The Sad State of Leadership in American Politics

I have written a ton of content on the subject of leadership. I have spoken around the world on that incredibly important topic. I am fascinated by the positive difference authentic leadership can make in an organization.

I am also shocked at how quickly poor, inauthentic leadership can destroy the morale of an otherwise committed team and individuals, and even a country.

I’m also fascinated by politics. I don’t claim to know much about the ins and outs of politics, but I do know that many politicians seem to relish calling themselves leaders. But when I think of the politicians in my home country, I am hard-pressed to find many who meet the standards of an Authentic Leader.

I won’t go into detail on what disqualifies them as an Authentic Leader; my guess is that many of you already know. But here are a few things, in no particular order, that would disqualify anyone hoping to truly lead. Lying. Stealing credit for another person’s accomplishments. Blaming others for their own mistakes and shortcomings. An obvious lack of ethics. Zero actual empathy for others. Setting one set of rules for themselves and another set of rules for the people they claim to lead.

None of that has anything to do with Authentic Leadership.

Authentic leaders lead with a foundation of integrity, transparency, and purpose. They don’t try to be someone else or copy another leader’s style — they are genuine in how they act and interact. Here are the key things authentic leaders do:

Know Themselves

They are self-aware, understanding their strengths, weaknesses, values, and emotions.

They reflect regularly and don’t hide from feedback.

Lead with Values

They make decisions rooted in their core principles rather than convenience, popularity, or polls.

Their actions align with what they say they believe, creating consistency and trust.

Build Trust

They are honest and transparent in communication.

They admit mistakes, take responsibility, and don’t shift blame.

They keep commitments, no matter how small.

Show Empathy and Care

They value people as individuals, not just as roles or resources.

They listen deeply, encourage input, and respect diverse perspectives.

Stay Grounded

They remain steady in turbulent times, making decisions without losing sight of their principles.

They avoid arrogance, staying humble and approachable.

Act with Purpose

They lead with a vision beyond themselves — serving the team, the organization, and, in the case of Congress, the greater good for all.

Their motivation is contribution, not recognition.

In short, authentic leaders lead from the inside out — they let their values, character, and purpose guide their leadership rather than external pressures or superficial expectations.

So… I’ll let you all make up your own mind. Are American politicians authentic leaders or not? I think you can tell from the title of this post what I think. A senator from Wisconsin says that serving in Congress will be “unattractive” if representatives and senators can’t buy and sell stocks using insider information. Basically saying if our “leaders” are subject to the same laws as the rest of us, there would be no point in “serving.” A governor from California says Democrats need to “punch Republican sons of bitches in the mouth.” That to me summed up our political “leaders” as concisely as anything ever has.

This is not a Republican or Democratic issue. This is a lack of authentic leadership issue. Absent trust, integrity, sound judgment, values, honorable purpose, humility, and principles, you don’t have a leader; you have a politician.

It wasn’t always this way; in years past, there were plenty of effective leaders in both the Republican and Democratic parties. People who served the American people. Today, I struggle to name more than a few truly authentic leaders in either party. And that, my friends, is a real problem for all of us.

I’m not sure how “we the people” can fix this problem, but it most certainly needs to be fixed.