“Regular people” as government
We are starting off this month with a countdown to the North Dakota Women’s Network WE Rise event by sharing videos from legislators sharing a few things that helped them when they ran for office (check out our social media to view), as well as these few words from Professor Deb White:
Being a professor who studies and teaches on issues related to gender and politics, as well as someone serving in public office, has given me an insider’s and outsider’s perspective on government and public service. I get a chance to see how elected officials are viewed through my students’ eyes. They, like many people, feel alienated from even their local government. After interviewing a city commissioner for a class assignment, one student exclaimed her shock to find that the commissioner was “Just a regular person!” Most of the elected officials I’ve spent time with really are just that, regular people who want to serve our communities. But when people view government negatively and don’t see themselves reflected in those who represent them, it’s unlikely they will view us as someone who’s in their corner.
How do we build trust in government so that we can work together for public good? While there is obviously no easy solution for such a complex problem, I will share a few thoughts. One is to prioritize making government more open and accessible to all people and for all forms of participation, from speaking at a public meeting to running for elected office. Another is to challenge our expectations about what it means to be a “leader.” One model that stands in contrast to conventional views of leadership is the Social Change Model of Leadership. It calls into question hierarchical models that place leaders at the top, and instead positions them within the communities that they serve. It envisions leadership as a process rather than a position, with key tenants being creating space for others and building bridges across differences.
Viewing leadership through a lens such as this can help build connections with others so that we can work together to foster positive social change. And it inspires us to recognize ways that we can be public servants through many aspects of our lives.
Deb White is a professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at Minnesota State University Moorhead and serves on the Moorhead City Council. She has spoken at many events geared toward encouraging women to run for office, including the “Ready to Run” event hosted by the North Dakota Women’s Network, and coordinated the Tri-College NEW Leadership Development Institute, a program that has encouraged civic and political participation and provided public leadership training to women in the states of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota for over 15 years.
The best leaders are part of our communities.
For ideas of how to assist candidates you support, check out our free flyer, which will be updated as we gather more ideas.
“Morning Coffee” is an oil on canvas work done by Fargo artist Andy Martinez.