The Leadership Coach's Blog
This leadership coach's blog, comes with the release of the Iron Lady, the bio-pic based on the political leadership of Margaret Thatcher.
Political Leadership : Margaret Thatcher - Power & Loneliness!
It was difficult to feel any sympathy for Margaret Thatcher when she was Prime Minister. She ruled with a firm authority, that lacked natural emotion and feeling. Clear-headed and focused, she knew what she wanted and had a good instinct for decision-making.
However Phyllida Llloyd's movie, 'The Iron Lady', manages to go inside the troubled mind, of the ex Prime Minister. A mind that no longer holds the clarity and lucidity of her leadership years. A mind riddled with dementia.
Lloyd's film leads us to believe, that Thatcher's loss of mental powers began whilst she was still leader. The scene in Cabinet, in which her irrational ranting pushes Chancellor Geoffrey Howe to hand in his resignation, is revealing.
But how did it come to this? How did someone so mentally strong, lose such a grip on their powers?
There appears to be a number of factors to consider. Firstly, as a woman, Thatcher took on the male-domination of British politics. And succeeded. But at a cost. For to break a stop situation of any kind, requires great reserves of mental and emotional energy. And this was a very potent and institutionally ingrained stop situation.
Then there is Thatcher's leadership style. She was very single-minded, and appreared to lead without any true close confidants. The men in her Cabinet appeared to simply follow orders. But this lack of a strong close-in and trusted leadership team is both a blessing and a curse.
The absence of such a team, means that the leader assumes total control over everything. Which, yes, allows consistency and clarity of delivery. The downside, is that you personal carry the weight of leadership exclusively on your own shoulders.
Thatcher had an abundance of natural stamina, working deep into the night. But she didn't appear to have anything resembling a fitness regime. Essential to de-toxify her systems, from all the stresses resultant from handling complex and emotionally charged political situations.
Thus she took on more than her faculties could handle, leading to a dis-integration of her mental powers. A mental burn-out in other words.
The Iron Lady spoke of her desire to serve and make a difference. Yes, she succeeded. But at what personal cost?
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Martin Perry - Leadership Coaching: 26th January 2012
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