Leader

I have a question. Leadership, how do you define it and what makes a good leader? I see a good leader as somebody who leads from the front, who does what needs done without worrying about how they look. Somebody who stands up and makes the tough decisions whether they like them or not and see that they happen. What I don't like to see in a leader is somebody who leads from behind, who worries about what people are going to think of him and his policies and tries to guide his principles by asking the people he is leading what they want.<br />n<br />nThis thought comes to me yesterday as I was thinking this about the whole <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.com//index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/01/11/build/state/20-bison-hunt.inc" target="_new">Bison hunt issue</a>. I don't have an opinion on the whole bison hunting issue in particular, I do think we need to control thier movement from the park though. Montana has worried for years about bison infecting cattle with brucellosis so have tried to keep them from crossing into the state from the park. While it has never been proven that they could transfer the disease from bison to cattle the eveidence from Wyoming that cattle can get it from elk does strengthen Montana's contention that it could happen.<br />n<br />nMontana's legislature passed a law to make hunting bison legal and instructed the FWP to make it happen. This was supposed to happen this spring, funny time for a hunt I will agree, but Governor BS was afraid of the publicity for the state and made sure it was cancelled. Was Governor BS really worried about the publicity for the state, or was he worried about his publicity? I think he was leading from behind and worrying about the consequences to his image instead of worrying about following the law. <br />n<br />nSome people might say he is leading with this early example how he plans to do things during his reign. I might agree if he came out against the hunt because it was designed and implemented wrong. That is not how he expressed misgivings about this hunt though. All he said was it would be embarrassing for the state and a public relations disaster. That tells me it was all about public relations and nothing about the meat and bones of the situation.<br />n<br />nMontana made it's choice in who they wanted for a leader in the recent election but is this the man they expected. I certinly hope not. We need somebody leading us from the front, willing to take the heat and get things done, not somebody swayed by public opinion to make himself feel better and look better. Everyone knows I don't like Governor BS but what little respect I had for him has evaporated with this debacle.<br />n<br />n<b>To be a leader of men one must turn one's back on men. Havelock Ellis</b>