The governor’s race is now officially underway. When I decide for whom to vote for a position such as that, I ask myself one question: Who is likely to inspire those around him or her to look for solutions to problems? For my money one of the best at doing that was former Governor Gaston Caperton. He had zero political experience when elected but served two successful terms. I attribute his success to his ability to inspire and motivate those around him to perform at a high level. That is basically how he built a successful insurance business when he was in the private sector.
Too many politicians approach governing as a zero sum game meaning if I win, you lose so everything is a trade off. A good executive asks the question how do we get this done and listens to anyone and everyone. The other “trick” is do remember that “building a consensus” or “hammering out a compromise with all the stakeholders” DOES NOT mean that the right solution has been found. Government by consensus merely means nothing of importance will be done.
