The book “Pressing the Right Buttons” by Alison Mooney comes to mind as New Zealand’s election gets closer. Mooney writes about four different personalities and how understanding your own and other personalities helps to ‘speed read’ people and to understand what presses the right buttons to best achieve goals in positive ways.
Mooney, a multi-award-winning speaker, describes people fitting into four general personalities: the playful, the precise, the peaceful and the powerful. Every personality has its strengths and weaknesses.
There is a lot at stake in this election regarding the wellbeing of hundreds of thousands of Kiwis out of work and the whole country straining under out of control spending and borrowing by the Labour Government. Is it better to have a certain personality type in the country’s leader?
What personalities do Ardern and Collins, the two main contenders have? Jacinda Ardern is still adhering to her Socialist Youth beliefs and policies. Even though these policies have never worked before, this does not seem to have any negative bearing for her followers. The polls still have her high in the preferred Prime Minister and Party numbers. She is spoken of as having compassion, as she smiles and hugs and has saved us from the deadly COVID-19.
Ardern’s spending has taken New Zealand into such debt that most of us cannot begin to fathom its fiscal ramifications – the nadir of her legacy. However, she still polls high as her personality, kindness and communication skills win the day.
Judith Collins, the new leader of the National Party, has had a positive effect on many people. At last, it is game on. Judith smiles too, enjoying her new role. Kiwis know she is fun, intelligent, decisive, and competent. Net positive +27% approval rating as preferred Prime Minister in the latest poll.
Here is one contrast between the two leaders.
- One promotes an incompetent minister to number four.
- The other promotes a competent minister to number four, even given that he is a former leader.
Kiwis have watched Ardern and Collins now for some years. Mooney tells us one type of personality cuts through trivia and makes fast and good decisions. Another type wants to keep the peace amongst their friends. Voters choice is between the personality of kind Ardern, or the astute fiscal management of Collins.
“A strong financial position takes years to build and like any building takes design, planning and execution to become a reality”
Akwasi Duodu 2018
There is another acclaim for Ardern. Recently she won the title, “world’s most eloquent leader”, from the professional development coaches at the Development Academy wing of Acuity Training. She topped the list after being praised for her empathy.
New Zealanders are watching as polls are being released. As usual, there are a number of swing voters, who have not made up their minds. There are still weeks of electioneering to go and the polls will change.
New Zealanders have always been proud when a kiwi does well overseas. Ardern has done that. Kiwis also want to be proud of their country back at home. Kiwis want to know that the New Zealand economy is right up there but there is no longer any pride in that. It is a mess. While it is acknowledged that this virus brought hardship, it is predominantly Ardern’s socialist agenda that is to blame.
As well as looking at policies, voters need to think about the personalities of Collins and Ardern and figure out which one can begin to rescue our beautiful country’s economy and help despairing Kiwis who for the first time are living on Government handouts.
A competent leader or a rock star?
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