Trent Lott: A Leader’s Misstep

Phil Holberton

Phil Holberton

Dedicated to helping you achieve your maximum potential

Reading Time: 1 minute

Senator Trent Lott, majority leader of the United States Senate had a misstep with words that could—or should—cost him his job. He referred to Senator Strom Thurman’s candidacy for President of the United States in 1948 (one that supported segregationist policies) as being good for the country. At that time, segregation was part of the South’s culture; it took many years of hard work to change the culture and reduce the degrading practice of segregation. Was Thurman opportunistic like many politicians, adjusting positions as the political winds blew, or did he have a fundamental change in beliefs?

The same question can be asked of Senator Lott. Did he opportunistically modify his opinion to be more in sync with his constituencies? His lack of directness when responding to reporters’ questions and his voting record would suggest that he reacted to society’s change of opinion—he certainly did not lead the change. As a government leader, it is seems clear that Senator Lott was following the change in our society rather than leading the change. The open question is whether he fully believes in the fundamentals behind the change.

As a leader of the United States Senate, he has a special responsibility to develop trust with his followers. Leaders need to have this special trust between themselves and their constituents in order to have a smooth functioning organization. In this case, he has his Mississippi contingent, but more importantly, he has the republican majority of the United States Senate. This is a real leadership position and this position takes a special skill to be totally effective. When this confidence is undermined, as it was in the Archdiocese of Boston, a leadership change needs to occur. After all, we see it in corporations all the time. Why should publicly viewed organizations be any different?

Contact us Today
CATEGORIES: Uncategorized


Set the Tone for a Successful Career

Don't let your title dictate your strategy. Rather, use these 7 steps for a smooth transition and to succeed in the most important period of your employment: your first 90 days.

As a new manager or leader, you have your work cut out for you but it's important to slow down and be strategic. Many careers get sidetracked during the first 90 to 180 days because the entry was too fast. Follow the advice in this free white paper to set the tone during your onboarding and to set yourself up for success.

Thank you for your interest! Check your inbox to confirm your subscription and receive your free white paper.