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All Americans, regardless of their politics, should wish President Trump and the First Lady a speedy and full recovery. But all people, regardless of their views on the president, the pandemic, and the intersection of the two, must also recognize a simple fact: Trump’s positive test for the coronavirus illustrates her greatest weakness …
The decisions you make as a leader.
When President Trump announced via Twitter As he and the First Lady tested positive for the deadly virus early Friday, the political universe exploded. The market crashed. And the nation and the world were not only shocked with alarm, but also with deep concern about what will come next. Infection of the most powerful person, who also leads the most powerful nation on the planet, is not just about a person’s hospitalization and recovery. Nor is it about the relentlessness of a deadly virus that has killed more than 1 million people worldwide, including more than 208,000 Americans.
It’s about leadership.
Trump’s political response to the pandemic is well known, so there is no need to reiterate the details. His political statements, his response to his critics, and his efforts to minimize infection risks are well-worn stories. Trump did not get infected with the coronavirus because he is a bad politician or because he has bad policies, those are issues that can and will be debated. He became infected with a life-threatening virus because he made poor leadership decisions.
And that’s the warning to all Americans, regardless of whether they are Republicans or Democrats.
The litany of bad leadership decisions that Trump made, and that led him to this moment, is basic and profound.
WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 1: US President Donald walks toward the White House residence in the South … [+]
The president did not listen or communicate to his followers real information and data that could have helped limit the spread of the virus, both throughout the country and in his inner circle. According to CNN audio tapes of his conversations with journalist Bob Woodward, Trump knew the virus was deadly and contagious. However, Trump also did not make the connection that he, too, was at risk, telling Woodward when asked if he was concerned about contracting the virus: “No, I am not. I don’t know why I am not. I’m not. “Following the experts, understanding and accepting their advice, and communicating caution to others is what good leaders do: they listen to signals and adapt their strategies to new realities to mitigate risk.
Trump did not.
The president downplayed the benefit of wearing face covers, despite overwhelming evidence that they slow the spread of the virus. As a result, Trump did not model the kind of behavior that would reduce the risk of contracting the virus, so many of his advisers and key supporters also did not wear masks, even at “super-spreader” events when in close contact. one with the other. Now, several members of his inner circle, including Hicks, campaign manager Bill Stepien, and close advisor Kellyanne Conway have tested all the posts. Leaders show leadership not just by what they say, but by what they do.
Trump did not.
The president, who is in love with campaign rallies and the spectacle that accompany them, did not want to slow down the pace of his rallies. In fact, after one of the president’s senior aides, Hope Hicks, tested positive Thursday morning, Trump traveled to New Jersey for a fundraiser that day even though some attendees knew of the result of his test. Leaders, despite their desire to persevere and do the things they want to do, need to adapt to different risks and make different sacrifices based on new information.
Trump did not.
Ultimately, however, it is the impact the president’s infection has on his leadership of the United States that could be the most concerning. With the increase in coronavirus cases in 33 states since the end of August, the surge in hospitalization and the economic crisis, the United States desperately needs leadership. Americans need to feel secure in the well-being and strength of their leaders. Leaders understand that the good of their organization, the good of their followers, and even the good of those who don’t follow them, should always come first. They take extra precautions and make extra efforts to respond to the severity of the risks around them so they can continue to lead.
Trump did not.
So in the end, Trump’s coronavirus infection is not about politics. This isn’t about real medical data or fake news, and it’s not about the right or wrong side of the issues.
Trump’s infection with the coronavirus is a warning about when disastrous consequences occur as a result of disastrous decisions. Decisions, like elections, have consequences, and a series of very bad decisions can have unhealthy consequences for all leaders, regardless of whether they are leading a small team or the largest nation on the planet.
Yes, President Trump may have tested positive for the coronavirus because he contracted it from someone else. But in the end, he tested positive because he failed the most basic leadership tests. Taste (and warn) once again one of the greatest and most persistent lessons in history …
Bad things happen to bad leaders.
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