Presidents Obama and Bush demonstrated very different styles that have many of us asking questions.
I applied my scientific training and practical mindset to three alternative ways of personal analysis, to determine how they make decisions, their future directions and how they operate.
As the elected leaders of the most powerful nation on the planet, their qualities are a statement of where America is at and where we are heading globally. Beyond its faults, America is the shining light in our current world, the country all others look to.
How they make decisions
President Bush is in essence a go get 'um kind of guy.
He is good at making quick decisions and acting without reference to others.
He carries on with his own agenda no matter what.
This was very successful in past history but is out of date now, unless used differently.
He needs to inform those who will be affected of what he is about to do... before he acts.
If not, he meets strong resistance from people who feel ignored and ends up feeling disconnected from the people around him.
Early in his first term he told people what he was going to do, i.e. invade Iraq. People may not have agreed, but he was popular. As time wore on, more and more was hidden and more resistance and anger arose, till he was isolated.
He needed to learn how to use his power appropriately, but was talked into hiding and suppressing it. When this happens he gets angry. He conforms but does not inform. His anger became deeply repressed and he appeared polite and gracious until he met resistance.
President Obama is in essence go guide 'um kind of guy
He has a gift of working with and guiding the energy of others. This only blossoms when he is recognized and appreciated for his unique skills and individuality. If he act or joins in without an invitation, he meets resistance and is not acknowledged. Unrecognized and uninvited, he is powerless. When he is recognized for his true gifts, he can achieve anything. If he acts "gung ho" like President Bush it won't work. He ends up compromising and becomes bitter.
Yet this has been the standard idea for centuries on how a leader should act.
He needs people with the energy to make change happen so he can guide them.
As a president he is here to guide those making the decisions. This explains, "Why hasn't he made the economy right yet?" He is a mentor, it is up to us, and those involved, to take responsibility for making the change, while he steers the boat and describes the scenery.
Their Future Directions
The future direction of both Barack Obama and George W. Bush holds the potential for conscious service.
They are potential agents of innovative change, increased consciousness, greater freedom and positive teamwork, President Bush as the innovative thinker and President Obama as the innovative leader.
President Bush brings inspiration and wisdom and needs to learn how to communicate it with humility to help others who are worse off. To do this successfully he has to let go of self concern.
As the leader of the USA, President Bush could have chosen to focus on sharing America's inspiration and abundance with humanity.
President Obama brings new consciousness and knowledge as a cooperative team member and needs to step into the role of leader. To do this successfully he has to shine and be recognized as an individual.
As leader of the USA, President Obama can choose to be the leader in consciously creating healthy relationships in all political arenas.
How They Operate
President Bush needed a global perspective and a personal sense of security to get it right. He acted pragmatically but needed wisdom from people who he could trust to give him clarity on the big picture. To do this well, he needed an environment where he could achieve his goals in the spirit of joy and tolerance. What set him back were anger, impatience and intolerance, insecurity and fear.
President Obama needs passion and healthy star power to bring awareness of what is going on to others. He also needs strong personal relationships and sense of self to be a positive leader. To do this well, he needs an environment where he can take full responsibility, exercise power and help people remember the essential truths. What can set him back are fear, negative thinking and criticism, drama, aggressiveness and isolation.
What is fascinating is the president is an indicator and a lightning rod for society.
Their positive side shows what we need, at that time in history, to move ahead.
Their negative side is the resistance we all need to look at.
How we heal the negative qualities and expand the positive ones, determines how much progress is made at that time.
President Bush 2000-2008
Negative issues to work on -- anger, impatience and intolerance, insecurity and fear
Positive potential to realize -- global perspective, security, getting it right, practicality, wisdom, trust, clarity, achieve goals with joy and tolerance.
President Obama 2008-?
Negative issues to work on -- fear, negative thinking and criticism, drama, aggressiveness and isolation
Positive potential to realize -- passion, healthy star power, awareness of what is going on, strong personal relationships, sense of self, positive leadership, taking full responsibility, exercising power and helping people remember essential truths
As I look over the last decade I see an obvious shift in the style of leadership in America and an evolution in how we tackle politics. Despite the resistance, individuals are taking more responsibility and leaders need to reeducate themselves, like in any job these days.
Freedom with responsibility creates true power. That is America's hope for the future and message to the world.