Loved, adored, reviled, admired, hated, awesome, loathesome, fearless, reckless, self sacrificing, self centred. We will have days of conflicts and contrasts as people queue to air their views on the passing of Margaret Thatcher.
This is neither a eulogy or a calumny. Plenty of column inches will be devoted to those over the next days and weeks. What can not be denied is the impact this woman and her leadership has had on the country, the world and on history itself. Even her quiet, private passing has sparked an outpouring of strong feelings, emotions and argument. No-one in the leadership development industry is likely to use her as a case study. Not because there isn’t plenty of rich material – in a way that’s the issue. Using Margaret Thatcher as a model for explaining leadership is very tricky ground indeed.
Anyone who stirs up this level of debate is likely to make objective comparison difficult with hearts ruling heads (as we can see from some of the comments appearing in social networks). One of our skills areas in Behavioural Intelligence is Impact and Influence.
There can be no doubt that she had (and continues to have) that. Politics aside it is worth asking how the five fundamental questions we ask of our leaders on our ClearWorth programmes apply to the legend of Margaret Thatcher.
What Do You Stand For? – There can be no doubt that this was made very clear both in words and deeds. I personally heard Tony Wedgwood-Benn say of her that she was a signpost – although he loathed pretty much all she stood for you always knew which way she was pointing and that she would not be turned from that direction. As she herself said ‘To those waiting with bated breath for that favourite media catchphrase, the U-turn, I have only one thing to say: You turn if you want to. The lady’s not for turning!
Why Should They Follow You? – What she offered and delivered was a delight to some and disgusting to others. Those that chose to follow did so because her direction and promise was uncompromising and clear. Not many leaders have been as clear, indeed brutally clear, as Thatcher and her allies were. To some there was sense that her leadership was essential to a country that seemed vague and slightly lost in direction. To others the chosen path was the path to hell – but it was a clearly illuminated track with no beds in the road.
What Will Be Different? – See above. Throughout her “reign” it was clear that things would not be the same ever again. Her values of self reliance, independence and (some would say) absolute adherence to a system that rewarded those able to look after themselves and not rely on a support system changed the face of Britain.
Who’s On Your Side? – A trickier one to be clear on. Those that prospered, flourished profited from her leadership were strong supporters and allies. Legends such as Norman Tebbitt and Ronald Reagan were right there. When the tides started to turn against her the demise of followership came quickly and her tearful departure and sense of betrayal were evident but not unexpected.
Who Listens When you Speak? – If ever there was a dream deliverer for speech writers it was Margaret Thatcher. There’s been almost no-one like her since in UK politics. Her sense of timing and use of rhetorical devices was masterful. Her intensive coaching in her early political career paid off. She was a force to be reckoned with in the House and could deliver rallying calls to action and withering put downs with skill, presence and conviction. If her impact had not been so controversial and divisive we would be seeing more of her speeches used as examples of how to deliver the message. Not many of us will leave the lasting echo that means the voice of Margaret Thatcher and the significance of her words, views and values will be around for a very long time indeed.
The song “My Way” was not written for her and will not be played at any memorial service but phrases like “I’ll state my case of which I’m certain” and “I did what I had to do. I saw it though without exemption” seemed uncannily close to her stance. As she herself said “I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end.
Clive Hook
Programme Director at ClearWorth
