Leadership Style Matters

Etched onto Sigmund Freud’s memorial in Vienna appears the inscription, “The voice of reason is small, but very persistent.” My own small vindication of this truth is upheld by the work I’ve done over the past 3 ½ years. Consistently the lone but frequent voice of “nay” at City Council meetings, and more often than not the singular proprietor of ingenuity at City Hall, the ready supply of instances of distinction serve as ample validation for the leadership qualities I’ve exemplified and aim to continue cultivating.

You wouldn’t know it from the newfound marginalization and attempts at maligning opponents of mine have levied against my candidacy — suggesting that maturity is an attribute that comes with age, or that preparedness and knowledge result exclusively from tenure, but my colleagues have always appreciated my capability and have very often relied on it. When I first arrived on the scene as a 20 year old Councilman, the 30+ year veteran of the City Council nominated me to be a city representative on the county’s E911 Commission. I reported back the need for an audit, which the council agreed to authorize. Working in tandem with the CAO — a pairing so odd today it seems unfathomable — the city’s uniqueness as the only city in the state funding county 911 services was highlighted. Efforts were soon underway to tap into a never before used pile of money at the state capitol funded by surcharges on phone bills for the purpose of funding 911 services. Decent work was done. It could have been better, but the county disbanded the 911 Commission. The energy and ability exemplified at council meetings would earn me a long list of other appointments over the next 3 years.

Lyndon Johnson used to refer to “show horses and work horses” as the two types of politicians that exist. A show horse accolade if ever there were one, the City Council Presidency and Vice Presidency have been political positions, rather less indicative of any serious leadership quality and having instead more to do with political maneuvering. Work horses find their place on committee assignments. While a former Councilman suggested an update to the way the city does human resources and payroll processing, ultimately I was the councilperson attending all of the meetings for the product selection process. That’s been the case with a number of selection processes, most recently as a member of the committee tasked with selecting a firm for engineering work on a major infrastructure project. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention I was the only council member on the committee to select a new police chief last year, leading the effort to select Lt. Rita Jack (which would have saved us the trouble of having a revolving door to the Chief’s office for the next 8 months or so.) Ranging from auditor selection to input on budgetary matters, those who would now like for you to believe I’m too immature and inexperienced have long relied on my maturity and experience to fulfill the most important responsibilities of the City Council.

Amidst the economic fallout that was the Great Depression, Franklin Roosevelt ensured the public in his inaugural address that “plenty is at our doorstep.” Having to follow failed leadership with his approach to leading, FDR posited that leadership in such a dark hour requires frankness and vigor. While arising out of very different circumstances, it’s these same characteristics that have allowed me the distinct juxtaposition of being both a vocal proponent of change that’s out of step with the rest of the City Council, and simultaneously a quiet resource from which the rest of the City Council relies upon. Leadership style should be an important consideration in this election.

With far more opportunities to draw positive attention to the city of Meridian as Mayor, it’s leadership style that will first gain notice. At the risk of sounding too self-congratulatory, it’s perhaps the frankness and vigor that were the requisite reasons most responsible for landing me on a Netflix series where I was able to be a stereotype shattering representative of the state of Mississippi nearly 5 years ago. Although for the past four years my fight on the City Council has often involved directly pointing out negatives (however solutions oriented), it’s allowed for a positive reputation to extend to invitations to participate in Political Science conferences and national research projects — most recently at George Washington University. The office of Mayor requires representing the city of Meridian at important conferences and at both state and national Capitol Hills. To do the job well means to market and draw positive attention to our city so as to attract investment and opportunity for our citizens here at home. As you prepare to cast your vote for Mayor on June 8th, consider the leadership styles that have been on display. It’s at the moment you imagine each candidate as a representative for the city of Meridian that the only choice for Mayor becomes most obvious.