Daily Archives: October 19, 2021

Imagine, if you can, what its like to make decisions on which the lives of tens of thousands of other people depend. If you get things wrong, or delay deciding, they die.

Your decisions affect the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people, resulting in huge economic disruption, mass layoffs and business closures. Imagine you must act quickly, without having complete certainty your decisions will achieve what you hope.

Now imagine that turning your decisions into effective action depends on winning the support of millions of people.

Yes, you do have enforcement capacity at your disposal. But success or failure hinges on getting most people to choose to follow your leadership even though it demands sudden, unsettling, unprecedented changes to their daily lives.

This is the harsh reality political leaders around the world have faced in responding to COVID-19.

As someone who researches and teaches leadership and has also worked in senior public sector roles under both National and Labour-led governments Id argue New Zealands Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is giving most Western politicians a masterclass in crisis leadership.

When it comes to assessing New Zealands public health response, we should all be listening to epidemiologists like Professor Michael Baker. On Friday, Baker said New Zealand had the most decisive and strongest lockdown in the world at the moment and that New Zealand is a huge standout as the only Western country thats got an elimination goal for COVID-19.

But how can we assess Arderns leadership in making such difficult decisions? A good place to start is with American professors Jacqueline and Milton Mayfields research into effective leadership communication.

The Mayfields research-based model highlights direction-giving, meaning-making and empathy as the three key things leaders must address to motivate followers to give their best.

Being a public motivator is essential for leaders but its often done poorly. The Mayfields research shows direction-giving is typically over-used, while the other two elements are under-used.

Arderns response to COVID-19 uses all three approaches. In directing New Zealanders to stay home to save lives, she simultaneously offers meaning and purpose to what we are being asked to do.

In freely acknowledging the challenges we face in staying home from disrupted family and work lives, to people unable to attend loved ones funerals she shows empathy about what is being asked of us.

The March 23 press conference announcement of New Zealands lockdown is a clear example of Arderns skillful approach, comprising a carefully crafted speech, followed by extensive time for media questions.

In contrast, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson pre-recorded his March 24 lockdown announcement, offering no chance for questions from the media, while framing the situation as an instruction from government, coupled with a strong emphasis on enforcement measures.

Where Ardern blended direction, care and meaning-making, Johnson largely sought compliance.

Read more: As NZ goes into lockdown, authorities have new powers to make sure people obey the rules

Arderns approach also strongly reflects what well-known Harvard leadership scholar Professor Ronald Heifetz has long argued is vital but also rare and difficult to accomplish when leading people through change.

Ardern has used daily televised briefings and regular Facebook live sessions to clearly frame the key questions and issues requiring attention.

Also consistent with Heifetzs teachings, she has regulated distress by developing a transparent framework for decision-making the governments alert level framework allowing people to make sense of what is happening and why.

Importantly, that four-level alert framework was released and explained early, two days before a full lockdown was announced, in contrast with the prevarication and sometimes confusing messages from leaders in countries such as Australia and the UK.

The work of another leadership scholar, the UKs Professor Keith Grint, also sheds light on Arderns leadership approach during this crisis.

For Grint, leadership involves persuading the collective to take responsibility for collective problems. Much of the prime ministers public commentary has been dedicated to exactly that and its been overwhelmingly effective, at least so far, with a recent poll showing 80% support for the governments response to COVID-19.

Grint also argues that when dealing with wicked problems which are complex, contentious and cannot be easily resolved leaders must ask difficult questions that disrupt established ways of thinking and acting.

Its clear this has happened in New Zealand, as shown in the suite of initiatives the government has taken to respond to the pandemic, including its decision to move to a national lockdown relatively fast compared to many though not all countries.

Read more: Where are we at with developing a vaccine for coronavirus?

Of course, not everything has been perfect in New Zealands or Arderns COVID-19 response. Ongoing, independent scrutiny of the governments response is essential.

But as my own research has argued, expecting perfection of leaders, especially in such difficult circumstances, is a fools errand.

Its never possible. Nor should we allow the perfect to become the enemy of the good when speed and enormous complexity are such significant features of the decision-making context.

Whether youre comparing Arderns performance against other Western leaders, or assessing her efforts using researchers measures of leadership excellence, as a New Zealander I think there is much to be grateful for in how she is leading us through this crisis.

Stay in touch with The Conversations coverage from New Zealand experts by signing up to our weekly newsletter delivered to you each Wednesday.

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Three reasons why Jacinda Ardern's coronavirus response ...

Its hard to keep up with ouradroitPrime Minister who apparently doesnt like answering questions,such as the one about where does life begin, put to her when she was enthusiastic about making abortion more readily available. We are still waiting.

