Effective communication starts and stops with
leadership in organizations. I think the Presidential election has shown how
failure to listen can cost organizations significant losses and create chaos. In President-Elect Donald J. Trump’s
acceptance speech he mentioned the “forgotten man”. This “forgotten” man and woman are exactly
who the Trump campaign built their foundation on. As described in William
Graham Sumner’s “What Social Classes Owe to Each Other”, the forgotten man, “He works, he votes, generally he
prays—but he always pays”. Sumner goes on to say “The State cannot get a cent for any man
without taking it from some other man, and this latter must be a man who has
produced and saved it. This latter is the Forgotten Man” (108). Even
controversial Hollywood director Michael Moore predicted Trump’s success
because of his ability to listen and make the masses feel heard. The democratic
and even some Republican leadership failed to listen to their once
constituents. They became complacent; believing their accomplishments of the
past would propel them into office.
The establishment failed to see there was a growing number of discontented members of the American population and a large percentage of those Americans help fund their programs. I believe when average Americans are thriving they are less likely to mind government intervention or reach into their pocketbooks. However, when the working class is being burdened to the point they cannot provide for their family- either through lost jobs or insurance premiums, they get fed up and fight back. Most Americans want to provide for the truly needy- the elderly, children and disabled. What they are sick of is able bodied men and women taking advantage of our social programs in order to live off of the system on the backs of hard working Americans. I think the liberal politicians underestimated just how fed up middle class Americans were.The other mistake made by the liberal politicians was assuming Hillary Clinton would claim the vote among women as President Barak Obama did in 2008 among African Americans, simply because she was a woman. They failed to make the connection that while women support ideas like equality among women in the workplace; they also support qualities like honesty and integrity while competing in a man’s world. Insulting comments launched at conservatives were also a perfect example of how the left failed to listen and understand the American middle class. It was assumed anyone supporting Trump was ignorant, racist, sexists, homophobic, xenophobic and a whole host of other adjectives. They failed to hear the perspective of those who didn’t support every liberal issue that the left proposed. If you disagree then you are “deplorable” and “irredeemable”. Yet somehow I doubt you would see those “deplorable” and “irredeemable” people out rioting today because they were disappointed in the election outcome. By ridiculing and isolating the conservative moderates, they created an environment where moderate conservatives were left with no option but to vote for Trump in order to simply be heard and evoke change.The Trump campaign, led by Kellyanne Conway, listened to the “average Joe” in America. By the way, I don’t hear feminists congratulating her on being the first female to run a successful Presidential campaign. I guess feminism only extends its hand if it supports the liberal agenda? By listening and tapping into the pains and fears of the average American the Trump campaign was able to motivate this base to get out and vote for change. According to Pew Research article “High- Income Americans Pay Most Income Taxes, but Enough to be Fair?” in April 2016, 62.3% of those filing income taxes make less than $50,000 annually. When these individuals lose their jobs to overseas labor or gets hit with high insurance premiums because they are now required to carry insurance by law and cannot afford to provide for their families, a revolution is inevitable unless they feel like their government officials hear them. Therefore, in my opinion, Trump’s victory was, as one friend put it, “giving the finger to current politicians and the current system” for the pain they have caused middle class Americans. It wasn’t so much of a vote for Trump as it was a vote against the current administration. Sort of a mindset “hey you’ve had your 8 years to fix this mess, now let’s see what the other side can do”. I saw a Facebook meme with a map of the country and the breakdown by county of the election results with the former slogan for Verizon “Can you hear me now?” To me, that summed up why this election had the outcome it did.
So now what? Well I think Republicans and Democrats alike better start improving their listening skills. Perhaps every member of congress should be required to take classes on effective listening. In order for America as a whole to become “great again” we have to start listening to those around us. I mean really listening- listening to understand. Our leadership throughout this country from the local level all the way up needs to start listening to the pains of the majority of the American people. In this day and age, you can’t please everyone. But you can develop policies that have positive impacts on the majority who are the backbone of this country. Social programs do not fund themselves. The “forgotten man” is paying for these initiatives. So perhaps politicians on both sides of the isle better start practicing effective listening and leadership. And even more importantly, fellow Americans need to start listening to each other. We can lead by example. I have never walked the path of an African American or homosexual, but I can listen to the path they have walked with compassion and understanding. I can examine my behavior and correct ways I may be inadvertently contributing to the relations issues in our nation. As I tell my children, you cannot control the actions and attitudes of others but you can control yours. You can be a leader by being the good others see.
