So often we evaluate politicians through the lens of professional capacity, experience, and charisma. All these factors are very important, of course. But a current news story shows that the first of the four essentials of relational wholeness–integrity–has a profound role in politics, one that’s often overlooked by the press.
In the November 19 New York Times issue, columnist Thomas Friedman astutely wonders whether or not president-elect Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton have a strong enough relationship for him to name her as Secretary of State.
In his essay, Friedman says that strong foreign diplomacy requires the Secretary of State to have the full backing and trust of the president. So if Mr. Obama offers her the job merely as a “populist” move, but doesn’t really trust her or agree with her, Mrs. Clinton would be seen by the leaders of other nations as having no real authority. On the other hand, if Mr. Obama fully trusts Mrs. Clinton and is willing to back her up consistently in diplomatic relations, Mrs. Clinton will be seen as the true envoy of the president himself. In that case, U.S. diplomacy would probably be very effective.
In other words, the future of America’s relationships around the globe depends on the quality of the relationship between two people. And as we say in our book, the foundation of every relationship is integrity. Without that, there can be no trust between people.
Although he doesn’t doubt Mrs. Clinton’s professional capacity, Friedman admits that he has serious doubts about the integrity of the Obama-Clinton relationship. “My question is whether a President Obama and a Secretary of State Clinton, given all that has gone down between them and their staffs, can have that kind of relationship, particularly with Mrs. Clinton always looking four to eight years ahead, and the possibility that she may run again for the presidency,” he wrote.
In other words, can Obama trust Clinton after they battled and bruised each other during the long campaign? Can he trust her, knowing that she might have selfish motives for long-term political advancement? What is, after all, the basis for trust between them?
The fact is, the effectiveness of America’s foreign relations over the next four to eight years depends on the quality of Obama’s relationship with his future Secretary of State, whoever that might be. That will require more than strategic planning; it will take integrity.
The same principle is true in our personal lives at work and at home. It is worthwhile for us all to consider how we can build trust in our relationships.