And now, a notunexpectedsequel to the extraordinary tractor protest, organised by Groundswell New Zealand,whichsaw thousands of farm vehicles travelling the length and breadth of the country. Through 55 towns and cities, farmers protested at ongoing interference from our hard-left government, including unworkable regulations and unjustified costs.

These protests took place in July from the bottom of the South Island to the top of the North, crossing through Auckland, from Southland to Kaitaia. The leader of the Green Party, James Shaw, disgracefully dismissed this extraordinary event at the time as a group of Pakeha farmers down south. Yet an estimated 60,000 people were involved, hardly what Shaw dishonestly claimed. And why the disparaging Pakeha, long objected to by many New Zealanders?

We are used to politicians not telling the truth which no doubt contributes to their being among the least respected sectors of the population. But any blatant misrepresentation of a fact rather gives the show away, bringing home to us how little we should trust those makingstatements they must know are untruthful, particularly if they do not want to face up to what is actually happening, or when their extremist policies are being challenged.

More slipperyare the politicianswho manage to simply avoid answering a questionif they dont think the answer will reflect well on them or dont want to acknowledgeits implications.Ardern has shown herself adroit at such evasion, refusing torelease informationin relation tothefarmer protest group.A complaint has now been made to the Office of the Ombudsman abouther decision to withhold thisinformation.Groundswell NZsco-founder,Bryce McKenzie,said the group hasnot heard from Ardern before or since the protests,buthad requested ameeting with her while memberswere in Wellington to address the environment select committee.

We got an email back fromher office saying she was busy, he said. We have not heard from any Government ministers, only opposition MPs. It is disappointing, because we think an estimated 60,000 people deserve a response from the Government about the things they are concerned about.

How extraordinarythatArdern,constantlypreaching toNewZealanders tobe kind to one another, isdelivering such a snub to representatives of the farming communitynationwide. She is too busy to listen to them basically an insultinganswer,given that sheis apparentlynever too busy to listen tothe small minorityof dissident part-Maorispushing for constitutional change to achievenotjust co-governance, buta veto over decision-making by the majority of thecountry as with thenow signed-off healthlegislation. He Puapua, thedocument planning for this apartheid policy,had to be prised out of her governments hands, originally heavily redacted. But then, our elusivePM claimed she had not readit although her cabinet ministers were reportedly working to see how its provisions could be implemented.

Our determined Prime Minister must know very wellNew Zealanders dont support racial separatism.It did not stop her passing legislation to implement two health systems one forpart-Maori New Zealanders and one for all other New Zealanders.Inspite of thedefinitionofwho can legitimately call themselves Maori conveniently removed some time back, the Maori Health Authority now has a veto over any decisions of theparallelhealth systemrepresentingthe majority of New Zealanders.

Sheis also tooseemingly toobusyto explain why sheinaccurately claimsthat the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi established a partnership between Maori and the Crown which she uses to justify the divisive racist policiesshe is implementing. He Puapuashows Labours plan to establish two governments in New Zealand by 2040. By thistime thehierarchiesi.e.the governing bodies of our most powerful andwealthyneo-tribes (as a result of the never-ending hundreds of millions of dollars diverted to themfrom taxpayers these recent decades)willpreside over all aspects of New Zealands policy-making.

OnArderngoes,hercoalition pushingher Three Waters Plan toconfiscate waterassets from local communities, andhand over all water management to four mega-authorities underjoint council andneo-tribalcontrol. While she is far too busy to meet with representatives of our farmers, there have been 60 consultation meetings with Maori groupsover this Three Waters Planbut littleor no consultation with everybodyelse, inspite of provisions in the Local Government Act requiring councils to consult widely with all members of thepublic,not justpart-Maoris - (intermarriage was so successful that there are nolonger full-blooded Maori).Needless to say, each of theproposed four new entities of would have a tribal veto hanging over their heads.Yet 40 of New Zealands 67 councils are against,or undecided about,this $120 billion plan. Sotaxpayers are now payingfor infantilised cartoonson television to bepersuadedit would be an excellent idea for local councils to be robbed of their assets.

I am reminded ofTakisobservation in a recent Spectatorof how successful a country Switzerland is.Itspeoplespeakfour different languagesGerman, French, Italian and Romansh,with no animosity towards oneanother and that the tribalismthatexacerbates and fuels mistrust in othercountries does not exist here.He goes to the heart of the matter, when he points out that this is because the Swiss practise direct democracy,havingno intention of being governedby agenda-driven autocrats.

Such a descriptioncanarguably be applied to Ardern,when her ministers havenow been told to avoid answering questions aboutdumpedCovid-19documents. Aleaked email, sentto Beehive staff,has directed them to issueonly brief written statementsin response to media queries about the documents.Donotput minister(sic)up for any interviews on this,itinstructed. The directive stated that the Government,because of its overwhelming public support,hasno need to respond, and shouldinstead leadthe changing conversation.The Prime Ministers office has directed all ministers not to give interviews on thisCovid-19document dump, saying there is no real need to defend themselves.So much for a government answerable to the people of the country.

