What Makes a Good Politician?

               Next 2nd of October there will be election. The future of our city and our country depend on who will be chosen. In this decade of activism I have been trying educate the people about important issues for us citizens, issues to improve our democracy, our citizenship, our development, our lives, so I hope everybody are prepared to make good choices. This post is a summary of four articles. The first with the title above was published at http://centeroncongress.org/what-makes-good-politician. The second was published at http://www.beliefnet.com/inspiration/galleries/top-5-qualities-of-good-political-leaders.aspx. The third was published at http://www.leadershipexpert.co.uk/political-leader.html. The fourth was published at http://www.pinoyguyguide.com/2010/05/choosing-the-right-candidate-for-the-elections.html

               Members of Congress play a central role in our lives. They shape our health-care system, make crucial decisions about the economy, and represent the hopes and interest of every citizen in the capital. Given this fact, I am always surprised that little attention is focused on examining closely whether someone serving in or running for Congress or City Council has the personal attributes it takes to be an effective member of the institutions. If someone's behavior is shady or unsavory, that will make the news, But the qualities and skills that set good politicians apart should draw more notice. Chief among those qualities is honesty. The public may believe that politics is a dirty business, but effective members of Congress must be trustworthy. They understand that to work     together over the years, they must level with their colleagues. The same is true in their dealings with citizens. The best politicians also sustain an unusually high energy level and an ability to focus on the task at hand. They tend to have few hobbies, for the simple reason that public office is all-consuming. Most good politicians are also ambitious, on fire with the wish to make something of themselves, and though many see this in personal terms, it usually means policy ambitious as well. They want to have a hand in contributing to the success of the nation and in finding ways of making life better for the people they represent. They also understand the limits of their power, both what a legislator can realistic accomplish, and the fact that legislators might react to events but rarely can control them. This ability to keep oneself in perspective is crucial to a politician. After years in office, it is tempting to think of a legislative seat as an entitlement, as something held by right. It is not. Good politicians understand that. They are good comunicators who genuinely like all kinds of people and are confortarble talking in all kinds of environments. They are accessible to the grand and the humble alike. They are sensitive to the mood in a room, know how to read an audience, and are quickly ro respond. They are open to other points of view. And perhaps most important, they understand that politics involves give and take, and the ability to find common ground. A good politician listen very carefully to those on the other side, not only to learn their arguments,. This is why politics puts a premiun on resourcefulness and intelligence, and tends, over time, to discourage ideological blinkers. Finally, they never forget where they are from and fight hard not to succumb to power fever. They remain loyal to their constituents, and have an abiding faith in the decency, intelligence and patriotism of the voters.

                What are the qualities or characteristics good political leaders should possess? Here are the top 5 characteristics of some of the world's most successful political leaders. 1) HONESTY - Being honesty can sometimes be difficult because it makes individuals vulnerable. Honesty develops character and builds credibility and trust, which are the foundation to evoke confidence and respect from those around you. 2) COMPASSION - Compassion is the humane quality of understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do something to alleviate that suffering. Good leaders use compassion to see the needs and to determine the course of action that would be of greatest benefit to all those involved. 3) INTEGRITY - The word integrity is defined as 'the adherence to moral and ethical principles. It is a synonym for honesty and uprightness, and a vital characteristic for those in political leadership. 4) CONFIDENCE - Having confidence in a political leader is about havinf faith or belief that he will act in a proper, or effective way. Leaders who possess this quality inspire others, drawing on a level of trust which sparks the motivation to get others on board and get the job done. 5) FLEXIBILITY - Good politicians listen to all sides, to not only hear their arguments but to lratn what it all parties involved to reach consensus. This also allows politicians to recognize setbacks and criticism, to learn from them and move forward.

                  Political leaders are vitally important, through the authority of government, they assess the distribution of power and resources, build relationships with other stakeholders and make decisions that can have great impact on the well-being of a nation and its people. Leadership in the political framework require a focus on the long-term good of a country, above ahead of any personal short-term gains. Leadership in a political framework require also 'statesmanship', as opposed to just being a 'politician', this mean having the integrity and willingness to stand up for what is right. So, a good political leader is: 1) Someone who serves as an example of integrity and loyalty to the people they represent. 2) Someone with good communications skills and inter-personal skills, who can work with a range of other people, regardless of political party or opinion. 3) Someone who can resist the various temptations and lures of the political arena. 4) Someone of strong character, with both conscience and charisma. 5) Someone willing to listen to the needs of the common people and represent them faithfully. 6) Someone with the courage to stand up and say what needs to be said. Accountability is crucial to effective political leadership, as without this, there will be not respect. A good politician is someone who will be honest and responsible. They will focus their energy and time on representing the people rather than spending all the time "covering their backs" and critising others.

                  In my opinion there are some characteristics of a good or an ideal leader. They are: 1) Has proven track record of accomplishments - Remember that being a politician is also a job, we nned to find out if the person we are voting for is fit to become a leader of our country or city. Does he/she have enough experience? What he/she done so far? We should be diligent enough to find out the personal background of each candidate. 2) Is honest - I am tired of hearing of vote-buying and all those cheating. We need honest leaders. 3) Is not corrupt - We need to spare our country from the humiliation that we are facing globally regarding corrupt leaders. 4) Can represent our country to the world - We need a leader who knows how to converse intelligently. We need a leader who can carry himself well and can stand up like he is implicitly saying "I am Brazilian and proud". We need someone who can uplift the Brazilian image to other countries. 5) Can not be manipulated - No matter how honest a leader is, it will all go to waste when he can easily be manipulated and influenced by people close to him. Vote for someone who can stand up for his own decisions. 6) Has genuine passion to serve - All politicians are there to serve. They are there to uplift the condition of the people and to do what is best for their fellow countrymen. Choose a leader who has been serving already before he has even begun his political career. 7) Has a strong desire to make our country or our city a better place - It is true that many nations have already surpassed Brazil. Many nations have prospered and let us behind. I want a leader who has a strong desire to improve our nation especially in terms of education, infrastructure, poverty, employment, economy, science, technology, health-care and even sports.