The year was 1988. High school wrestlers from across North America. I was on deck. My opponent was from a Michigan prep school and in his matching red, white, and blue singlet, track pants, and jacket, he looked intimidating. My coach had warned me about this guy.  

As I removed my faded grey cotton sweats, I glanced over at “Michigan.” He was getting hyped up. Slapping himself repeatedly – his legs, his arms, his face. As we both made our way to the centre of the ring for the referee’s pre-match instructions, Michigan started with the trash talk. He told me in no uncertain terms what he was going to do to me and how fast it was going to happen. I said nothing. 

We faced each other in the centre of the ring. Michigan slapped himself a few more times for good measure and threw out a few more taunts. The referee shouted “wrestle!” I hit him hard and fast with a double leg takedown. I threw him to the mat and pinned him within 20 seconds. It was over. I said nothing. We shook hands.  

I learned a lesson that day that has stuck with me ever since: what you do is so much more important than what you say. 

Four Tips to GSD Leadership 

1. Leave the Cheap Talk Behind 

Let’s shift gears to local politics and government. The cheap talk escalates every four years as politicians scramble to say all the right things to get elected. They tell voters what they want to hear. They will cut the fat, lower taxes, freeze hiring, stop growth, get rid of high-priced consultants, fix all the roads, and save the environment. Every four years it is the same story. 

Our municipalities are facing unprecedented challenges. Lack of housing options, rising costs to rebuild critical infrastructure, environmental pressures, unhappy and jaded electorate, unhealthy Council dynamics … the list goes on. More than ever, we need good leaders who are motivated by results. Empty promises, speeches, media-friendly sound bites, and political gestures are not good enough.  

Local leaders need to take real action to make life measurably better for their residents and businesses. 

2. Only Make Promises You Can Keep 

If you decide to put your hat in the ring and run for your local council, try something new and refreshing. Decide against being a typical politician. Have the courage to avoid making promises you can’t keep. This is simple, but it is not easy. Our default behaviour is to tell people what we know they want to hear – especially when your political opponent is doing it. 

When you campaign, only tell people what you will do if elected, and be prepared to do those things. If you are not sure you can deliver, don’t make the promise. It’s called integrity. 

3. Pursue Facts 

Mark Twain said, “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.” That seems to be the mantra of our society today. Social media has definitely not helped! 

Rushing to opinions and solutions based on unverified information has crept into local government. Effective leadership requires maturity and composure. Rather than rushing to a reactive decision to quickly quell the external noise, good leaders need to pause and ask the most important first question: “what are the facts?”. 

Good local leaders must be diligent in pursuing truth and exposing falsehoods. Always begin with the facts. Only then are you equipped to determine the right course of action. 

4. Don’t Hide Behind Political Gestures 

Political gestures often masquerade as action. In a quest to establish a “progressive” reputation, many local leaders get caught on the “treadmill of political gestures”. There is nothing inherently wrong with proclamations, resolutions, press releases, statements, or certifications. The causes that trigger these political gestures may be important. The issue is when local leaders think they have “acted” just because they have moved forward with a political gesture.  

These gestures are easy. For this reason, they are popular among local politicians. However, these gestures rarely result in making life better for residents and businesses. 

For example, a proclamation that eloquently states that “every person has a right to a healthy environment” is a political gesture. It generates awareness of an issue. But it is not real action. At best, it is a starting point.  

On the other hand, investing hundreds of thousands of dollars to implement a curb-side green bin organics program that uses environmentally friendly trucks is an example of real action. It requires extensive policy/program development, operational/logistical design, procurement expertise, ongoing performance measurement, contract management, customer service activities, and ongoing program/operations modifications. It is hard work … but it will result in a measurable contribution to environmental excellence! 

Good local leaders understand they must go beyond words and political gestures to do the hard work that results in effective local government. 

Conclusion 

As a local leader, you are constantly under pressure to say the right things. Community activists and advocacy groups will want your opinion about everything – regardless of whether it is within your sphere of influence.  

You can either lose sleep over this, or you can choose another way. You could choose to focus your time, skills, and energy on getting good things done for the hard-working taxpayers who elected you. And when your four-year council term is over, the only question you should feel compelled to answer is: 

“What have you done within your sphere of authority to make life better for your local residents and businesses?”