In 220 years of Presidencies, Democrats have held the office about 1/3rd of history.  To them, we have been going in the wrong direction 2/3rds of the time.  To them, George Washington without law degree, without any formal education, only a farmer and a solder, not serving in the legislature would not be experienced enough to become President, not qualified, no foreign relations experience.   Of the next 9 Presidents, six came from Governships.  Even into modern times, State Governships has been the predominat route to the White House, not the legislative route, like FDR, Carter,  Reagan, Clinton, Bush.   In those days, State Governships were the plum. Lawyers went into the legislature, then sought either Governorships or Executive Cabinet and VP positions.  In the nations history, very very few lawyers have gone into the legislature and then direct into the White House.  Only Kennedy has gone direct from Harvard, to Senate, into the White House.  His legacy is nothing to write  home about.  Lawyers practice.  Executives lead!  Different job skills.

 

Think leadership criteria, not experience, not familiarity.   Throw out that word experience. Discard the concept of practice and ordinary schooled  talent..   Think and shift the political debate to leadership competency. Legislative bureaucratic proficiency does not equal executive competency. Stop contrasting skilled practicing lawyers in legislative performances to extraordinary leadership competences in critical complex timely decision-making functions.

Charisma and personality alone can sometimes work miracles, yet most leaders operate within a structure of subordinates who carry out the filtered-down will of the leader. Leadership competence is distinct from ordinary know-how and familiar experiences.

Proficiency is when an individual can properly perform a specific job. Know-how is the characteristic of being adequately instructed to perform a specific role. Monkeys, dogs, and elephants can perform. In emergency contexts, proficient people and animals will react to the situation following behaviors they have previously found to succeed, hopefully to good effect. Leadership is not about automatic reaction.

CEO’s and Governors are conductors. Run-of-the-mill conductors can bring out inadequate songs from great orchestra’s. Virtuoso conductors can bring out exceptional harmony from inferior orchestra’s. 

Leadership qualities for complex tasks rise above skill, abilities and knowledge. It includes the magnitude of an individual to learn, to reason, and to adapt. The yardstick of leadership measures authority, accountability, and, most of all, accomplishment. The expert has an intuitive understanding of the situation and zooms in on the central aspects. The virtuoso has the highest degree of diagnostic competence, advancing the customary with creative ways to accomplish flourishing conclusions.

CEO’s have the powers to understand and intervene in organizational processes. They have diagnostic competency, with powers of insight and interpretation, and are problem solvers.   They can differentiate effective from ineffective occupational performances. . They have insights into all the relevant dots. They connect all the relevant dots. 

Experience and specific job performances has nothing to do with leadership qualities. Lawyers practice. Leaders show the way.   Using words, legislatures mandate, regulate, and litigate. Leaders influence, organize, and systemize genius. No comparison.