Democratic Candidate Justin Coussoule Should Demonstrate Leadership That Contrasts With John Boehner’s

Justin Coussoule, West Point graduate, is well positioned to demonstrate the leadership needed to win the 8th Congressional contest.

Justin Coussoule, Democratic candidate seeking to replace John Boehner as representative for Ohio’s 8th District, recently lambasted Boehner as showing a, “total and complete absence of leadership.”

Coussoule’s accusation — that Boehner lacks leadership — is poignant because, of course, Boehner is called “Leader” by House Republicans. Coussoule is suggesting that the emperor has no clothes.

Authentic leadership is sorely lacking most everywhere you look.  Occupying a “position of leadership” does not make one a leader. Our society suffers because, so often, persons anointed with positional authority — school board members, teachers, ministers, mayors, parents, or congressional representatives — are devoid of vision, inspiration and other qualities identified with leadership.   Positional authority does not translate into leadership.

How does one in a position of authority conduct himself or herself to make his or her group or organization achieve optimum success?  What leadership consists of, what leadership means, is profound.  Leadership is the topic of key importance for the study of management, sales, teaching — any area dealing with people or organizations.

How does one in a position of authority bring out the greatest potential of the organization, how does one help his or her business, community, classroom, parish, platoon or congressional district be all it can be?  The person who figures that out is an effective leader.  Leadership doesn’t happen accidentally or without a lot of thought and planning.

Leadership is not a matter of charisma, it is a matter of hard work.  Leadership requires a plan, it requires preparation, it requires a viewpoint grounded in reality and in knowledge.  Effective leadership is difficult and part of the dumbing down of America has involved a vitiation of leadership.

Leadership is a topic worthy of public discussion, because, without an improvement in leadership, at every level, our society will not have the capacity to grow into its potential, and worse, our society will ever more quickly deteriorate.

So, yes, Justin Coussoule should make his case:

• This is my definition of leadership.
• Here is John Boehner’s record of action the last 20 years he has been in Congress.
• The record makes clear that there is a big discrepancy between Boehner’s record and the criteria for effective leadership
• This is why any reasonable person must agree that Boehner lacks leadership.
• Since leadership is vital, Boehner should be replaced.

But these are points of argument.  What is needed is a good example.  Coussoule must show by example.  He must show:

• This is my definition of leadership.
• This is how I am organizing my campaign to show in practical terms what I mean by leadership.
• How I conduct myself in my campaign is how I will conduct myself when I am elected to represent the 8th district.

These thoughts addressed to Justin Coussoule, I hope, are accepted as helpful advice. I really think Coussoule has the potential to win, and, what a victory it would be for our democracy — if the people of the 8th district could wake up enough to replace John Boehner.  But a Coussoule victory can only come from a provocative campaign that sparks an authentic successful grassroots movement.  Victory will require authentic leadership in action.