Forget Likership – I want Leadership – Public Speaking courses

It is frustrating to hear the arguments about Holden pulling out of Australia. Every single word of it is a lie, and every single word of it is true. Public speaking courses can sort this mess out.

It is true to say that labour costs are high. They are and they have to be. Australia is a high cost country. If we have low wages in one sector, one of two things happens. The Government (you and me as tax payers) will have to support the workers through increased social security. This is bad for all of us. The other and more likely problem is the working poor – people who work hard, but don’t have enough to live. This creates social disruption, wider socio-economic gaps within society and a greater distance between the haves and have-nots. This is bad for society and what we remember as a free and fair Australia.

Yes the unions are pushing for the higher wages – that’s their role! Their job is to protect their members to ensure that the problems above don’t happen. Since the 1200’s when our laissez faire system of employment was created there has been an eternal struggle between the lords and workers. If there were a natural balance between the two parties, it would have been found in the last 800 years. This struggle will continue forever because that is the way it was set up.

The argument that the government should have poured more money into the Holden to keep them here is a double-edged knife. It makes sense to prop up an industry so it maintains employment in others. It’s the multiplier effect. Spend $1 to get back $2. It’s an investment in our future.

But it is also crazy to do that. If an industry cannot support itself it needs to change. It’s evolution. Only the adaptable survive. Back when the car was introduced, those that made carriages and buggy’s cried that it would be the end of the world. The farriers said it would be the end of the iron smelters that provided the metal for the horse shoes.

But the farriers and buggy makers who could think adapted. The smart buggy maker applied their skills elsewhere and became expert cabinet and furniture makers. The farriers evolved into your local Beaurepaires store. Those that had no interest in those new jobs either went hungry or retrained. It’s a constant evolution that we all face in life.

The real problem here is the lack of leadership from the Government at all levels and from all sides. The job of government is to lead – not to maintain the status quo. It’s their job to lead – not to be liked. Unfortunately it is all to easy to sell to the electorate something we will like (lower energy bills, greater rebates for health insurance etc) as opposed to selling us what we need (put a jumper on if it’s cold and get fit to look after your health).

Governments need to look to the future and develop strategies to take advantage of new opportunities as they arise. When they do this it does not matter that one industry gives four years notice that it will be closing down as there is always a new one in the pipeline. In South Australia it was wrong to close down Innovate SA to save a few dollars. Innovation is what the future is all about.

At a federal level, it was wrong to close down the Clean Energy Commission. Regardless of your stance on climate change, if there is a market for clean energy, exploit it and make some money. That is what a governments that looks to the future does.

Government should not be based on likership. It should be based 100% on leadership.

Being able to position yourself as a strong leader is just one tenant that I teach in my public speaking courses. It is imperative to be seen as a leader if you want people to follow you. That’s what my public speaking courses are about.

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