What is happening in American politics related to the debt ceiling is frustrating and embarrassing. I’m not the only one that feels that way. Notice the comments compiled in the  July 27th edition of USA Today.
When leadership fails, here is how your people are feeling and what they are focused on:
- Results – “Just get it done. Work it out.” – Nicole McBride from Chicago
- Anger – “I’m sick of it. They’re playing games. Here we are trying to pull ourselves out of a recession, and they can’t come to an agreement.” – Joe Davis from New Orleans
- Disgust – “They could settle this today if they really wanted to.” – Patricia Benner from Louisville
- Distrust – “I don’t know if we’re even really hearing the truth about what the ramifications would be.” – Jennifer Dillon of Palm Springs
- Fear – “I think it will be pretty catastrophic.” – David Maciewicz of Utica, NY
- Realism – “We could blame our leaders all we want. But ultimately it’s Americans living beyond their means that ran up so much debt.” – Jordan Angle from New Orleans
- Apathy – “Living in New Orleans, we’re very used to nothing getting done.” – Angle
- Lack Of Optimism – “If banks can’t loan, I can’t grow.” – Braxton Moody, small business owner in New Orleans
- Agendas – “It’s a power play. It’s about the Republicans showing their muscle and the Democrats showing their muscle.” – McBride
- Justification – “We don’t want the country to default by any means. We want what’s coming to us.” – Jim Brown of Maine
- Self-Serving – “It’s all just politics. I don’t think that right now people are making decisions for the right reasons.” – Tom Lauer
- Entitlement – “Everyone’s caught up in this word ‘compromise’. There was no compromise in spending this money…People have gotten used to government programs providing for everything.” – Taylor Mason of South Carolina
- Transparency – David Wijewickrama of North Carolina calls the current situation “disgusting election politics”. He goes on to add, “What we need is honest discussion. Both parties are responsible for the debt. Both parties need to take ownership of the debt.”
- Others – “It’s all about people at the end of the day.” – Darryl Herman of Chicago
I love that last quote – “It’s all about people at the end of the day.” Leaders, learn from what we are all watching. Whether it’s a church, business, non-profit, sports team, family, or some other group, if you’re leadership is failing, those you serve are probably feeling the same things.
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