What we are undergoing isa revolution by stealth. The Swiss would nevertolerateanArdern ordering her ministers to do as she says. Well awarethat power corrupts,theywould not have allowed herto presideforlonger thanone year, virtually ruling the country.

On the contrary, the President of the Swiss Confederation, elected forthatyear of office by the United Federal Assembly, is primus inter pares first among equals. Chairing the Federal Council meetings,and mediating in the case of disputes. in urgent situations, he/shecan order precautionary measures.

Thanks to the damage that our dominating Prime Minister is inflicting upon New Zealand, including the shocking imposition of an apartheid system of racial preference, New Zealanders are perturbed about what is happening, including very probably the majority of part-Maori, no more supportive of racist agenda than the rest of the country.

Given a largely lacklustre National opposition led by an unpopular leader who shows no sign of stepping down for the sake of the party, but with dubious contenders ready to challenge, our outlook is bleak.

Without adopting the very successful controls that the Swiss people fought for, to determine their own directions seewww.100days.co.nz we have very little hope of winning back this country. With them, it is an entirely different matter, as the most successful democracy in the world shows us.

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Jacinda Ardern an agenda-driven autocrat? | The ...

Jacinda Ardern's first term as Prime Minister has been recognised at home and around the world as a masterclass in leadership. Open, honest and authentic, Jacinda is a new type of leader - one that unites strength with kindness, boldness and compassion.

As we head into the 2020 election, we're taking a look back at some of the key moments that have characterised Jacinda's leadership during her first term in Government.

Jacinda Ardern's leadership throughout New Zealand's COVID-19 response has been globally recognised. Many people praised her daily televised COVID-19 briefings with Ashley Bloomfield and her Facebook Lives for keeping the New Zealand public up to date with the latest developments and information regarding alert level changes.

The Prime Minister led the Government in going hard and early to stamp out the virus, keep New Zealanders safe, and cushion the economic impact.Herfocus now is on getting the latest resurgence under control and making sure we put in place more financial supports to recover and rebuild.

Were in a position to safely open the economy back up (much quicker than many other countries), and Jacinda is leading the charge in our recovery through Labours five point plan to rebuild New Zealand, which includes creating jobs, getting people into training, and helping local businesses recover and rebuild even better than before.

On March 15 2019, a lone gunman opened fire at two mosques in Christchurch, killing 51 people. Jacinda Ardern moved swiftly to denounce the gunman and his actions, stating in a press conference: "You may have chosen us, but we utterly reject and condemn you."

Jacinda also moved quickly to tighten New Zealands gun laws, banning military-style semi-automatic firearms just six days after the attacks, and removing over 62,000 prohibited firearms from circulation through the gun buy-back scheme. On top of this, in May 2019, Jacinda joined France's President Emmanuel Macron to lead the Christchurch Call to Action, a coming together of 48 countries, the European Commission, two international organisations, and eight tech companies with the goal of eliminating terrorist and violent extremist content online.

Another tragedy hit New Zealand when Whakaari/White Island erupted on December 9 2019, eventually taking the lives of 21 people.

Jacinda Ardern met with first responders in Whakatne following the eruption, where she recognised the emergency service personnel for going above and beyond the line of duty: "They have done an incredible job under devastating circumstances."

Later, in an address to Parliament, speaking to the families of victims, she said: "I say to those who have lost and grieve you are forever linked to our nation and we will hold you close."

The Government provided assistance for the Whakatne communitys immediate needs through the Whakatne District Council Mayoral Relief Fund.

Under Jacinda Ardern's leadership, our Government passed the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill. This landmark legislation is at the centre of the Government's work to reduce our net carbon emissions to zero by 2050 and protect future generations of Kiwis from the potential impacts of climate change. The Act passed with unanimous support. In the House, Jacinda told MPs New Zealand was on the right side of history.

Jacinda worked with Finance Minister Grant Robertson to deliver New Zealand's - and the world's - first Wellbeing Budget in 2019. The Budget signalled a new approach to the way governments work, by placing the health and wellbeing of people at the heart of what we do.

Todays Budget shows you can be both economically responsible and kind. We are turning the corner on issues others have written off as too hard for too long while keeping the books in order.

Following the positive reception to our 2019 Budget, in 2020 Jacinda Ardern and Grant Robertson delivered the second Wellbeing Budget, focused heavily on supporting New Zealand's recovery from COVID-19 by creating jobs, helping people into training, and backing businesses.

