Experts: Leadership style makes a difference

McClatchy Newspapers

One presidential candidate declares he understands America’s problems and he knows how to solve them. The other candidate takes a more collegial approach, saying that together, yes, we can fix America.

Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the Republican nominee, and Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, the Democratic nominee, have drawn a distinction between how they would lead.

With the economy, war overseas and health care foremost in voter minds, leadership style had been a lower-priority issue, but one voters are considering as they pick who will act as the country’s new chief executive officer.

But leadership scholars and political observers believe both candidates for president possess many of the qualities that make a good chief executive officer. But one thing to consider: If a business were hiring one of the two as its CEO, McCain is older than mandatory retirement ages at many large companies while Obama is too youthful or inexperienced.

That is the debate Marion Baker, 55, is having as he chooses between the candidates.

“At 55 I’m not as [mentally] quick as I was five years ago, and McCain is 72,” Baker said. “The thing with [Obama] is he’s young and may not have the experience.”

Joyce Russell, an executive coach who teaches at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, said there are similarities between a president and CEO but also some significant differences.

“Effective leaders really have to be able to prioritize the key issues,” Russell said. “What’s unique about the president, other than CEOs, is they have to multitask other issues and notice the interrelationships,” such as the connection between energy and the economy.

Russell said she believes presidential candidates could use more of the training provided to CEOs. Good leaders possess a number of qualities and skills, Russell said. Those must-have qualities include:

UCredibility. The most important, according to Russell. People need to believe what a candidate says. Both candidates, Russell said, come off as credible.

UOptimism. People will not buy into a plan unless the leader is optimistic about its success, Russell said. Both candidates, she said, have conveyed optimism about their ideas.

UExperience. Length of experience is important but so is diversity. This is McCain’s strength, Russell said.

UEmpathy. Russell said “emotional” and “social” intelligence are increasingly important to executives who may be smart and have good technical skills but have people problems. This skill is a strength of Obama’s, she said.

UDecision-making. Good leaders make decisions quickly, Russell said, but also are open-minded to advice. Obama has made a point to be open to more viewpoints, Russell said, while McCain has proven he can work with political opponents.