This Election Cycle May Be One of the Most Important

Over the years I’ve come to realize the greatest asset any company or organization possesses has nothing to do with capital plants, equipment, computers or cash in the bank.   All these things are important, but none as important as the flesh and blood they have working for them. 

Over the years I had the privilege of working for a number of large companies. Many put a lot of stock in sending their managers, such as myself, through various “programs” which would serve to engrain in us the importance of “systems” and “processes.”   

In the early 80s we found ourselves engrossed in becoming ISO Certified or attending a series of classes to get a Lean 6 SIGMA Certification. It was all about “process” and less about people. In fact, we became so detached from the people that worked for us and the customer we were working for that we lost our engagement with the most important part of our team…. our people. 

Feeling part of a successful team is part of the engagement process. Individuals who feel valued want to contribute to the success of any organization, whether it be in the private or the governmental sector. 

Yes, it’s easy to pick up a book or apply yourself and receive a degree, but that doesn’t qualify you to be the best judge of how to get things done, how to manage personnel or how to set practical goals and put a plan in place to make them materialize. 

It’s also easy to run for office, but the trick is to be able to separate yourself from the hype of the campaign trail and move forward to govern with a clear mind and a softer tongue. 

We are about to enter yet another election cycle here on the island. It may be harder than normal to attract competent candidates who share some sort of institutional knowledge regarding our community and can get the job done. Compounding that issue is the reluctance of some of the better suited candidates to step forward due to the controversy surrounding what is referred to as Form Six.    

This new legislation as passed by the Florida Legislature last year requires some very detailed exposure of a candidate's family financial information. A slick operator might be able to bury much of that, while others just seeking to serve their community may be reluctant to share their most personal information, especially regarding financial information, and be open to some with nefarious intentions. 

It wasn’t too long ago that two of our most respectable citizens had their reputations assaulted by those seeking to elect their slate of office seekers.They succeeded and the community  was the biggest loser. It was amazing how those lies found a life of their own in the shadows of a darkened room with only a keyboard connected to the internet. It was a disgusting example of why people don’t run for office. 

In the end, the truth would come out and those behind these disgusting lies would be exposed but it was too late. Too late for the community who would lose the services of two great individuals. Those responsible no longer live here and the damage was done, but where does one go to get their reputation back after scurrilous lies are found to be untruthful. 

Candidates must be prepared to speak openly and honestly regarding their philosophies and intentions should they be fortunate enough to be elected. They must be capable of discussing in detail a way forward to address the issues that will face them in the next four years should they be granted the privilege of your trust in the form of their vote on election day. 

We’ve already started to be barraged with mailers and electronic solicitations seeking our votes from those seeking offices sought after at all levels of government, and this is only the beginning.  

Should this be an election about who buys your votes based upon how many flyers they pay to have stuffed into your mailboxes, or should it be about ideas and their understanding of the issues and how addressing those issues will be done. 

I hope you all will attend the various forums and informational meetings regarding candidates seeking office at all levels and especially those seeking local elections. Coastal Breeze News will be covering all of these various contests and will strive to provide a balanced presentation of the issues and those running for those seats.