| National Leadership Index 2009 |
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Click here to download the National Leadership Index 2009 November 2009—Survey after survey shows Americans, in general, to be among the world’s most optimistic people. Yet from the inception of the Center for Public Leadership’s National Leadership Index in 2005 through last year, Americans’ confidence in their leaders marched steadily downward. But even at the bottom of the trough, in 2008, the National Leadership Index findings revealed one glint of optimism: 39% of Americans—a plurality—believed things would be better after the 2008 election. And indeed, this year a resounding 87% of Americans professed confidence that with the right leaders, the nation’s problems can be solved. This year’s findings suggest that Americans are entertaining the possibility that in some sectors better leadership may be emerging. For the first time in five years, Americans’ overall confidence in their leaders has risen. What’s more, the number of Americans who believe that their leaders “are effective and do a good job” has also increased, from 25% last year to 41% this year. In part, this modest increase in confidence reflects greater confidence in the executive branch. But that is not the whole story. Americans’ confidence in military leadership, always strong, increased further this year. And for the first time since this survey began, Americans’ confidence in the business sector has also grown modestly, after a sharp decline last year. Not surprisingly, however, confidence in the leadership of Wall Street has sunk to a new low, ranking lowest of all sectors surveyed. Clearly, these trends—continued faith in leadership’s potential, continued confidence in some sectors, and a clear rejection of leadership in other sectors—show that Americans have specific expectations their leaders must meet to win their trust. What sets this year’s National Leadership Index apart is that, for the first time, to better understand what drives Americans’ confidence in leadership, it delves into those expectations. For example, the findings show that trust in what leaders say and competence head the list of qualities that correlate with feelings of confidence in leaders. Almost as important are the perceptions that a leader is working for the greater good, shares your values, is in touch, and gets good results. None of these findings will come as a surprise to leaders who seek to retain the nation’s confidence. The ongoing challenge—which this year’s slight upturn in confidence does not diminish—is to explore what it means to practice these broad leadership qualities in the context of one’s own sector and leadership journey—whether in business, the nonprofit world, the media, government, education, or elsewhere. With the public’s confidence, there is much that leaders can do for the common good. Without it, the path to good results is much less clear. We hope this study will contribute to your exploration of the challenges of leadership and inspire you to engage with us in dialogue about leadership for the common good. It is through collaboration and conversation with today’s leadership practitioners and scholars that the Center for Public Leadership seeks to achieve its mission of advancing the practice and theory of leadership. We welcome your thoughts and comments. David Gergen Donna Kalikow Director Executive Director Click here to download the National Leadership Index 2009 |
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