In 2019, in the wake of the March 15 terror attack, Jacinda urged other world leaders in attendance at the UN General Assembly to shift away from attitudes of nationalism, to instead recognise how all nations depend on one another. "What if we no longer see ourselves based on what we look like, what religion we practice, or where we live," she asked, "but by what we value? Humanity. Kindness. An innate sense of our connection to each other."

Addressing pay inequity for women was something Jacinda campaigned on before we entered Government. With the passing of the Equal Pay Amendment Bill in July 2020, she made good on Labours campaign promise by making it easier for employees to raise a pay equity claim.

Under Jacinda Ardern's leadership, the Government also has begun providing free period products in schools for those who need them, starting with 15 Waikato schools and expanding to all state and state-integrated schools on an opt-in basis in 2021.

Jacinda Ardern attended the 2018 Pride Parade alongside Finance Minister Grant Robertson.

She said: "Lets all recommit to keep doing the work thats required and make sure that we show that international solidarity so that everyone can celebrate who they are, no matter where in the world they live."

Among the long list of achievements under Jacindas leadership are the Families Package, child poverty reduction legislation, the Winter Energy Payment, extended paid parental leave and rolling out free, healthy lunches in schools.

These are only a few examples of the many ways the Government has made progress for New Zealanders. The full list is so long that when Jacinda was challenged to run through the Governments achievements in just two minutes after two years in office - even she couldnt get through the list in time!

Watch the video here.

In May 2020, Jacinda Ardern was doing a live TV interview when a 5.8 earthquake hit the Beehive in Wellington.

When asked if she was okay to continue with the interview, without flinching, she glanced at the still-wobbling flag stands and coolly said: "Im good. We're just having a bit of an earthquake here."

Do you have more examples of Jacinda Ardern's leadership to add to the list? Share to your friends on Facebook or Twitter and let us know!

Original post:

10 times Jacinda Ardern was a true leader - NZ Labour Party

If you are not vaccinated, there will be everyday things you will miss out on, the prime minister says.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the framework will provide people with greater clarity moving forward. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

A new Covid-19 response framework is being finalised and will be released on Friday, providing people with greater clarity, Jacinda Ardern said.

"It will become very clear to people that if you are not vaccinated there will be things that you miss out on, everyday things that you will miss out on," Ardern told Morning Report.

"It's about both rewarding people who have gone out and done the right thing but also keeping away people who are less safe."

She said by the time the framework is ready to move to, the government is confident vaccine certificates will be ready.

It's like an alert level system, she said.

"We've always said once we're vaccinated it will be different, so we need to therefore design what that looks like."

Ardern said the government is drawing some distinctions though, they don't want an environment where people can't access necessary goods and services to maintain their lives.

"We can't say someone can't get health services, medical needs, pharmacies, food."

The government is supporting providers who are providing incentives for people to get vaccinated, she said.

"Anything that they identify will work for their community has our backing."

Ardern said domestic travel is being looked at separately from the framework to be announced Friday, and work is being down to see if there is a way to safely allow movement.

"But that would have a number of checks around it - is there a way that we can use vaccine certificates but also acknowledge that even if you're vaccinated it is still possible for you to have asymptotic Covid."

The border is putting a lot of strain on Auckland the more time is it needed, she said.

"At the same time, the rest of New Zealand wants to remain... Covid free or be in the position to extinguish Covid cases as they arrive. So we've got to balance those two needs."

Epidemiologist Rod Jackson told Morning Report the government needs to go hard on those who just haven't yet got around to getting a vaccine - "With no jab, no job, no fun".

The second group of people who aren't vaccinated however, don't trust the system, he said.

"And for those we have to find the people that they trust.

"The only game in town is to buy time until we get everyone vaccinated."

The government has signalled a vaccination target will be part of the soon to be announced framework.

Jackson says if 95 percent of the population is vaccinated, there will be death, disease and hospitalisations for the last five percent.

"Those were the 5 percent who were the first to get Covid in Europe last year, those are where most of the deaths are, those are where most of the hospitalisations are...For the rest of us, we're all going to get Covid again.

He said people don't realise that.

"There's two ways to get vaccinated. You either get vaccinated by the virus, and that's brutal, one in 10 hospitalisations in this latest outbreak. If you get Covid after you've been vaccinated it will happen slowly because the vaccine is fantastic for dealing with severe disease but it only slows down infection."

Slowing down infection is the key problem a vaccinated population faces, he said.

"Because Covid spreads so rapidly, even if the vaccine has reduced your risk of going to hospital from one in 10 to one in 100. That is still one in 100 of a lot of people if Covid is spreading rapidly."

A flexible approach is needed, he said.

Read the rest here:

Everyday activities won't be available to the unvaccinated - Jacinda Ardern - RNZ