Leadership in the Time of Open Democracy

Since democratic system of governance was				Enough. Despite their different names and modus
invented many centuries ago, the present				operandi, these organizations and many that can
transformation or redesigning phase it is				be found in any democracy are pushing leaders to
experiencing across many nations is noticeable.				be more open, accountable and responsive. And
From America to Africa, technology is				they honestly think that directing the future of
restructuring how citizens relate with their leaders.				the nation must not be left alone to the politicians.
With readily available information, the citizens have				They want to influence dialogue and the nation's
become more informed and active in the affairs				trajectory. They ask questions on areas of
of the nation.				national concerns and they want change.
Leadership has morphed into a very simple				Forty years ago, they may appear to be
two-way feedback system that is cheap, efficient				ill-informed. Not anymore! They have access to
and timely. And that has come through the				information that used to be seen by only
powers of social media networks which enable				government officials as technology has made
interactions between any interested citizen and				dissemination easier. From Think Tanks to
the leaders. From American President to his				universities to non-governmental organizations,
Nigerian counterpart, Facebook provides a				anyone could read their analyses online, free. Even
platform for dialogue. Citizens can go online and				the government's own writings are easily available
post simple questions and expect the leaders to				and suddenly that secrecy that leaders enjoyed
take note.				over things that shaped their policies is eroding.
This evolving trend is possible because				People now challenge them with data and can
communication systems have become cheaper				authoritatively make their points for new
and accessible. In the old network TV model, only				directions.
the very influential people could get on the TV to				Leadership in this era provides an opportunity that
make suggestions on how the country could be				a star could be born overnight as performance
managed. But today, what is important is an				news pass across boundaries. It offers an
idea-have an idea on what government could do				opportunity to be ethical and honest in dealing with
better, then visit the necessary website and post				the citizens. One understands the difficulty leaders
it. It turns out that if they ignore it, another				face in trying to engineer the nation to long-term
website will escalate it until they notice it.				prosperity when most of the citizens are
It is not just the political leadership that is using				interested in the short-terms. How you
this citizen energy. Businesses are increasingly				communicate the need for minor pains today for
sourcing and sharing ideas from the consumers of				major joy tomorrow will depend on how
their products. They get insights that help them				trustworthy you are. Citizens will believe an
shape future products. And the consumers also				honest leader and can give concessions for the
pass across their feelings when they do not get				good of the nation.
the products rights. In this piece, I will focus on				As the opportunity is also the threat. It is easier
the political leadership.				to see politicians resign quicker and faster after
Never before is the citizen exerting more				scandals are broken. The bad news go through
influence than what we have today. And the				the same pathway the good ones pass.
future looks more exciting because Moore's Law				In open democracy, what is truly leadership? Can
will guarantee us more access to networks of				we argue that China which shortened a century
more people as technology prices continue to go				of western innovation into a quarter century
down even with more efficiency and				under no internationally accepted democratic norm
performance.				is not displaying leadership we could envy? No
In the midst of this development is a challenge for				open democracy, but the world, especially Africa
government to be ethical. Every citizen is a				is looking towards China. They envy that state
pseudo journalist and control over the media				capitalism where the leaders build world class
empires will not stop any bad act to be				public institutions that Wall Street gladly accepts
transmitted across the globe.				even when they criticize governments going into
It used to be, take care of the big networks and				business in America and Africa. From banking to
any scandal will never be made open. It does not				energy, we have pseudo government-run empires
work anymore because there are many avenues				in China that best investors welcome though
to break news without the media houses. And				successful IPOs.
those can move faster with devastating impact				The reality is that under a citizen government,
that even retraction makes no sense since the				economic vibrancy is not the only gain of
digital footprints are always there.				governance. People want freedom, by nature.
This implies that governments must be mindful				Nonetheless, leadership and good one minus other
that in the era of modern democracy, it has				externalities is not only found in democracy.
become more open. And this openness brings a				However, to the people, denying them the right
challenge to act ethical at all times. There is no				to attain that position of leadership, if they
more a season of deals because anything can				choose, shows the leader is not a good one. It is
appear on the web. Technically, there is no secret.				about having rights to exercise wishes under the
Governments must understand that the tripod				law. And every person irrespective of birth can
relationships between them, citizens and				fulfill a dream. Under this hypothesis, many African
institutions have changed drastically over the				leaders that oppose elections are designated as
years. Globalization makes it possible to have				bad leaders by the West irrespective of their
access to information for benchmarking what				efforts in other areas. By acculturation, the West
other constituencies are doing. And immediately,				thinks that a political leadership should be
firms and people change their expectations from				expressive and open.
their governments.				Finally, I conclude that I dream of a world whose
Over the course of many centuries, governments				governance is open and transparent with a vista
have moved from central, regional, then central,				not only to economic greatness, but individual
and now to citizen government, especially in				rights. It must be one where citizen energy is
democracies. The self-aware citizens do not				exerted in the affairs of the nation and leaders
accept polices hook, line and sinker. Even in feudal				stewards not only to the citizens, but the nation.
systems, the citizens are asking questions and				And those leaders taking the opportunities that
that old dominance has since been challenged for				technology brings through openness and
accountability.				continuous improvement to restore the dignity of
In America, the citizens could organize under a				man.
Tea Party umbrella; in Nigeria, they have Enough is