From the midst of the confusion that followed Boris Johnson’s resignation as Prime Minister, many have noticed how several of the contenders for the top post are from diverse communities, including front-runner Rishi Sunak.
Does this mean that the Conservative party has achieved equality? Or are they chasing after targets? Is it going to make a difference in politics?
Boris Johnson’s story teaches us one thing: great authority comes with great responsibility.
Leadership requires self-awareness. When a leader doesn’t hold a mirror up to themselves on a regular basis and question their decisions, the risk is always going to be that thy can lose the trust of people.
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Boris Johnson lost the trust and respect of the British public as well as a large number of his own colleagues. His values, ethics and integrity were scrutinised – but are the candidates in the running to succeed him as PM any better?
While it’s refreshing to see such an incredible diversity of contenders for the post in the final few, including women and people of colour, the real question is ‘will this visible difference bring about true diversity?’ For too long, the rhetoric has been that representation of visible diversity would benefit organisations and improve their services that they deliver. The Conservative party is a good example of this.
Although visible diversity is refreshing and can increase confidence in junior employees, customers or customers who use the services, it is not guaranteed that it will lead to true diversity. What we should strive for is cognitive diversity or diversity of thought. This requires that we create a culture where people are encouraged to share their unique experiences and contribute to the discussions.
It is about creating an environment where everyone feels valued, heard, valued, and appreciated. That is true diversity and I’m not sure that the apparent rainbow of diversity across the Conservative party has achieved this.
Many of those in the leadership race are privileged people who have attended schools that the vast majority could not even imagine. Many have rich lifestyles. One has to wonder if they could empathise with the average British citizen.
The Conservative party needs to carefully consider who it elects as their next leader. UK politics is very divided right now, especially after ‘Party Gate’, and we can’t continue to be seen to be pulling the wool over the eyes of the British public. The British public is very picky and will look for strong, compassionate leadership that can understand the many challenges people face in these turbulent times.
We need a strong leader who can foster an environment that encourages the exchange of ideas, thoughts, and experiences. This leader can lead the country through difficult years and the challenges that lie ahead.
True diversity is about accepting our cognitive differences. It transcends the color of your skin, your gender, or your sexual orientation.
I do feel that there will be a mixed opinion when it comes to Boris Johnson’s lasting legacy. I am not sure about the timing of the photos that were released to the media after his resignation announcement. They showed him hugging his wife Carrie and their young children.
It’s clear that those pictures were taken to show the ‘human’ side of Mr Johnson. It might have been better to keep them until Johnson officially leaves office.
One thing is certain: Politicians don’t have friends.
