| Are our candidates disconnected from the | | | | |
| American people? Do you think George Bush | | | | 1.Continuous self assessments asking, "Am I |
| knows how much a bus pass costs? When was the | | | | connected to the American people? If not, |
| last time you think Bush pulled out an | | | | what can I do to reconnect with the American |
| envelope full of coupons to save a few bucks | | | | people?You cannot be honest with yourself |
| at the grocery store? Does he even know what | | | | until you are honest with the American |
| a grocery store is? I do not want to bash the | | | | people. Are you personally aware of my |
| President. But what I want to do is explain | | | | struggle or just aware of my struggle through |
| why so many of our national politicians | | | | statisticians? |
| aren't ready to tackle the everyday problems | | | | |
| the average American faces - simply because | | | | 2.Create diverse ideological cabinet/team. |
| they have no idea what they are. | | | | You want someone who will disagree with you |
| | | | respectfully. Healthy dialogue is the |
| During my Illinois mayoral campaign this | | | | birthplace of creativity. The phenomenon of |
| year, I held seven town hall meetings with | | | | group think creates unhealthy and |
| topics ranging from improving education to | | | | disconnected policy. |
| accessing the healthcare system. Two trends | | | | |
| stood out to me as I listened to the American | | | | 3.In addition to ideological diversity, |
| people. First, I talked to people who had not | | | | maintain fluid teams to ensure you have the |
| voted in twenty years because they felt like | | | | best possible people during the life cycles |
| they did not have anyone for whom to vote. | | | | of your public leadership. This means change |
| These Americans felt voiceless in this local | | | | is necessary. Stagnation breeds nothing but |
| democratic system. | | | | death. |
| | | | |
| This sense of hopelessness and voicelessness | | | | We have a responsibility to our children and |
| caused me to reflect on what would cause a | | | | to the future of America to move pass name |
| person not to exercise the right to vote for | | | | recognition generated by family legacy and |
| twenty years given the fact that Americans | | | | wealth as the determining factors in our |
| gave their lives for the right to vote. I | | | | choices if we even decide to make a choice |
| quickly concluded that it must be more than | | | | see and as a result of disconnection and |
| apathy as described by many people. As I | | | | frustration. Many have walked away from the |
| continued talking to people during my seven | | | | democratic process and continue to walk away |
| town hall meetings and on the campaign trail, | | | | from the process in frustration or even worst |
| I concluded that the reason for what we call | | | | did not feel invited into the process by the |
| apathy is actually disconnection. American | | | | hypocrisy we now see. A last name does not |
| citizens are disconnected from the democratic | | | | make you a president and wealth does not |
| process because our leaders are disconnected | | | | prove to me of your ability to lead the |
| from the American people. | | | | country. It means you are a fundraiser. |
| | | | |
| The second trend I observed during my | | | | Yes, the presidential candidates are |
| campaigns was the citizens' inability to see | | | | disconnected from the American people? |
| the connections between local, regional and | | | | However, there are degrees of disconnection. |
| national elections. The local leaders of | | | | The candidates do not have the same degree of |
| today become the national leaders of | | | | disconnection from the American People. In |
| tomorrow. If they are disconnected from the | | | | response to what I heard from the America |
| people today, what can we expect tomorrow? | | | | people as a two time mayoral candidate, I |
| The American people have a responsibilityto | | | | have developed a tool to begin to evaluate |
| ensure that this does not continue. We have | | | | how connected our leadership is to the |
| been too passive. It should not take an | | | | American people. I call this evaluation tool, |
| electoral crisis to bring people out to the | | | | the "Ten Degrees of Disconnection." The "Ten |
| polls. A crisis usually means something of | | | | Degrees of Disconnection" is a ten question |
| value has already been lost. We can and must | | | | litmus test. The ten questions are available |
| be more proactive with the future of our | | | | at the virtual town hall meeting website. |
| nation. | | | | |
| | | | In response to this disconnection, I have |
| Disconnection does not eliminate men and | | | | also launched a virtual town hall meeting to |
| women with sincere desires to serve in a | | | | share with you what I see and to hear from |
| servant leader capacity but it means two | | | | you about your experience so we can support |
| things. First, it means that we have to | | | | each other in making stand in our individual |
| challenge each of them to reconnect. Second, | | | | neighborhoods and communities and to make a |
| disconnection requires what I call an | | | | national stand in our nation. Log onto the |
| "intentional leadership style "An | | | | virtual website to reserve your virtual seat |
| "intentional leadership style" requires three | | | | for the next national discussion. |
| things: | | | | |