It is still too early to make an assessment if Donald Trump will succeed or fail as leader of the free world. In the months leading up to the election, and in the short time that he has been in office, a clear profile of Donald Trump’s leadership skills and style is emerging. How he employs these leadership traits will determine his legacy. These are my observations to date on his demonstrated leadership characteristics that may serve as a predictor of his performance.
Strengths
Vision
In the months leading up to the election, Donald Trump and his close colleagues saw something that others did not fully see and appreciate. They saw millions of Americans who were left behind, who lost their jobs to automation and/or foreign countries and who were experiencing stagnant wages. They captured this vision into a clear (but questionable) vision of America.
A Communicator
Donald Trump took this unrest and dissatisfaction and channeled it into a message of change. He spoke to and connected with disaffected citizens in a powerful way, such that he defeated his 16 Republican rivals and one Democratic rival. While he did not win the popular vote, he won enough votes, where it counted, to win the election.
A Marketer and Salesman
His messages of “Make America Great Again” along with his promise to “repeal and replace Obamacare” and “build a wall” on America’s border with Mexico were clear and tangible. They were clearly superior to the Democrats somewhat more nebulous message of “Stronger Together.” He sold himself to the American people and 62 million people bought the message.
The Front Person
Donald Trump led the charge. He was on television and at rallies constantly, communicating his message forcefully.
Takes Advantage of Opportunities
Trump’s boisterous and charismatic personality made him a favorite of the news media throughput the campaign. He took advantage of his popularity and impact on ratings to go on television daily throughout the election campaign. To grow his business, he took advantage of tax policies and banking regulations. Now that he is president, he dominates the news cycle with his executive order signings and press briefings.
A Driver and a Doer
President Trump is very aggressive. He is constantly in “attack mode;” he is not timid. The president has demonstrated that he follows through on his promises. He released his 7-country immigration ban and followed it up with his “Trumpcare” health plan. Even though health care is a complex area and despite comments from within his own party that it would take many months to draft legislation, Donald Trump moved more quickly and decisively than many in his party would have thought possible.
A Builder
Donald Trump took a million-dollar investment from his father and built a multi-billion-dollar business. He owns properties around the world. He also built a successful television franchise for The Apprentice and Celebrity Apprentice. A Negotiator The president prides himself on his deal-making skills. He has written a book on this topic.
A Businessman
It is quite refreshing to see a successful businessman who has run a large, private enterprise in the White House. He brings an understanding of a range of issues that many presidents did not possess.
Weaknesses
Lack of Attention to Detail
Donald Trump does not appear to enjoy reading books and Intelligence reports. He gets much of his news from television and right wing news media of questionable accuracy.
Think Skinned with a Short Temper
President Trump has demonstrated an unusual level of impatience when things don’t go his way. With his verbal assaults and Twitter messages, he impulsively lashes out at both his opponents and even members of his own team. His recent accusation that former president Obama tapped his phone will go down in American history as probably the most egregious and unfounded criticism ever made by a sitting American president.
Focuses on Issues of Questionable Importance
While health care and infrastructure are important to most Americans, some of the other Trump initiatives are questionable. Is there a need for a $20 billion wall to keep illegal immigrants from passing into the United States via Mexico? Is there a requirement to ban immigrants from six predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States? Will this in any way protect America from terrorism or will it “fan the flames” of anti-American sentiment?
Inconsistent and Unpredictable
Both Americans and their allies look for a leader who is consistent and dependable. President Trump is not that type of leader. He tends to make promises based on questionable facts to certain stakeholders and then modify or abandon those promises as new information is presented.
Works Independently rather than Collaboratively
President Trump will send out a tweet or lash out at someone or something without informing his team. They are then left in the position of trying to defend a statement about which they have clearly not been briefed or consulted. He also doesn’t seem to be at all concerned that his various government departments are woefully understaffed.
Lack of Government Experience
Donald Trump never held elected office. This is a huge gap that has many repercussions. Not having experience with the process of government, not having the contacts and relationships are large handicaps.
Mean-spirited and a Racist
The president attacked “Lying Ted,” “Little Marco” and “Crooked Hillary” throughout the primary and election process. He also made derogatory remarks about women, disabled people, Mexicans, Muslims and others. It is amazing that the bus ride video of Donald Trump with Billy Bush did not have more impact on the election results. In fact, large numbers of women apparently voted for president Trump, demonstrating the effectiveness of his message and voter antipathy towards Hillary Clinton.
Evasive and of Questionable Integrity
Over the past several decades, all presidents have disclosed their tax returns and divested themselves of their business or financial interests. President Trump refused to do this. He also brought some members of his family into his government.
Distorts the Truth or Creates his own Reality
In addition to not being forthcoming, president Trump tends to alter reality or create his own reality. His comments about the number or people who watched his inauguration, about Muslims in New Jersey who applauded the 9/11 disaster, his wiretap allegation, and other bizarre statements, call his integrity and his trustworthiness into question.
Will Trump be a Successful President?
No leader is perfect. Even renowned leaders such as Steve Jobs, who was a visionary with an attention to detail, had some well acknowledged shortcomings in how he managed people. Travis Kalanick, the CEO of Uber, a very high profile growth company, has been in the news recently for his emotional outbursts. He has announced that Uber is seeking a COO to work under him so they can deal more effectively with employees and customers. It is too early to determine if Donald Trump will be a successful president.
Looking at the above list of strengths and weaknesses, one can draw the following inferences. President Trump has some great strengths, including strengths that most other presidents did not have. He appears to possess a very broad range of weaknesses, including weaknesses of character (i.e. impulsiveness, integrity, non-collaborative) that could be very dangerous in a crisis.
I am a Canadian who lives in Canada. I am not a Democrat or Republican, just an interested observer of America’s politics. I am very worried about the priorities and policies of Trump’s administration that could do much harm to America, my country, and others. While I wish him much success, his portfolio of strengths and weaknesses are certainly a concern. How the revised immigration executive order, the new health care proposal, the Russian hacking scandal and the Obama wiretap allegations play out will be very telling in predicting the success or failure of this president.
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