Continuing Russia's Transition: Putin's Leadership Challenge

by Jerry M. Bodman, Staff Writer The challenge of communicating a vision, mission and guiding principles to the masses is not a challenge uncommon to leaders; however, most leaders do not take over a business or country where people speak 140 different languages and are located in 11 different time zones. The core characteristic of a leader who can effectively communicate and carry out a vision in the midst of such diversity is passion- passion for their role. Consider Vladimir Putin, Russias newly elected president as such a leader. According to John C. Maxwell, as the Law of Buy-in states, people buy into the leader, then the vision1 Mr. Putin helped this law along when he gave the Russian people a reason to feel good about his prospects as a strong President. According to a CNN.com article,

In his New Year's address following Yeltsin's exit, the 47-year-old former KGB officer reassured Russia that he was in charge. "There will be no power vacuum even for a moment," he said. "I want to warn that any attempt to exceed the limits of law and the Russian constitution will be decisively crushed." "Freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, freedom of mass media, property rights -- all those basic elements of a civilized society will be safely protected by the state," Putin said.2

Putin, who enjoys a 60% approval rating, is set to implement his vision for a new Russia. The show of support says a lot about how the Russian people feel. In a bold pre-election letter to the Russian voters, the quiet leader took a stand and spoke of the need for moral values and patriotism as the building blocks for future progress. "Russia is in the midst of one of the most difficult periods in its history. For the first time in the past 200-300 years, it is facing a real threat of sliding to the second, and possibly even third, echelon of world states. We are running out of time left for removing this threat. We must strain all intellectual, physical and moral forces of the nation. We need coordinated creative work. Nobody will do it for us. Everything depends on us, and us alone. On our ability to see the size of the threat, to pool forces and set our minds to hard and lengthy work."3 He also spoke of respect for elders and respect for the established rules. "If we learn to behave decently ourselves, we will compel others to do the same." Vladimir Putin is facing a daunting "to do" list, one that would send most leaders running for help, but Mr. Putin, who has limited political experience, has begun his term with a great degree of confidence and effort. He used his support in the Duma (Russia's lower house of parliament) to get the Start II treaty ratified. Within the first few weeks, he has met with key

countries to make it clear that he wants fiscal responsibility and is rejuvenating the Russian people with the hopes of a return to greatness. The beginning bodes well for Russia. Putin has spoken directly to the people via a no nonsense letter and laid it on the line. He has challenged them, and inspired their confidence by showing them that even though they are down they are not out. The Department of State Background notes on Russia from 1997 state that about 3 million students attend the 519 institutions of higher education and 48 universities. As a result of great emphasis on science and technology in education, Russian medical, mathematical, scientific, space and aviation research is generally in high order.4. Even thought they are a rich nation of poor people, they have great potential and the glorious Russia of the past is also in the future. In addition to communicating his vision for Russia, he is faced with rebuilding basic institutions, which most countries take for granted, such as trust in government, a low level of corruption, a fairly honest government, relatively effective and efficient legal system, and tax collecting. Just like George Washington, who turned down a chance to run for a third term and set a precedent for future presidents, Mr. Putin has a chance to create a new standard for Russian President's, one that is concerned with helping Russians achieve and maintain a "worthy and decent life". He has taken bold steps and the future is promising but commitment and action must follow to turn this "quiet leader" into the benchmark for future presidents.

Putin's Leadership Challenge Endnotes

1

.Maxwell, John C. The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1999 2 . CNN.com, From political novice to no-nonsense leader, the evolution of Vladimir Putin,<http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/yeltsin/stories/putin.profile> 3 . Putin, Vladimir. (2000, April) Russia at the turn of the new millennium, Government web site of the Russian Federation. <http://www.government.gov.ru/english/statVP_engl_1.html> (April 2000) 4 According to the 1999 CIA Fact book, 98% of the Russian population is literate (100% Male, 97% Female),<http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rs.html>