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INBRIEF
AMERI~S
NEW LEADERSHIP
by
Stanley
R.
Rader
R
ONALD REAGAN has been in
office more than a month
now. He carne to office
with an electoral landslide and a
change in the Senate, something
almost no one expected. The man
whom many pundits said was too
old and too conservative to be
elected President is now Presi–
dent. Still, the question remains,
"Can he now lead the American
people?"
The "age issue," of course, all
but disappeared in the last part of
the campaign. Mr. Reagan had
shown tbat he could successfully
withstand the rigors of the cam–
paign trail. His health remained
strong. Of course, 1 for one never
entertained for one moment the
idea that Mr . Reagan's age
should be any impediment to his
assuming the responsibilities of
President of the United States.
Having been the close companion
of a man who, though he is older
than Mr . Reagan in physical
years, has successfully shouldered
duties and responsibilities com–
parable to those of the President,
1 knew that mere age would, if
anything, only
enhance
Mr. Rea–
gan's ability to lead. Adenauer,
Churchill, Mao- many of the
leaders of great stature in this
century have undertaken incredi–
ble responsibility when they were
advanced in years. The same
should apply to Mr. Reagan.
Mr. Reagan certainly had the
abilities and qualities to be elect–
ed. Of course, one would expect a
professional actor to be good on
the stump.
On the other hand, while Mr.
Reagan's background as an actor
has
attracted criticism through–
out his political career, it is an
inval uable asse
t.
As historian
Arthur Schlesinger Jr., who is
no fan of Mr. Reagan's, has
noted, one of the most important
March 1981
duties a President has is to com–
municate with and educate the
American people. As a commu–
nicator, Mr. Reagan is superbly
qualified .
Mr. Reagan has drawn criti–
cism for supposedly preferring
"simple solutions" to sticky, com–
plex problems. In response, he
likes to argue that there are
indeed simple answers-just not
easy ones. Here again an area of
supposed weakness may work to
Mr. Reagan's advantage. It is
generally agreed that one of Mr.
Carter's weaknesses was a ten–
dency to become bogged down in
details. Mr. Reagan is known to
take more of an overview, leaving
details to bis subordinates.
Mr. Reagan's trait for prefer–
ring simplicity to complexity may
work to bis advantage another
way. A true leader cannot be like
Shakespeare's Hamlet- indeci–
sive. As the Bible says, "if the
trumpet give an uncertain sound,
wbo shall prepare bimself to the
battle?" (1 Corinthians 14:8). A
leader cannot be beset by self–
doubts engendered by the "com–
plexities" of the modern world.
Many Americans voted for Mr.
Reagan because he seemed more
confident-more positive- than
bis predecessor.
Of course, the fact that Mr.
Reagan is sucb a good communi–
cator could also be his own undo–
ing. During tbe campaign he
managed to seem all things to all ·
men-and in the election he did
extraordinarily well among
people who would normally vote
Democratic. Has Mr. Reagan
made too many promises?
Under any administration,
sorne people prosper while
others may suffer- at least rela–
tively . Yet to an uncommon
degree Mr. Reagan embodies
the hopes of millions of people:
can he now ask for sacrifices for
the national good? 1 wonder.
Society is becoming more selfish
and inward looking, and as Wal–
ter Lacquer has recently written,
" Even the most talented leaders
will be unable to save democracy
for a society whose supreme val–
ue is satisfaction of the ego."
One of Mr. Reagan's apparent
strengtbs is an unusual-for a
politician-measure of bumility.
As governor of California, Mr.
Reagan kept a very interesting
plaque on his desk. It read: "You
can accomplish much ... if you
don't mind who gets the credit."
Mr. Reagan certainly has shown
himself willing to delegate au–
thority. He is said to depend
heavily on his staff. Of course,
this can be carried too far-a
leader must himself be diligent if
he is to succeed (Proverbs 12:24).
On the other hand, "in multitude
of counselors there is safety"
(Proverbs 24:6), and even Mr.
Reagan's political enemies give
credit for seeking out well-quali–
fied subordinates and being will–
ing to listen to their advice. One
reporter, for example, has re–
marked that Mr. Reagan "does
not appear to have a large ego
stake" when it comes to delegat–
ing power.
This lack of a grasping, all-the–
glory-for-myself attitude is one of
the most positive things about
Mr. Reagan. The Bible says a
leader must be more interested in
serving
those who follow him
than in the glory and power of
higb office for their own sakes
(Matthew 20:25-28). Similarly,
Moses was specifically advised in
tbe Bible to appoint "able men"
to positions under him (Exodus
18:21).
However, Mr. Reagan may
need more than respected coun–
selors and able staff people if he is
to attack problems which are, at
bedrock, spiritual. Mr. Reagan
takes office during perilous times
(11 Timothy 3:1). Such times call
for unpopular action- yet there is
a real question whether any Iead–
er in this world would be able to
take tbat action. o
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