Having been born in 1972 in London to immigrant parents, I am what some refer to as “a child of Thatcher”, coming to age during her premiership (1979 – 1990). So I have watched, read and listened to the media coverage of Baroness Thatcher’s recent death with keen interest.
As is customary when someone dies people reflect and eulogise.
For some their memories of her are fond, for others who celebrated in Brixton,
Liverpool and Glasgow they are bitter (though some celebrants seemed so young
they were possibly not even born in 1990?).
A shop keeper’s daughter who rose to lead the male dominated
Conservative party, winning three general elections, is itself worthy of
historical significance. That she became known as the “Iron Lady” (two opposite
terms conflated into one?) and has historical terms such as “Thatcherism”, “Thatcherite
years” demonstrate the impact of her premiership.
To reflect on the ‘Thatcherism
years’ is to reflect upon my own early life, because if leadership is
anything, it is influence. Therefore by extension National leadership is also
National influence (for good or for bad).
Several things her story has caused me to reflect on:
Leadership - How true Leadership is divisive – We see people
mourning her loss and others celebrating her loss.
Once you make a leadership
decision you polarise people. Many will point to her leadership over the Miners
strikes, the Falklands, the right to give council tenants’ rights to buy their
own home as positives. Others will look to the devastation caused to Mining
Communities, tough financial legislation, and stopping free milk for school
children!
Maybe this is why many Leaders, political or otherwise shy away from decision making?
Maybe this is why many Leaders, political or otherwise shy away from decision making?
Longevity - How long should a Leader stay in leadership? – Was
Thatcher a victim of her own success?
Thatcher never actually lost a general election and her record of political demise has echoes of Tony
Blair being forced by his own cabinet to step down, who coincidently also won three elections.
Several dangers successful leaders face:
1). They know better than anyone else – Thatcher appears to have ignored the advice of those closest
to her and in so doing, isolated herself from the very people she needed the most.
Thatcher never actually lost a general election and her record of political demise has echoes of Tony
Blair being forced by his own cabinet to step down, who coincidently also won three elections.
Several dangers successful leaders face:
1). They know better than anyone else – Thatcher appears to have ignored the advice of those closest
to her and in so doing, isolated herself from the very people she needed the most.
2). Treat
people with indifference – Thatcher appears to have hurt and offended those
most loyal to her and appears to have took their loyalty for granted (Geoffrey
Howe, Nigel Lawson, et al).
3). They
believe their own press – Thatcher
was highly thought of both home and abroad. Is it possible that she thought herself invincible
politically? She actually seemed surprised and hurt that she was forced out.
Legacy -
How will history remember you? - Leadership
legacy is often defined around the memorable events of your tenure. Whether it’s
George Bush at a kinder garden school first being told of the 9/11 attacks,
John Prescott punching a guy for throwing an egg at him or Gordon Brown calling
a woman a ‘bigot’ with his lapel mike still on, these are the ‘things’ history
remembers.
Loyalty -
How leaders need to be able to be influenced by the right people – You
cannot take the loyalty of those who serve you faithfully, for granted. People
can get hurt and offended and as a consequence change their minds about you. It
seemed those who were the most loyal to Thatcher inflicted the most damage.
Whether you liked her or not, I think it is fair to pause and
reflect upon her leadership in a balanced (if possible) manner. My own view
having watched a number of her parliamentary debates is that “they don’t make
them like that anymore”.
My prayers go out to her loved ones who may be grieving
during this time, may God be merciful to all.