Continuing Russia's Transition: Putin's Leadership Challenge
by Jerry M. Bodman, Staff Writer
The challenge of communicating a vision, mission and guiding principles
to the masses is not a challenge uncommon to leaders; however, most leaders
do not take over a business or country where people speak 140 different
languages and are located in 11 different time zones.
The core characteristic of a leader who can effectively communicate
and carry out a vision in the midst of such diversity is passion- passion
for their role. Consider Vladimir Putin, Russia’s newly elected president
as such a leader.
According to John C. Maxwell, as the Law of Buy-in states, people buy
into the leader, then the vision1
Mr. Putin helped this law along when he gave the Russian people a reason
to feel good about his prospects as a strong President. According to a
CNN.com article,
In his New Year's address following Yeltsin's exit, the 47-year-old
former KGB officer reassured Russia that he was in charge.
"There will be no power vacuum even for a moment," he said. "I
want to warn that any attempt to exceed the limits of law and the Russian
constitution will be decisively crushed."
"Freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, freedom of mass media, property
rights -- all those basic elements of a civilized society will be safely
protected by the state," Putin said.2
Putin, who enjoys a 60% approval rating, is set to implement his
vision for a new Russia. The show of support says a lot about how the Russian
people feel. In a bold pre-election
letter to the Russian voters, the quiet leader took a stand and spoke
of the need for moral values and patriotism as the building blocks for
future progress.
"Russia is in the midst of one of the most difficult periods in its
history. For the first time in the past 200-300 years, it is facing a real
threat of sliding to the second, and possibly even third, echelon of world
states. We are running out of time left for removing this threat.
We must strain all intellectual, physical and moral forces of the nation.
We need coordinated creative work. Nobody will do it for us.
Everything depends on us, and us alone. On our ability to see the size
of the threat, to pool forces and set our minds to hard and lengthy work."3
He also spoke of respect for elders and respect for the established
rules. "If we learn to behave decently ourselves, we will compel others
to do the same."
Vladimir Putin is facing a daunting "to do" list, one that would send
most leaders running for help, but Mr. Putin, who has limited political
experience, has begun his term with a great degree of confidence and effort.
He used his support in the Duma (Russia's lower house of parliament) to
get the Start II treaty ratified. Within the first few weeks, he has met
with key countries to make it clear that he wants fiscal responsibility
and is rejuvenating the Russian people with the hopes of a return to greatness.
The beginning bodes well for Russia. Putin has spoken directly to the
people via a no nonsense letter and laid it on the line. He has challenged
them, and inspired their confidence by showing them that even though they
are down they are not out. The Department of State Background notes on
Russia from 1997 state that about 3 million students attend the 519 institutions
of higher education and 48 universities. As a result of great emphasis
on science and technology in education, Russian medical, mathematical,
scientific, space and aviation research is generally in high order.4.
Even thought they are a rich nation of poor people, they have great
potential and the glorious Russia of the past is also in the future.
In addition to communicating his vision for Russia, he is faced with
rebuilding basic institutions, which most countries take for granted, such
as trust in government, a low level of corruption, a fairly honest government,
relatively effective and efficient legal system, and tax collecting.
Just like George Washington, who turned down a chance to run for a third
term and set a precedent for future presidents, Mr. Putin has a chance
to create a new standard for Russian President's, one that is concerned
with helping Russians achieve and maintain a "worthy and decent life".
He has taken bold steps and the future is promising but commitment and
action must follow to turn this "quiet leader" into the benchmark for future
presidents.
Endnotes
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