Deal or no deal?

Over the last 18 months the Nationalist government has been boasting about its achievements during the present term. Strangely, it has now opted to place "personality cult" at the core of its electoral campaign. A massive campaign encompassing all media is being implemented in the effort to create a Herculean image of its leader. Unavoidably, Lawrence Gonzi's Cabinet colleagues have been relegated and given notice. A nice thank you indeed for a job supposedly well done.

This is very rich coming from a party which for years criticised the Labour Party for its authoritarian bent and which has consistently accused Alfred Sant of taking decisions without prior consultation. It is also in sharp contrast to the Labour Party's campaign promoting teamwork and a socio-economic Plan For A New Beginning that is the result of a broad, bottom-up consultative process.

Deal or no deal, why would Dr Gonzi want to change a winning team? The truth is that the Gonzi Cabinet has failed miserably and he has proved to be a poor leader. Now we should all be enthusiastic about Gonzipn. I wonder who could have devised such a strategy? Not only does it lack coherence but it also goes against the essence of good, modern leadership. There is no doubt that, in today's world, effective public policymaking and good governance have become increasingly complex. Issues are multi-faceted, running deeper and cut across each other.

This requires better teamwork; closer coordination and greater collaboration. No person can deal effectively with such complexity on his/her own. No wonder the Nationalist government has under-performed so dismally. Unable to lead a team, Dr Gonzi ended up trying to assume personal responsibility for everything. From the Mater Dei Hospital to tourism to the drainage in Balluta. Now he has made it known that, if re-elected, he will personally seek to address the "environment deficit". He is trying to make us forget that over these last years he chaired the National Commission for Sustainable Development and that he had personally led Cabinet in the supposed rationalisation of the development boundaries.

The reform of Mepa, according to Dr Gonzi, is necessary so as "...to ensure there is greater efficiency and transparency, for decisions to be uniform, for law enforcement to be strengthened and to remove any shadow of suspected irregularities" (timesofmalta.com, February 12). One is prompted to ask: Where was Dr Gonzi in these last five years? To lead this country we do not need a pair of strong hands but a team of players, each fulfilling part of an overall mission.

Following the Dalli saga, Dr Gonzi tried to shield many of his Cabinet ministers from numerous accusations of gross incompetence, malpractice and corruption. Dr Gonzi cannot just wash his hands and feel redeemed simply because he is prepared to dump his Cabinet ministers. He carries prime responsibility for the anaemic state of our economy and the undue pain which the more vulnerable parts of our society have had to endure. Under Dr Gonzi's style of management he ran the show while those around him vied among themselves for power, prestige and position. His failure to establish clear guidelines and rules of behaviour fostered a group of individuals working on personal goals. Dr Gonzi repeatedly stated that he wished to be judged by his achievements not his talk. As Prime Minister, Dr Gonzi's key task was to inspire his Cabinet ministers and ensure they deliver on time and effectively. A good leader thinks "we" and not "I". He never craves for personal applaud and gives credit for whatever is achieved to his team-mates. A leader ensures that no team member becomes a sacrificial lamb. As long as members play by the rules of the game, failures become a learning exercise. But, then, who dares mention that the Gonzi government had any failures?

The PN's electoral campaign focused on personality cult does not augur well for the future. Great results can only be achieved through teamwork. A team effort reaps better results through synergy and enhanced effectiveness. Indeed, good leadership goes beyond management, which often relies solely on power derived from its position of authority. Leaders need to earn the respect and trust of their teams so as to achieve common goals through mutual knowledge and skill sharing.

It is futile for Gonzipn to drum up talk about visions and excellence. Excellence is not a destination but an attitude. As Charles R. Swindoll stated: "If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters". The indecisiveness and inertia that has characterised the Gonzi government betray his limitations as a leader; he is inapt in facilitating our society's qualitative leap towards further economic and social development.

Theodore Roosevelt once remarked that "The best leader is one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done and self restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it". Unfortunately, Dr Gonzi missed out when the opportunity presented itself. His fear of change made him keep the same faces.

Without explicitly saying so, Gonzipn too is longing for a fresh start. This time round we are being asked to trust that Dr Gonzi will choose some "good men". But his track record shows that he, as well as his present Cabinet ministers, have become a liability for the PN and for our country. Don Quixote's time is over. Spin or no spin, the Maltese public has come to realise this.

Fms18@onvol.net