A couple of days ago, we were arriving in
Seoul at the same time the next “Great Leader” Kim Jong-Un was sabre-rattling
about nuclear and conventional responses to South Korean and US military
exercises. My eldest son Jack has a uncommon fixation on dictators (especially
the North Korean variety,) so was
interested on the goings-on, while wife Alison was mildly concerned about press
reports and the potential for trouble during our visit. Of course, all was fine. What was of greatest
interest (and I have seen the same thing during previous trips to Seoul) was
the lack of interest of the South Korean people. Many Koreans lived through the
Korean War and subsequent omnipresent tension (with associated fiery rhetoric)
between North and South – which seems to go through regular cycles like an
inter-nation bio-rhythm – barely registers on their psychic radar. In fact, our
Korean parent hosts were far more concerned about any anxiety we may have had than
by any prospect for real trouble. It tells you something about the stoic nature
of a country that has lived through difficult times, about desensitization (or
perhaps Westerners’ over-dramatization,) and most of all by how lucky
we are to live in Canada – a point further amplified when seeing Japan still
recovering from the earthquake/tsunami/nuclear problems of 2011.
While I haven’t read any pieces on the subject,
I suspect that many have already written on the amazing fact that the Chinese
President Xi Jinping and Pope Francis were elected within a day of each other. Between
them, they lead almost 2.5 billion people, albeit their leadership takes place in
very different domains. Likely, the Chinese government wasn’t delighted about
the timing of the white smoke. This was indeed an historic period, and these
are interesting times.
There are remarkable contrasts in these
stories. One transition was painstakingly planned and prepared for after the
decision was announced publically at least a half a year in advance, while the other
was a suspense-filled surprise, which was the culmination of a shocking
decision of his predecessor. One was infused by the pomp and ceremony of the highest
profile, ancient Western church, while the other was played out in the ceremony
of the in the modern, complex, Communist party structure that represents one of
the world’s oldest and most sophisticated cultures.
There are also many similarities. In both
cases, the decision on succession was made by a relatively small group of
knowledgeable insiders who place a strong priority on the
stability of the institutions. In both cases, the choices represent blends of
non-traditional associations and histories, while also remaining closely
associated with other traditional institutional values. Both Mr. Xi and Pope
Francis are seen to be men “of their people” with deeper understandings of the
plight of the common man than their predecessors. Finally, they both face
imposing expectations about bringing significant reforms to their institutions
– cleaning up a series of problems – while also staying true to their core
principles. It will be very interesting seeing how each of these men handles these
imposing circumstances.
Educators talk a lot about leadership and
how we can infuse those skills in our students. I think that studying these two
world figures – both how they came to be two of the most powerful people in the
world, and what they do in the years ahead – will be fascinating case studies for
those interesting in leadership.
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