Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump face off Wednesday (October 19) for their final presidential debate. What should we expect?
No, I don’t mean, in despair, what do we expect to happen? I’m asking, in aspiration, what should we expect of the two would-be leaders of the world’s greatest democracy? When some two-thirds of citizens think our nation is headed in the wrong direction, and the political discussion has become a slugfest of uninspiring lows, isn’t it time to really go high? To force these candidates to reach for some strategic loft about their presidential intentions?
Bigger Picture For The Right Track
Like many other people today, I’m wondering: What, dear candidates, is the big picture plan for getting the nation back on the right track? And what do you think “the right track” actually is?
Calling Chris Wallace, our moderator for Debate #3! Please throw Clinton and Trump the kind of questions that democratic-style leaders in every context—businesses, virtual networks, non-profit organizations, as well as traditional political systems—must answer, to earn the right for a turn at bat.
Beyond Groping And Hoping
Let’s remember how leaders of any self-governing community ultimately succeed. They don’t command and control; they mobilize members with vision and plans that people want to sign up for. To do that, they don’t spend a lot of time tweeting insults about their foes or issuing reams of disembodied policy papers. Nor do they hide behind bumper-stickers or the explanations of pundit surrogates. They face all the people head-on, offering a specific vision for some positive transformation, with the right combination of imagination and practical detail that taps into a spirit of can-do. They offer leadership that promises we can collectively change things for the better. And they show respect to their fellow community members by explaining how they believe that will come about—and how they will help make it so.
Their explanations are many things in parallel: inspirational—this is what we can become and why our new work is good for who we are; transparent, offering enough honest detail to make it real—this is what our new work will be, and the choices we must make; personal—this is what the new work will mean for all of us and each of you. And for me, your auditioning leader.
In sum, though their manners will differ, great democratic leaders ultimately help every stakeholder understand an essential complement of critical ideas: Who are we as a community? What will our future success look like, and how will that success help us realize our purpose? What must we do to achieve this kind of success? Why am I the right leader to do this now with you?
What We Shouldn’t Be Afraid To Ask
Mr. Wallace, go into the debate on Wednesday with noble determination. Don’t referee a prize-fight of personal punches. Instead, please demand that Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Trump tackle the core strategic questions for a self-governing community whose people desperately want change—and are grappling to know what that should and could be. Help citizens see the differences about each candidate’s deepest thinking. Ask them this:
1. America’s purpose: “Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Trump: why does our nation exist? What in simple summary do you believe America offers to all of us as citizens? To the rest of the world? What is your view of what is special and distinctive about what we stand for?
2. Your vision of our success: “Mr. Trump, you say you want to ‘Make America Great Again.’ Mrs. Clinton, for you ‘We’re Stronger Together.’ Explain to our listeners what a fuller picture of that looks like in your mind. When you leave office at the end of your term, what specifically will be different and better for all of us versus today?”
OK, Then What’s The Strategy?
3. Your plan for our nation to reach that success: “Candidates, the specific policies and programs you support are available on your websites, and you have spoken from time to time about many of them. Please now speak about an overall strategy for your administration, in more general principles and themes—what’s the kind of blueprint you will follow to guide the nation in the next four years, to reach the sort of success and vision you have just sketched for us?”
“I notice both of you pausing. To get started, why not begin by laying out the handful of the most important problems we as a nation must solve today? And how you think we’ll tackle those most important problems? You might also speak about what you see as the most promising opportunities to build the better nation you envision. I know the time is brief, but summarize as concisely as you can. People are eager to hear a concise synthesis of how you would actually move America forward.”
Realizing Purpose And Choosing A Leader
4. Advancing our common purpose. “Candidates, for the benefit of the audience now, let’s be sure we’re connecting all the dots. Please go back to the higher purpose of our nation that you first spoke about—and explain now how the problems and opportunities you want to prioritize—and the overall plans for building greatness you’ve spoken about—will revitalize that purpose. How, stated otherwise, will your vision and strategy specifically strengthen why we exist in the world as a nation? And for our citizens themselves? ”
5. Why you? “Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Trump, you are both to be congratulated for earning your party’s nomination, and reaching this final phase of a long and difficult campaign. Soon the voters will choose between you—and we hope some of the reason that the winner will prevail will be based on the vision and strategic thinking you’ve shared with us tonight.”
“And so, let’s us then finish with this: why are you now the best leader for our democratic community? Why are you particularly qualified and committed to leading us on the journey for renewed greatness that you’ve been explaining? Why you—Mrs. Clinton, or you Mr. Trump— as our nation’s best hope, to make the vision and strategy of tonight’s discussion come true?”
Originally published on Forbes.com