes caused many to wonder why the takeover was so necessary and needed so quickly. Echoing in many’s ears was the words of his top advisors on the evening news spouting opportunistic phrases like “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.”

This just sounds a little unsettling for people who are nervous about their own stability, their savings, and their future. They wonder if anyone in power is listening to their concerns.

For a country of people in financial pain with most of them having serious questions about the future, theses types of behaviors look much less like leadership and much more like an opportunist with an unknown or questionable agenda steamrolling ahead.

Calls for moderation seemingly fall on deaf ears.

Fuel for the Tone-Deaf Fire

And as the clock turns, new statements about supporting a controversial mosque being built at “Ground Zero” in New York City with over 70% of the people in his country opposed to such a thing, it begins to make the President look like he is not  listening to the people who elected him.

He also faced 70% opposition to his position on an Arizona immigration law that was a mirror of existing federal law. People just scratch their heads and wonder why their President is not listening and barreling down the tracks.

With a string of unpopular, and questionable decisions, pundits are trying to pin the President’s low popularity numbers on his political allies in Congress and in state governor’s races to try to influence each race against the Democrats who are up for re-election. Their task is getting easier by the week.

And Then There is Golf

With political differences always brewing and the ebb and flow of public opinions over policy or statements continuing to rage, one can excuse behaviors as political or partisan. But one thing that cannot be excused by anyone of any political bend is the outward display of arrogance and privilege in the heat of a major recession that causes people of every stripe to take pause.

During the reported slow or “measured response” to the BP oil crisis, universally described at the time as the worst natural disaster in the history of the nation,  pundits were saying “‘Gulf,’ not ‘Golf’” in reference to the amount of time the Chief Executive was devoting to his pleasure and pastimes.

This smacks of arrogance and indifference to the rest of the country who isn’t quite so lucky.

Adding to this seemingly poorly timed display of recreational abandon is the number of vacations and the destinations selected for these forays. The lavish trip to Spain by the First Lady was the one over-the-top venture that lead many on both ends of the political spectrum to call the First Couple out-of-touch, arrogant, and elitists.

“Suddenly, the popular first lady was being compared to Marie Antoinette and labeled a “material girl” sponging off taxpayers.” (AP)

Democratic analyst Kirsten Powers says this about the wisdom of the trip:

“Most Americans are just not going to relate to going to Spain with however many friends she has with her… staying at this exclusive hotel, spending all this money, and it is extremely tone-deaf. Politically, it is absolutely tone-deaf. I can’t even believe that she has done it, frankly. It is not what people do in their first term.”

How to Be A Tone-Deaf Leader

So, if you want to be called tone deaf by others, here are some steps to take to rise to the top of the Tone Deaf Leaderboard:

• Surround yourself with “Yes Men.”
• Serve your dogma soup at every meal. Add whip cream on your dogma parfait to mix things up.
• Pass out earmuffs to all of your Yes Men to keep them safe from aural poison or objective influence.
• Focus on your personal comfort. Act like royalty.
• Follow “the script” until death. Never waiver.
• Disregard polling data. “Cake-eaters” don’t matter anyway.
• Play, laugh, and vacation in style while others are out of work and suffering.

Hear Me Leaders

Tone deaf leaders are not just heads of state. They show up in every type of organization where leaders focus on personal position, reward, power, control, or will to force their views onto others. Tone deafness is not the actual problem with these types of people, it is just a tool they use to focus.

The problem with these types of leaders is selfishness.

From this perch, arrogance, pride, entitlement, and a whole host of self-aggrandizing behaviors take hold.

If you find your hearing failing in your role as a leader, try to take a break from your obsession with your own needs, wants, and goals. Then raise your head just a little bit and see that others are around you. Talk to them. Listen to them. Understand them. Know that they just might be valuable. You also just might find others to be quite enjoyable!

Are you a tone-deaf leader? Do you REALLY listen to your people? Do you understand the people you lead? If you might be a little self-focused, what steps can you take to care a little more about the others around you? Do you have a tone-deaf leader at your workplace? Tattle on them here!

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Tom Schulte is Executive Director of Linked 2 Leadership
He provides leadership training fit for the Blackberry-Attention-Span
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• Dem Strategist Kirsten Powers Calls Michelle Obama’s Spain Trip ‘Absolutely Tone Deaf’ (mediaite.com)
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