The establishment failed to see there was a growing number of discontented members of the American population and a large percentage of those Americans help fund their programs. I believe when average Americans are thriving they are less likely to mind government intervention or reach into their pocketbooks. However, when the working class is being burdened to the point they cannot provide for their family- either through lost jobs or insurance premiums, they get fed up and fight back. Most Americans want to provide for the truly needy- the elderly, children and disabled. What they are sick of is able bodied men and women taking advantage of our social programs in order to live off of the system on the backs of hard working Americans. I think the liberal politicians underestimated just how fed up middle class Americans were.The other mistake made by the liberal politicians was assuming Hillary Clinton would claim the vote among women as President Barak Obama did in 2008 among African Americans, simply because she was a woman. They failed to make the connection that while women support ideas like equality among women in the workplace; they also support qualities like honesty and integrity while competing in a man’s world. Insulting comments launched at conservatives were also a perfect example of how the left failed to listen and understand the American middle class. It was assumed anyone supporting Trump was ignorant, racist, sexists, homophobic, xenophobic and a whole host of other adjectives. They failed to hear the perspective of those who didn’t support every liberal issue that the left proposed. If you disagree then you are “deplorable” and “irredeemable”. Yet somehow I doubt you would see those “deplorable” and “irredeemable” people out rioting today because they were disappointed in the election outcome. By ridiculing and isolating the conservative moderates, they created an environment where moderate conservatives were left with no option but to vote for Trump in order to simply be heard and evoke change.The Trump campaign, led by Kellyanne Conway, listened to the “average Joe” in America. By the way, I don’t hear feminists congratulating her on being the first female to run a successful Presidential campaign. I guess feminism only extends its hand if it supports the liberal agenda? By listening and tapping into the pains and fears of the average American the Trump campaign was able to motivate this base to get out and vote for change. According to Pew Research article “High- Income Americans Pay Most Income Taxes, but Enough to be Fair?” in April 2016, 62.3% of those filing income taxes make less than $50,000 annually. When these individuals lose their jobs to overseas labor or gets hit with high insurance premiums because they are now required to carry insurance by law and cannot afford to provide for their families, a revolution is inevitable unless they feel like their government officials hear them. Therefore, in my opinion, Trump’s victory was, as one friend put it, “giving the finger to current politicians and the current system” for the pain they have caused middle class Americans. It wasn’t so much of a vote for Trump as it was a vote against the current administration. Sort of a mindset “hey you’ve had your 8 years to fix this mess, now let’s see what the other side can do”. I saw a Facebook meme with a map of the country and the breakdown by county of the election results with the former slogan for Verizon “Can you hear me now?” To me, that summed up why this election had the outcome it did.
So now what? Well I think Republicans and Democrats alike better start improving their listening skills. Perhaps every member of congress should be required to take classes on effective listening. In order for America as a whole to become “great again” we have to start listening to those around us. I mean really listening- listening to understand. Our leadership throughout this country from the local level all the way up needs to start listening to the pains of the majority of the American people. In this day and age, you can’t please everyone. But you can develop policies that have positive impacts on the majority who are the backbone of this country. Social programs do not fund themselves. The “forgotten man” is paying for these initiatives. So perhaps politicians on both sides of the isle better start practicing effective listening and leadership. And even more importantly, fellow Americans need to start listening to each other. We can lead by example. I have never walked the path of an African American or homosexual, but I can listen to the path they have walked with compassion and understanding. I can examine my behavior and correct ways I may be inadvertently contributing to the relations issues in our nation. As I tell my children, you cannot control the actions and attitudes of others but you can control yours. You can be a leader by being the good others see.
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